Kuta : book your hotel

With its rich and welcoming culture, spa scene, surf beaches and easy nightlife, is it any wonder we're passionately in love with the mystical Island of the Gods? Set just north of the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Kuta is the original heart of Bali's tourism scene, and still beats strong.

Alongside Kuta Beach and Legian Beach to the north, the knotted streets reveal a wealth of hotels, tiny local cafes sitting beside fine-dining restaurants, quaint, hobo boutiques cheek-to-cheek with open-air markets selling traditional handicrafts and beach-ready clothing.

Bali's long stretches of beach are ideal for mind-soothing rambles; pass kite flyers, picnickers and sandy cafes offering cold beer and fresh coconuts. Surf lessons cater for beginners and intermediate surfers at Legian Beach, or simply grab a lounger at Double Six Beach to watch the people and the setting sun. Pullman Bali Legian Beach and TRIBE Bali Kuta Beach are beachfront at Legian Beach. At Kuta Beach, Mercure Kuta Bali and The Kuta Beach Heritage Hotel Bali are beachfront, and also closest to Waterbom Bali, where kids can burn off excess energy.

Shoppers should visit the Beachwalk Mall and Discovery Mall in Kuta, while ibis Styles Bali Legian is well placed to hit Seminyak's tiny, plentiful boutiques, which range from beach essentials to exquisite, hand-sewn fashion. The small but significant temple at nearby Petitenget Beach allows an unscripted glimpse into Bali's gentle, beautiful culture.

Bali's long lured travellers on a budget; its surf and culture open to all, and markets and cheap street eats in local warungs and simple spas abound. Savvy shoppers can also snap up a clean, comfortable hotel on a budget.

The three-star ibis Bali Kuta is right in the middle of Kuta's lively, bar-lined streets. It offers minimalist-designed rooms with all the necessities, including Wi-Fi, gym, hotel shuttle and room service, a top pick for savvy travellers who spend more time outside their rooms than in.

Luxury and Bali go hand in hand - the tranquil Pullman Bali Legian Beach lets you soak up the wellness in its sauna, hammam and jacuzzi, with massage services on site. It's also a short hop from the Kuta hotel to Seminyak's famed Eat Street, packed with high-end dining experiences, and Seminyak Square's luxury shopping and Bali-based fashion designers including Magali Pasca and menswear specialist Biasa, as well as John Hardy Boutique & Gallery for hand-crafted jewellery.

Looking to soak up the sun and a poolside massage? The rooftop pool at The Kuta Beach Heritage Hotel Bali ticks all the boxes.

It's easy to find great value hotels in Kuta – the beachfront four-star Mercure Kuta Bali is close by the district's best nightlife, with stylish garden rooms or sea views at great prices. Nearby, TRIBE Bali Kuta Beach brings an edgy design and rooftop swimming pool, with shopping malls and sandy beaches nearby.

Further north, Legian Beach is home to the four-star ibis Styles Bali Legian and upmarket Mercure Bali Legian, with its courtyard rooms and top rooms with private pools - all without breaking the bank.

Even in paradise, the wheels of business keep rolling. Pullman Bali Legian Beach is designed for travellers mixing business and leisure, keeping it family friendly but also setting aside adult-only zones as well as function spaces and a ballroom for conferences and events for up to 350 people.

TRIBE Bali Kuta Beach has three meeting rooms complemented by high-speed Wi-Fi, while the four-star Mercure Bali Legian caters to the bleisure traveller with seven meeting rooms and a self-service business center.

The Kuta Beach Heritage Hotel Bali includes meeting rooms and ballrooms to accommodate business travellers as well as high-speed Wi-Fi and work desks in the room, as well as a wheelchair-accessible, self-service business centre.

It's a short, 20-minute walk to Bali's most popular waterpark, Waterbom, from The Kuta Beach Heritage Hotel Bali, whose services include babysitting on request for those traveling with kids.

At Legian Beach, five-star families love Pullman Bali Legian Beach's kids' clubs, for kids three to 12 years, with gardens and BBQ/picnic areas, also babysitting services, as well as strollers and bottle warmers. Nearby, the Mercure Bali Legian offers kids' club for babies and children up to 12, with an indoor playground for those hot days, with board games and an outdoor play area, as well as family-friendly swimming pools in the pram-friendly hotel.

Lovers love Bali, and if it's a destination hotel that you just don't want to leave, the beachfront Pullman Bali Legian Beach fits the bill. In a prime location, its facilities include wellness and fitness centres, as well as a spa and salon - think couples massages and sunsets; choose the courtyard room with a plunge pool to fully cocoon.

At the Kuta Beach Heritage Hotel Bali, go luxe in its deluxe heritage rooms with private plunge pools and rainfall shower experiences, or step out onto the famous Kuta Beach to discover Kuta's beach bars and Balinese and Indonesian restaurants.