With so many accommodations in tourism-driven Bali, choosing the right one can be overwhelming for first-timers. I spent days browsing Agoda and reading the reviews to find the best budget hotel for my stay in Seminyak last month.

I booked Hotel La Costa Central and had zero regrets! I liked it so much that I decided to cancel my Kuta hotel (about 5-10 km away) and just extend my stay in Seminyak. Even if I was a solo traveler with nobody to split the costs with, my nightly rate for this three-star hotel was a cool ₱850 (about 17 USD). Imagine if you had a travel buddy to split that with.

Pros:

1. It opened in August 2017, so everything is new.

2. It has all the basic amenities I need as a budget traveler—clean bathroom, spacious room with air-conditioning, big refrigerator, comfy bed, free Wi-Fi, affordable in-house restaurant, swimming pool, and free breakfast.

3. There’s a friendly hostel vibe, where you can interact with fellow backpackers and travelers in the dining area. I made many friends from around the world during my stay.

4. The employees were friendly (special shout-out to Tio!). They gave me useful travel tips and went beyond their call of duty to make sure my travel needs were addressed.

5. Because this place is hidden within the shops of Jl. Nakula street, it felt like a secret hotel away from the hustle and bustle of Seminyak.

Cons:

1. There’s no front façade. You wouldn’t know there’s a hotel hidden within the shops and money exchange stores on that side of the street until you’ve spotted the small sign. Most taxi and Go-Jek drivers I booked had a hard time finding this hotel, so I just gave them the name of the bike shop next door and the other hotel in front (TS Suites).

2. It’s far from the beach. They claim they’re just 800 meters from the beach, but it took me 20-30 minutes to get to Double Six Beach by foot, including water breaks in between.

3. The room Wi-Fi during my first four days didn’t work, so all guests had to converge in the dining area to use the common Wi-Fi, which would still conk out every now and then.

4. Sometimes there would be no cook in the restaurant or no employee to be found. Thank goodness I became friends with the staff and got their personal numbers so that I could text them.

5. There are limited choices for food in the resto. Since there are no affordable restaurants (the Warung Lokal types) in the neighboring area, it would be nice if they had a bigger menu for guests who are too tired to take a scooter or taxi ride to other restaurants.

Extra quirks that I liked:

1. The wooden vanity table was a plus for me. It was big enough for me to lay out all my toiletries and beauty products, making me feel a little more at home. The closet was clean and spacious, and didn’t smell bad like other budget hotel closets that would dissuade you from hanging your clothes there.

2. The small pool was cute and shady. I know other guests didn’t like it, but for me it was just right, especially since there’d be only one to three people at a time in the pool.

3. There’s a hut in the outdoor resto, which became my favorite place to hang out when I needed a break from all the shopping and exploring. I would eat, drink, read, and check my emails there.

Their nightly rates are still in introductory phase, so book your stay in La Costa Central before they become famous and start increasing their prices!

Hotel La Costa Central is located at Jalan Nakula No.18, Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia.
Photos by KateWasHere. Additional photos from Hotel La Costa Central.