As part of my “Bali on a budget” trip, I visited Lovina Beach on the North Shore of Bali to get away from the crowds of Southern Bali and explore the quieter side of Bali. I was looking for a hotel close to the beach for under $50/night and found Hotel Melamun from online reviews – and it is one of the nicest room I’ve ever had in this price range on Bali! Add friendly service and good food and you have some winning arguments for the Hotel Melamun!

Location: Hotel Melamun is located in Lovina Beach, about 15 minutes drive from Singaraja and just over 3 hours drive from Bali’s airport. It’s on a quiet street, leading from the main road to the beach. You can walk to the waterfront in 5 minutes or the center of Lovina Beach in about 15-20 minutes. The waterfront near the hotel does not have a beach itself – it’s a seawall with a lot of boats tied to it and a narrow stretch of sand during low tide. The closest stretch of beach to lay down or swim is about 10 minutes walk.

Service: Of the budget hotels I stayed at, the service at the Hotel Melamun was the best. They were not only friendly, but incredibly attentive and either addressed or anticipated any wish I might have. The front desk had me checked in quickly and escorted me through the small property to my room, showing me all the features. I also received a map of town as well as the timing of breakfast and internet information.
Housekeeping made up the room each day on request, as soon as I left the room. They did a thorough job, replaced towels and provided additional toiletries for anything I started using.
Restaurant staff was equally friendly and attentive. They were well trained, even pushing my chair up whenever I sat down, something you rarely find these days even at high-end hotels or restaurants. They were quick to take orders and delivered the make-to-order breakfast, as well as dinner, just as ordered every time. When I was looking around for extra napkins one morning, a box of tissue appeared without me saying a word.
This level of training and attentiveness is something I’d expect at a luxury hotel, but certainly not in this price class and it made the Hotel Melamun stand out for excellent service.

Room: The second pleasant surprise was the very nice room. Hotel Melamun is new and the rooms are well built and outfitted. Each room is in a small, single-story villa, facing the pool or garden. You enter through the sliding glass doors into the large bedroom. It has a king-size bed with a firm mattress and nice comforters, sheets and two big and two huge pillows. There is a large desk and side-table across the other side of the room, with a large flat-screen TV as well as a cupboard hiding a small fridge. The large wardrobe hides a small safe and has plenty of hangers, as well as a luggage bench. The wardrobe has soft-close sliding doors, another unexpected, high-end feature. The back wall is held in stone, the furniture is middle-brown wood and there is some large artwork to decorate the room. I also like the wood-look tile flooring, keeping the room cool and clean. The a/c in the room room had already been running prior to my arrival – another much appreciated touch, usually only found in higher end hotels here. The a/c was strong and working well throughout my stay.
Through a sliding frosted glass door, you enter the even nicer bathroom. It’s very large, held in white and beige tiles, with a black countertop and a vessel style sink. There is a very nice, deep soaking tub under a frosted window to the outside, as well as a large shower with full, dark glass enclosure. The toilet is a Toto toilet with a bidet-style seat, something you’ll find in Japan or Korea, but another unexpected luxury item at this price point! The towels are large, thick and plush and the toiletries of good quality. There is plenty of lighting, including soft lighting around the vanity area. The room did not have coffee/tea facilities, but the restaurant is open all day and steps away. There is no hair dryer in the room.
The internet is very reliable and at an average speed of 9.7Mbps the fastest I’ve found on Bali!

Restaurant/Amenities: Hotel Melamun only has ten rooms around a garden and pool, making it a very private property. The pool is small, but has a shallow, area with a low wall for kids and a deeper area. There are a few loungers and chairs around the pool and the open-air restaurant next to it.
The restaurant serves an a-la carte breakfast in the morning, as well as lunch and dinner. The breakfast offers a choice of Indonesian breakfast, American including eggs, choice of meats, toast, fruit, juice and coffee/tea or a Continental breakfast consisting of different types of pan cakes. All of it was tasty and filling enough to get you started into the day.
I had dinner at the restaurant on my first day and for prices that are slightly higher than in town you get food that is better as well. I had a chicken dish that was very well prepared, used good quality ingredients and tasted very good – it’s worth visiting just for the food, if you are not staying at Melamun!

Bottomline: At a rate of only $38/night including breakfast, the wonderful room and nice breakfast are hard to beat – it is significantly better than what I found elsewhere on Bali at that price point. The location is not ideal, requiring you to walk a bit to the beach or town. Alternatively, it’s a great place to rent a motorcycle and check out the surrounding area. If you are planning to do tours to see the dolphins or go diving/snorkeling, you can always get picked up and there are plenty of locals offering transport. If you are planning a trip to Lovina or are looking for a beach away from the crowds of Southern Bali, consider Hotel Melamun, you’ll be hard pressed to find a nicer room for your money!