The Kirana Canggu Hotel

The Kirana is a boutique hotel in the relaxed artists-and-surfers beach village of Canggu, surrounded by rice fields in an area of other hotels. The hotel is housed in a four-floor building of somewhat avant garde design. The tropical grounds feature a "rice terrace" that's designed to resemble the neighboring rice fields. Guests enter to an open-air lobby, filled with natural wood and bright colors like purple and lime green -- a motif repeated throughout the property. The interiors have a contemporary, almost boutique-like feel, but the atmosphere is relaxed. Guests gather around the infinity pool, which overlooks the neighboring rice fields and village. With its location a short walk from Batu Balong Beach and Echo Beach, the Kirana draws a lot of surfers. But couples, particularly those drawn to the yoga and art galleries of the village, also stay here. 

The Kirana Hotel is in the center of the laid-back, cool beach community of Canggu. Numerous restaurants, cafes, bars, surf shops, art and craft galleries, and yoga studios are a short walk away. The famous Deus restaurant, bar, music venue, and art gallery is about a five-minute stroll. Those interested in surfing can walk about five minutes to reach Batu Bolong Beach, or about 10 minutes farther to reach Echo Beach. Taman Segara Madu Water Park is a five-minute drive. Northern Seminyak and the area with La Lucciola beachfront Mediterranean restaurant, Petitenget Beach, and Pura Petitenget temple is about a 25-minute drive from the hotel. Seminyak Square shopping mall is about a 30-minute drive by car or free hotel shuttle. Expect a 40-minute drive to Ngurah Rai International Airport.

Rooms, suites, and penthouses at the Kirana have a pleasant, modern look, with laminate-wood paneling and floors, largely bare white walls, and colorful decorative throws and throw pillows on the all-white bed. The rooms don't have much Balinese character, though they're cheerful enough to fit in in up-and-coming Canggu. Rooms range rom 280 square feet (26 square meters) to 7,158 square feet (665 square meters) in the hotel's four-bedroom Club House. Despite that fact, the Kirana Room that we saw looked significantly smaller than 26 square meters and felt cramped. Rooms are in good condition but there are a few complaints of sewage smells in the bathroom. Some rooms open directly to the pool, and these rooms occasionally get morning noise from the pool area. All 30 rooms come with minibars, air-conditioning, electric kettles for instant coffee and tea, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs with 60 channels. Wi-Fi reception is occasionally spotty. Suites have iPod docks. Rooms all have balconies or terraces, some with rice field views. The penthouse features its own private swimming pool. Bathrooms are stylishly designed. Some have bathtubs and some feature separate tubs and showers. 

The Kirana features an infinity pool that's about 20 meters in length. While it's big enough for a swim, the pool and deck can get a bit crowded at peak occupancy, and it's sometimes hard to find a lounge chair. The pool gets good sun for most of the day. A poolside bar serves cool drinks and light fare like sandwiches. The full-service spa has a good range of Balinese treatments, and offers Lomi-Lomi massages and Ayurvedic therapies. The spa also features an elevated deck for yoga and meditation. The small fitness center has an all-in-one weight machine and a couple of cardio machines, plus big glass windows framing views of the grounds. It's nothing much, but may be fine for a basic workout. 

The restaurant overlooks the hotel's infinity pool and rice terrace. It has a good-quality a la carte breakfast menu with items like banana pancakes and Indonesian fare. The lunch and dinner menu specializes in Balinese cuisine using local and seasonal ingredients. Restaurant prices are a bit high. Room service is available. The hotel also offers free parking, free bicycles, scooter rentals, concierge services, and a free shuttle to Seminyak Square. The Kirana hosts regular rooftop movie nights and acoustic movie nights.