Sven, look what you have done to us! We are all Bali (and Lombok... one day, think golden SSPs) fans! So far I've covered Ubud (centering), Jimbabran Bay (the bay says it all), Kuta (bacchanalian and budget), Legian (upmarket), Seminyak (stylish) and some of these twice.
And I love the Indonesians and I'm fortunate to have had some in my household for over two decades now.
Kat, Karin's right. I remember in high season, the Scandinavians will descend upon the island and bask in the sun for weeks on end. There are fascinating resorts in Uluwatu (google "Alila Villa Uluwatu" - an aquaintance was the architect, for example, or "Four Seasons Ubud" or "Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay") far from the madding crowd and even more maddening drunken Aussies on their schoolies. Bali is to Aussies, I guess, what Ibiza and Corfu is to the TOWIE crowd. (Aside to our British PG friends: Just where do the Sloanes go apart from the ski slopes?)
As for the itinerant peddlers, like Karin says, no, no, mostly only in raucous Kuta where commercialism is rampant. I personally love Ubud (hills). Very relaxing. I've brought my (then) babies along on these trips from as young as 6 months. For the price of HK, in Bali you get a spring-fed private pool and villa on the edge of the River Ayung with views of rice fields.
Feeling Bali now
?