The Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa was one of the first resorts to be built on the golden sands of Nusa Dua, and despite extensive renovations, its distinctive Balinese charm remains intact. The newest F & B outlet, The Lobby, has been designed to reflect the strong Balinese character of the resort, while introducing a contemporary edge through innovative designer cocktails. The bright and breezy bar features views over the extensive tropical gardens which can be enjoyed from comfortable sofas scattered with attractive batik cushions, or from the barstools placed at long wooden counters. Vibrant paintings and shelves lined with Balinese knick knacks complete the picture.Priding itself on its Balinese heritage, The Lobby has procured the finest arak (rice wine) on the island to create a variety of bespoke cocktails. We try the Joget a blend of premium arak, pressed limes and fresh mango juice, the strong flavour of arak is smoothed by the rich tropical sweetness of mango. Arak also appears in the Two Island Iced Tea blended with orange liqueur, fresh lime, honey and jasmine tea.
Complimentary tortilla chips and homemade salsa accompany drinks, but if you are looking for something a little more substantial, The Lobby provides a nice twist on the afternoon tea theme, offering 'Afternoon cocktails,' with a choice of cocktails, coffee and tea, served with a classic tiered tray of sandwiches, date scones and dainty cakes – the baked mini cheesecake is sensational, as is the iced, creamy Cubano Coffee spiced with cardamom and served with a cinnamon stick. Cocktail choices include the sweet Lady in Red and the Blue Ocean.
Piped ambient music creates a chill out lounge atmosphere, with the tempo rising later in the evening, and live dj sets can be enjoyed on Thursday and Saturday nights. Open until 2am the bar is also popular with the expat/after hours crowd. \AB
