'Minted and Skinted' Resorts

12/14/2006 at 12:02 PM
Tags: Bali Hotels, Tips, Luxury Hotels

Luxury hotels aren't for all of us. Well, we'd like them to be, but our pockets aren't always so deep. And since the Times in the UK knows this, they wrote up a neat minted and skinted summary naming a few of the "minted" resorts--the ones the average Joe can't afford--along with the "skinted" versions, which are the next best thing "just around the corner" from the big ones. With tips roaming the world from Italy to India and Mauritius to Malaysia, you'll probably learn about somewhere worth staying whatever your budget and wherever your destination.

It's the Bali tips that especially caught our interest. The "minted" pick is Amandari which we already know and love from a T&L Top 10 list. There's little doubt that it's a great place to stay, but with doubles from $850 a night, it's not for all of us. The Times suggests the Melati Cottages, just a mile away from Amandari:

You won't be roughing it -- the rooms, in a cluster of six thatched cottages, are big, airy and neat -- but it's their position, overlooking a succession of deep, deep green paddies on the edge of the village, that makes this place special. The local gamelan orchestra uses one of the hotel's buildings, a short walk over the fields, for practice, and you're welcome to wander over for a listen: they're terrific, and when you know they're playing for themselves rather than tourists, the whole thing's somehow more moving.

And you get in here for just $40 a night. Minted or skinted? It's a nice concept, just check your bank balance and take your pick.

Related Stories:
· Amandari reviews [TripAdvisor]
· T+L's Newest List of Top 10 Hotels for Service [HotelChatter]