ARTOTEL Sanur Bali

Artotel Sanur is for divers who like their base camp with a bit more going on than beige walls and a television. The hotel turns the local kite festival into a design theme, while rotating exhibitions and works by Bali-based contemporary artists give the public spaces something to look at between meals, swims and the next early start.

The mood is urban, artistic and sociable rather than remote. A rooftop bar, a pool, a spa and an on-site restaurant keep the useful parts of the evening close at hand, while room service runs around the clock for the days when the sensible plan is dinner in slippers.

You are in Sanur, Indonesia, on Bali’s south-eastern coast. Sanur Beach is about 0.1 miles away, and Semawang Beach is also about 0.1 miles away, putting the shoreline within a short walk rather than requiring a vehicle and a small expedition. Mertasari Beach is about 0.9 miles away on foot.

The hotel sits close to Sanur’s main street, with shopping and dining options within a short stroll. Several named restaurants are about 100 feet away, and cafés are roughly 0.2 miles away. For a change of scene, Le Mayeur Museum is about 2.5 miles away on foot, while Ngurah Rai International Airport is about 6 miles from the hotel.

The studios are a sensible choice when you want room to come back to your own routine. Air conditioning deals with Bali’s heat after a long day outdoors, while soundproofing, a seating area in some units and a balcony give you somewhere to sit without having to spend the evening in the lobby. The larger Studio 55 is the natural pick if you value extra breathing space as a couple; the Twin Studio suits two divers who would rather keep separate beds and separate sleep patterns.

Every studio has a private bathroom with a shower, slippers, towels and a hairdryer. There is also a coffee machine, an electric kettle and a refrigerator, which means cold water and a proper coffee are within reach when you return tired and salty. A laptop safe, wardrobe, desk, flat-screen cable TV and free Wi-Fi cover the less glamorous but genuinely useful parts of the stay.

The beds are either a super-king-size double or two single beds, depending on the studio. Daily housekeeping keeps the practical side moving, and room service is available around the clock when your appetite arrives at an inconvenient hour.

Lidah Lokal is the hotel’s restaurant, serving international food with a setting designed around Bali’s lush, lively character. Breakfast comes in Asian, American and buffet styles, giving you something substantial before heading out for the day rather than leaving you to negotiate with a lonely biscuit and a kettle.

For the evening, BART Sanur occupies the rooftop and works around the sunset, sea breeze and signature cocktails. It is described as Sanur’s first rooftop bar, which is a more useful distinction than another promise about unforgettable evenings: you can simply take your drink upstairs and look out over the area.

A snack bar, coffee house, bar, minibar and restaurant keep food and drink options on site. Special-diet menus are available on request, and themed dinner nights, wine or champagne and children’s meals are also available. Room service runs for 24 hours, handy when your body clock has been rearranged by flights, boats or both.

The rooftop swimming pool is the obvious place to put your feet up when you have finished being useful for the day. It comes with a pool bar, so you can move from the water to a drink without turning recovery into another outing. The pool area is also suited to a quieter swim or a spell of doing absolutely nothing, which is often the correct post-dive activity.

Smita Spa offers massage and spa facilities on site. You can book a treatment when shoulders, back or legs have had enough of carrying wet kit and holiday luggage. The hotel also runs a complimentary yoga session every Wednesday morning at 7:30, suitable for all levels and built around gentle movement, breathing and stretching.

Artspace and Artotel Goods add a cultural and shopping angle, while live music, evening entertainment and a nightclub or DJ provide more activity after dark. Cooking classes and themed dinner nights are also available, as is a nearby golf course within 3 km. You can choose the quiet option, the social option or the option involving a cocktail and a rooftop view; the hotel does not force the issue.

Ngurah Rai International Airport is about 6 miles away. An airport shuttle and a general shuttle service are available through the hotel, while free private parking is available on site without a reservation. A 24-hour reception, concierge service, luggage storage, currency exchange and express check-in and check-out cover the awkward edges of arrival and departure.

Check-in starts from 14:00 and check-out runs until 12:00. Children older than five are welcome; children aged 12 and above are charged as adults, and extra beds can be requested subject to availability. Cots are not available. Pets are not allowed, and cash is an accepted payment method.

Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the property. Laundry and dry cleaning are available, daily housekeeping is included, and the hotel has a lift, wheelchair-accessible facilities and a lower bathroom sink. Non-smoking rooms, air conditioning, a safety deposit box and a wake-up service keep the practical details in order.