I choose my travel partners wisely...Hotel Nikko

I'm not talking about any hotel here...... I felt like I'd just checked into another world at Hotel Nikko In Bali.

I live in Bali and I know the areas pretty well, so if a beach front resort is your thing I've hit the jackpot for you. It has everything to offer , especially for my water sports loving friends, and then plus some.

If your passion is water-skiing, jet skiing , banana boat rides, diving or snorkelling this is water sport heaven handed to you on a plate and just steps from your hotel.

If you've never heard of Hotel Nikko, let me just say it's a Japanese owned hotel that has Japanese customer service and Balinese charm....now that's an beautiful mix.

What I liked about the position of the hotel is that you are far enough away from the hustle and bustle of Seminyak and Canggu, Bali tourist hot spots but still easy to get to.

You are about 40 mins to Seminyak and 50 mins to Canggu. If you want to head to world class surfing beaches it is an easy 20 minute trip.

You'd be a short 30 mins from the airport.

We stayed in an ocean view suite and the room was outstanding. Very spacious, a sprawling lounge room, huge tv, big bedroom and sumptuous bathroom with a huge bath. I just loved the big patio overlooking the pool and beach.

We were very content to chill by the big oceanfront pool and wandered out to buy a fresh iced coconut from the beach vendors.

The hotel has some lovely spaces and restaurants to relax. I really enjoyed looking and reading about some great antique pieces such as tuk tuks, old motorcycles and bicycles and other Balinese memorabilia displayed through the hotel.

There is also a gym, spa and all the usual good stuff that you'd expect at a 5 star resort.

One of the highlights of our stay was a 9 course dinner at the Hotel Nikko's Nagisa Izakya Japanese restaurant.

What a treat that was.

We had 9 amazing courses of the freshest ingredients. The seafood was just bliss.

Did you know chef Goda is the only Japanese chef in Bali right now?

Chef Goda is also a certified tea master and you can also experience Japanese culture by tea prepared in the ancient Japanese way.

Maybe you want to learn to make sushi with the master than this is your chance at Hotel Nikko.

Our second day at Hotel Nikko we were treated to jet skiing. OMG how much fun was that?

We had an absolute ball. The water was crystal clear and what a fun playground.

To sum it up if its your first time to Bali or a seasoned traveller to Bali, I can highly recommend this part of the island as it has so much to offer. Close enough to the hustle and bustle but faraway to feel like your on a tropical island.... the best of both worlds.

Hotel Nikko is a great place to for a day trip for lunch and hang around the pool or stay at this beautiful resort. There are some fabulous specials to be snapped up right now.

In summary Hotel Nikko has a really old world Balinese feel to it and you check in as a guest but you leave as family. That's exactly how we felt.

Yours in travel, fashion and fitness

Sheila