Paradisus by Meliá Bali

Our experience with this hotel has been nothing short of frustrating and deeply disappointing. We booked 6 months in advance for a December 2025 stay, only to be informed last minute, just two weeks before check-in that the hotel would not be opening on time. This delay has completely derailed our Christmas holiday plans. As a family of four with two young kids traveling during one of the busiest periods of the year, the late notice left us scrambling to find alternative accommodation. Paradisus Melia Bali suggested ‘partnered’ hotel options however they were inferior to what was originally booked. None matched the standard or facilities we had planned for. What made this experience even worse was the lack of transparency and communication. The delay must have been known well before they contacted us, yet they chose to notify guests at the very last minute. This showed poor management and little regard for the stress and inconvenience caused to families who had planned carefully around their promised opening date which they assured us multiple times would be ready by the time we checked in. We expected far better from a hotel positioning itself as a premium ‘all inclusive’ hotel. Instead, we were left with unnecessary stress, limited options, and a holiday season that now feels much more chaotic than it should have. I sincerely hope they improve their communication, planning, and consideration for guests before accepting any future bookings. At this stage, I cannot recommend them based on our experience.

We booked this hotel in June, with the assurance that it would be ready by December and our rooms confirmed as available. However, I recently received a generic email stating that the hotel will not be opening as planned, and providing us with alternative options. The communication during this process was incredibly frustrating and unprofessional, making it challenging to secure alternative accommodations. We were looking forward to our lagoon access rooms and this holiday, especially since we are traveling next week with two young kids and another family. Due to the slow response from your team, we ended up finding our own accomodation. If the hotel was aware that it wouldn’t be ready by December, they should have informed guests sooner than telling us a week before check-in.

Same with the previous reviewer, Paradisus can’t open on time (meant to open early Dec) and chose to inform us with less than a month to go to our holiday. They offered alternative hotels but when I asked for more information there is no response for the last 2 days… surely this is not their first rodeo opening up hotels… if they can’t open on time, at least inform guests as early as possible and when offering alternatives, have all information at hand. Now when I search for other options on my own, prices are exorbitant. Really disappointed with the lack of follow up from the management team.

Our stay at Melia Bali was absolutely perfect from start to finish.||The resort feels like a tropical sanctuary — surrounded by lush gardens, with direct beach access and a peaceful, elegant atmosphere.||||The rooms are spacious, beautifully decorated, and designed for ultimate comfort. Every detail, from the welcome drink to the evening turndown service, made us feel genuinely cared for. The staff is exceptional — always smiling, attentive, and ready to help with anything.

I’m writing this while I’m still on holiday because tonight really changed the tone of a very stressful day. We decided we couldn’t stay at our original hotel and came over to the Meliá Paradisus. When we arrived, we realised our passports were still at the other hotel. My husband had to taxi back to collect them, and I sat on a bench by reception with our bags feeling pretty distressed.||||Lucas, the concierge, came over, sat down beside me and chatted. He didn’t have to he just noticed I wasn’t myself and was so pleasant and calm. It genuinely settled me after a long, difficult day.||||When my husband got back, Danielle at reception called us over as soon as she was free. Check-in was straightforward and professional, and then we were told we’d been given an upgrade. After everything that had happened, that small bit of kindness and care made a huge difference.||||This hotel feels calm, clean, and genuinely welcoming — exactly what we needed after such a stressful start. These are just first impressions, but they’re absolutely excellent. I’ll update again once we’ve spent more time here.

I wanted to share my experience with Paradisus in light of the recent negative reviews. I booked a week-long stay for January, seven months ago, fully aware that renovations were underway with a planned reopening for December 1st. Like many others, I was disappointed to learn this has been pushed back to February 1st. ​However, it’s clear this decision came from corporate leadership, and the local Balinese staff have faced the monumental task of re-arranging two months' worth of bookings. We were offered relocations to The Laguna, Sofitel, or Hilton in Nusa Dua (covering the price difference themselves). While it took a few weeks to finalise the arrangements after we stated our preference, the resort stayed true to its word and secured us two new rooms. Throughout the process, the staff has been fantastic—consistently kind and helpful via phone, email, and WhatsApp. I’d like to give a special mention to Putu Laba for going above and beyond to assist us.

Booked online for in September 2025 for January 2026 - called and emailed hotel multiple times to make pre trip arrangements - only to be told when we finally got hold of someone at the hotel that it wouldn’t open until at least February.||||Called their international booking line and was brushed off because we didn’t book directly - struggled to get them to admit an opening date. Even checked their website and no formal notice of their opening date or availability so seems they are hiding it. I hope no guests rock up to find it closed.

What a joke this group is! Booked 6 months ago for a trip in Jan, the hotel notified us in December that they weren’t going to be open in time. Surely they would’ve known this well in advance of a month before? Promised to relocate us to a partner hotel but nothing has materialized. Made countless calls and multiple emails but nothing. Beware booking this place, who knows when they’ll get their act together!