Aruna Eco Spa

The hosts were so kind and always ready to help, and their two sweet dogs made us feel welcome right away. My partner and I spent five weeks here and felt at home. We loved the quiet natural setting and the gorgeous views all around. There's a beach nearby overlooking the place, about an hour away on foot, or you can take a bike. The on-site facilities worked well for us, including fast internet for remote work, hot water, a pool to cool off in and a Smart TV. I'd happily come back.

The place looks lovely, but the way the booking was handled and the rude response left us stressed, so I can't recommend it. I later saw earlier reviews describing similar things. My husband and I booked with the understanding that we could bring two dogs, since the Booking listing said pets were accepted. The person in charge messaged us through the app saying the animals couldn't come and asking us to cancel. We didn't see the message or reply as quickly as he expected, and our dates were booked to someone else without us confirming a cancellation. The cancellation would have been non-refundable, so we were left scrambling to find somewhere else at short notice and could have lost money. When we tried to sort it out, he was very curt, blamed my husband for replying late and told us to deal with the app. Is it right to make a new booking without confirmation from a customer who has already paid and booked according to the listing?

One star only because there's no zero. The place was dirty, and what was advertised didn't match what we found. It was described as a private cabin with a pool, but was actually a group of homes sharing a dirty pool. When we raised this, the owner got defensive and rude. He said he had never listed it as private on Booking, but hadn't bothered to read his own rental description either. He then got worked up, shouted at us and kicked us out, with no assurance we'd get a refund. Stay well away if you're after peace and quiet. The photos and how the host presents the place don't match what you get.

The road up the hill was a bit of a pain because of the potholes, and the place is somewhat out of the way. But the spot itself was wonderful, surrounded by nature, with no car noise, just birds. Our room had a bathroom and mini fridge, but no TV or air conditioning. You can also rent the pyramid, which has bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a service area. We didn't try the alternative therapies. We cooked vegetables on a makeshift barbecue in a corner and loved it. The owner was always willing to help. Breakfast was delicious, served on a deck with a great sea view. A lovely place.