Margarita Villa Canggu By Zuzu

Best place for me to stay. I met good people, had a big, clean room, and liked the location by the beach. Highly recommended.

No cleanliness, no decent showers or beds, and the old rusty metal bed frame squeaked. There was no staff to talk to and no manager. The electricity was off during the day. Lots of insects, dirty beds, no towels, toilet paper, or toilet water sprayer/bidet. The toilet is always open, there are no lockers, and the place looks nothing like the pictures. There’s construction nearby and lots of noise too. Don’t come here.

I expected more for the price. The beds were so uncomfortable that I woke up with back pain every morning, and about half the staff seemed unhelpful or unresponsive. They advertised internet speeds over 100 Mbps, but I only saw 5 to 70 Mbps. With so many hostel guests on the same line, it often dropped completely for a couple of minutes. The AC barely worked, and our belongings developed mould. I mentioned it to staff, but they didn’t seem to care or do anything. Hot water ran out quickly, and the shower had a crooked stream and clogged holes, so getting a proper shower was difficult. Everything in the room felt worn and corroded. I understand the humidity in a tropical climate, but better maintenance could make a big difference. It seemed like the owner was more focused on building new structures than fixing or maintaining the existing ones.

I booked one night on booking.com for when I first arrived in Bali. Check-in was a bit strange, so I’m sharing what happened in case it helps other travellers set their expectations. The price was low and it seemed to have what I needed for a few nights in Canggu, but it wasn’t as advertised. That’s why I’m giving two stars. The second star is for the friendly man who arranged a move for me after I asked. The room I was shown had no privacy curtains, bedding, lockers, or towel. When I asked about a towel, I was told it cost extra, even though booking.com listed it as included, and they reluctantly gave me one for free. A few Indonesian girls seemed to have been living in the room for a while. They were very friendly, but they were clearly sick and coughing everywhere. I felt uncomfortable, as though I was moving into their bedroom, and didn’t want to get sick during my short stay. I asked the manager to move me to the advertised room, but was told that cost more. Since it was around 10pm, after some discussion he let me sleep in another “group” room for one night at no extra cost. That room was nice and I had it to myself, so I appreciated the accommodation. This place is cheap, but it didn’t resemble the room shown on booking.com. I’d strongly advise travellers to pay attention when booking and lower their expectations, or they may be disappointed.