Santika Banyuwangi

The food was the highlight for me. I asked for a vegan meal and they made a grilled steak from peas and tempeh, with fresh vegetables in a good mix: carrot, purple cabbage, tomato, onions, red bean, cucumber, and celery. The flavors and textures all came through, and the lemony sauce over the vegetables worked really well. The fries were crisp and not oily, and both the steaks and sauces tasted good. They finished the plate with a celery leaf, which added freshness. The bread was crunchy too. My one small complaint is that the tempeh steak seemed a little overcooked. Thanks, Santika Banyuwangi, keep it up!

I came away disappointed after four nights at Santika, Banyuwangi. The room was basic but had the amenities I needed and a balcony. The staff were making an effort, though service and the look of the place both had plenty of rough edges. Noise from nearby mosques came through because the rooms weren't really soundproof, and it made the stay uncomfortable. The building looks nice outside, but inside it wasn't tidy. The corridors were dirty, and the restaurant felt unpleasant, with dirt and flies around. I'd had a pleasant five-night stay at Santika Premiere, Malang before arriving, so I expected a similar standard here. Instead, I was very disappointed. In my opinion, it wasn't worth the money.

Everything else about our stay a few days ago was satisfactory, from the rooms and facilities to the staff service. We have no other complaints, and hope this feedback helps management. At breakfast, staff could have been more proactive about refilling dishes once they were empty. We also had trouble with the lift button. It lit up briefly and then went dark, so we had to press it several times before the lift responded. The lift may need maintenance.

We chose the breakfast-included option, and the buffet was one of the best I've had at a hotel, especially the desserts. The staff were so lovely and went out of their way to make our stay comfortable and special. Such an amazing experience.