Ocean Shores Quality Stays started, as the name suggests, on a stretch of Pacific coast — reviewing the dependable inns and seaside lodges where "quality" meant clean sheets, a warm welcome and a room that did exactly what it promised. Over the years our readers travelled further, and so did we.
These days much of our attention has shifted to Bali, and to Seminyak in particular. The setting could hardly be more different from a coastal motor inn, but the questions we ask have not changed at all. Is it genuinely clean? Is it well run? Does it deliver what the photographs promise? We simply apply those plain standards to private villas instead of guest rooms.
We write about how to judge a rental before you book, the hygiene and upkeep standards that separate a good stay from a disappointing one, the character of the coast itself, and the practical side of planning a trip for a family or a group. We are not a booking agent and we do not take commissions to say nice things. When we rate a place highly, it is because it earned it against the same checklist we would use for our own family.
Our articles are written by Randy Evans, who has spent more nights than he can count judging accommodation for a living — first along the Pacific, now across the villas of southern Bali. The voice is deliberately honest and a little sceptical, because that is exactly the voice we would want reading a listing on our behalf.
We always like hearing from readers, whether you have a question, a correction or a villa you think we should look at. You can reach us any time at [email protected], or through our contact page.
