Our Dekuta Hotel review – How you can go budget in style at Kuta

Planning to go to Bali for your next holiday, but fretting over the budget?

Don’t worry – great holidays don’t necessarily come with a huge budget.

Sometimes, just spending a little can get you a lot, and it’s where you choose to stay that makes all the difference.

Abigail and I dropped by Dekuta Hotel, a budget boutique accommodation in Kuta, for a short stay, and we absolutely loved it.

Better yet, we also found many things you can do at little or no cost!

Here’s how you can maximise both your budget and fun at Dekuta Hotel.

1. Convenience and comfort: You get the best of both worlds

Dekuta Hotel is a small boutique hotel tucked away in a small lane. Yet, it’s actually nestled in the centre of Kuta, where you can find everything you need.

Once you exit the hotel, you’ll be greeted with rows of streetside shops, where cheap souvenirs and apparels can be bought from as low as IDR$100,000 (approximately US$7).

If you’re after higher-end brands like Victoria’s Secret and New Look, just head to the newly built Beachwalk Mall, a mere 50 metres away.

Image credits: Beachwalk Bali

The road to the mall is also littered with tiny shops that you can explore, so you’ll always be occupied.

In fact, we found that it was actually pretty convenient to head back to our room to drop off some shopping or simply get some respite from Bali’s unforgiving heat whenever we were tired.

If you prefer to to hang out at the beach instead, fret not – the popular Kuta beach is only a five-minute short walk from the hotel.

Me at Kuta beach

Best of all, even though Dekuta is surrounded by so many touristy areas, you won’t have to worry about your sleep being disrupted at night, as the hotel premises are tucked away from the noise and crowd.

Even in the hotel, noise and chatter usually doesn’t extend beyond 11pm, so there were no issues for us.

And whenever you don’t feel like going out into the sweltering heat or mixing with the noisy crowd, you can enjoy some peace and rest in your room, or take a cooling dip in the pool.

Although Dekuta doesn’t have an elevator, it only has three floors, so we just took it as a bit of exercise to work off all the food we’d eaten throughout the day.

Besides, the friendly Dekuta staff were kind enough to bring our luggage up and down for us, so that wasn’t an issue for us at all.

2. Food, beer and fun from dawn to dusk at the Nebula Restaurant, 3-in-1 restaurant

The deal-maker for many when choosing a hotel is the hotel’s in-house restaurant – most people would prefer to have a convenient breakfast in the hotel rather than go food-hunting every single day. 

So this is where Dekuta’s in-house restaurant, the Nebula Restaurant, comes in.

In fact, it’s a 3-in-1 restaurant in more ways than one.

Firstly, the hotel serves three types of cuisines, Indonesian, Western and Thai, so there’s something for everyone.

The restaurant’s newly added Thai food is a must-try.

We especially loved the Khao Pad Moo Krob (traditional Thai fried rice with crispy pork belly) and the Pad Thai (stir fried rice noodles with prawn and tofu). The dishes not only taste good, they’re also affordable, with prices peaking at IDR$65,000 (approximately US$5) – crazy! 

The atmosphere at this chic dining place also changes throughout the day. In the day, you can come in to take a break from suntanning, shopping, or surfing, and chill out in a casual atmosphere with a cup of Nebula Famous Juice (the restaurant’s signature freshly made fruit juice). 

All the juices taste great, and the most popular flavours – Ginger/Lime/Honey/Mint, Raspberry/Strawberry/Blueberry, and Banana/Passion Fruit/Mango – are not only refreshing, but so tasty that we were literally chugging them down whenever we had the chance!

In the evening around 6:30pm, you can watch the beautiful sky coloured by the sunset right from your spot at the Rooftop Bar & Lounge.

You may not be able to see the horizon just like at Kuta Beach, but if you’re not too fond of the how crazy the crowd can get at the beach (especially at sunset), why not enjoy a romantic dinner with your loved one at the lounge instead, with the sun casting a warm glow on your food? 

At night, the mood at Nebula Restaurant changes again, when the orange lights and candlelight makes you feel just warm and cozy. 

It gets better up at the rooftop, where you can lift your head, watch the star-filled sky, and indulge in a cocktail and a heart to heart talk with your closest friends.

Me at Dekuta Rooftop Lounge

And here’s another deal-maker – during the restaurant’s happy hours – now extended to all day (usually starts from 5pm every day), you can get a “Buy 1 Get 1 Free” offer on selected cocktails (psst, the strawberry daiquiri is worth a try).

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3. Get special treats during festivities

You can be sure to get a special experience when you travel during a seasonal period. 

And that’s exactly what Dekuta will offer you. 

The hotel offers various events corresponding with different festivals – such as serving Chinese food during Chinese New Year – so when you visit at different times of the year, you’re always guaranteed a unique experience.

Dekuta also collaborates with local brands to set up small pop-up events right in the premises, so visitors can enjoy a wholly different shopping experience.

If you don’t want to miss out on events like this, be sure to check with the hotel or pay attention to its Facebook page or Instagram for the latest updates!

4. Ask and it shall be given

Want to hold a wedding at the hotel? 

Want to surprise your friend with a special birthday party in Bali?

All that – and more – is possible at Dekuta, as the hotel is open to any type of requests made by guests, as long as it’s feasible and within its means.

When we asked for water in the middle of the night, the housekeeping staff dutifully and quickly delivered it to us!

But these minor things aren’t the only things that Dekuta is willing to do for their guests.

If you want a gathering with friends and family or simply are in the mood for a wild party right there in the lobby, all you have to do is make your request known to the hotel staff a few weeks in advance.

Can you imagine holding a wild party here?

Image credit: Ticktab

Not only can you invite up to 70 people, the hotel will also help you out with decorations, food catering and even hiring live bands! 

Getting a local band to liven up the atmosphere at your event for three hours will only cost IDR$900,000 (approximately US$69), and you can even hire a DJ for IDR$1 million to IDR$1.5 million (approximately US$76 to US$115)!

5. Let someone else plan your itinerary (at a good discount!)

If you’re a clueless first-time traveller to Bali, or are just too lazy (like us) to plan an itinerary ahead of time, here’s how you can still enjoy your holiday without any worries. 

Dekuta has a collaboration with a local tour agency, so there’s an activity desk that’s permanently sited at the hotel lobby, with staff from the agency manning it.

A wide array of brochures for almost every activity under the sun – ATV riding, rafting, canyoning, rice paddy field tours – are also available, so you can always take a look at before starting your day,

If not, simply ask the staff for recommendations on where to go! 

Once you’ve decided on your itinerary, the agency will do the rest – booking a driver, activities, venues… all you have to do is sit back and have a great time. 

Depending on the different seasons and activities, guests at Dekuta also enjoy a 10% to 40% discount with the agency, so that’s a great deal you’re picking up.

6. Mini art gallery free of charge: Nebula Restaurant + Lobby

If you’re an art or music lover, hanging out at the Nebula Restaurant or the hotel’s lobby area will just be like going to a mini art gallery, only that it costs you nothing at all. 

The owner of Dekuta Hotel, Erik, decorated the lobby area in accordance to his love of music, with posters and photos of pop stars.

He also mooted the concept of the restaurant’s interior, and even got some local artist friends to do some paintings for Nebula.

Simply looking at the decor while enjoying your meal will make mealtimes far more enjoyable and interesting – who knows, you might even get inspired too!

7. Friday night jamming with live bands

Every Friday from 8pm, the Nebula Restaurant has an acoustic night.

Local musicians like Astika and Ipank are invited to come sing live at the restaurant, infusing a new kind of energy into the atmosphere.

Where better to wrap up a long day with a relaxing song?

Or if you want to join in the fun, get up and jam along to the music. 

Either way, live music plus good food always go well together. 

8. Save on the room to go shopping all-year-round

Although the room rates for Dekuta are already very economic, the hotel also has various promotions all year round, including early bird and seasonal bookings.

So no matter when you choose to come, there’ll always be a discount for you – so you save some extra cash for your shopping!

So be sure to check out their website to find out if there is any on-going promotion!

You can book directly through their website or email them at [email protected]

9. Indulge in the new breakfast buffet

To cater to guests’ wishes and provide more convenience when it comes to breakfast choices, Dekuta Hotel will be including a breakfast buffet in all room bookings from April onwards. 

Image credits: spicecatering.co.uk

Previously, the hotel only offered an ala carte breakfast menu at the restaurant, but now, you’ll be able to enjoy a scrumptious breakfast buffet with a wide variety of dishes, including Mediterranean, Western, and even Indonesian cuisine.

Sounds expensive?

In fact, the rise in price from the old package (with ala carte menu) is only from IDR$550,000 to IDR$600,000 (approximately US$46), so it’s only a difference of $5!

Don’t worry, the ala carte menu will also still be in place. 

If you can, do try out the breakfast menu in addition to your buffet, because dishes such as the Shakshouka Famous Saudi Arabia Breakfast, Scrambled Egg Wild Mushrooms and Mouth Watering Hash Browns really are popular for a very good reason. 

Now, they even have healthy options like Healthy Bowl ,Smoothie Bowl and Granola Bowl

In fact, the quality of the breakfast almost made us regret that we were only there for two days. 

Trust us, it’s that good. 

This story is made possible by Dekuta Hotel.

Comment and share with us your experiences if you planning to stay or have stayed here before and we will PM you a special offer for this hotel!

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PLEASE NOTE: All the above information is correct at the date of publication. If you come across any changes or updates, please let us know and we will update the information accordingly. Thank you! Tell us

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