Pondok Narita

I hardly ever post a negative review. Usually I prefer to speak directly with a business about what it could improve, but I’m sharing what happened at Pondok Nartia to help other travellers in Bali. I’d booked three nights and checked whether my tiny pomeranian could come. They confirmed it was fine. After riding an hour from Canggu on a scooter with all my bags, I arrived to check in and was told the property owner didn’t allow dogs. I was left hot, carrying my things, and with nowhere to stay. The 20-room place was almost empty, with just one room occupied. I’d wanted to support a small local business, but turning me away after confirming the dog was allowed was unacceptable. The extra star is for a recommendation from one of the girls: the nearby Taman Agung Hotel. It was absolutely BRILLIANT, with wonderful staff and lovely gardens, and its current occupancy of 90% seems to reflect that. I was very happy there. Local businesses need to rethink how they handle communication as more people travel with pets. An empty 20-room guesthouse might improve occupancy by being a bit more flexible instead of rejecting confirmed bookings. A pet deposit in case of damage could be a good option, especially for very small pets. This experience was extremely disappointing.

The staff were really friendly and helpful, and although some didn’t speak much English, there was usually someone around who did. They could be a bit loud while servicing rooms in the morning, but the place was generally peaceful and quiet, and I’d stay again. My budget room was small, but clean and suited me as a solo traveller who spent most of the day out. The air conditioner worked well. There was no fridge or drinking water in the room, though a 24/7 minimart across the road made it easy to buy what I needed. There were plenty of nearby places to eat and the beach was a short walk away. Breakfast was included. It may be worth checking the serving time, since they leave it on the outdoor table after calling out “breakfast.” If you’re not a light sleeper, you could miss the call or not know how long the food has been sitting there. On my first morning I had Mie Goreng and watermelon; the next day it was scrambled eggs, toast, and watermelon. Both meals came with hot water and coffee ingredients, but you need to bring your own milk. I stayed two nights in July 2019 and wished I’d booked longer. It’s in a great location and the price is awesome. Next time I’ll probably book a bigger room and stay longer. Highly recommended if you want affordable accommodation close to everything.

The air conditioner was okay, though it made a loud noise every so often. I spent one night in an economy room, and it was tiny and dirty. I suspect it hadn’t been cleaned after the previous guest. The staff weren’t especially friendly, and breakfast was just a basic omelet.

There are better places around, so I wouldn’t recommend this one. We had four rooms, and even though they were free that day, they wouldn’t let us have a late checkout in even one of them. Breakfast had no choice, and the standard rooms had only a tub, no shower. There was no shower by the pool either. The staff could barely speak English. The AC in my room didn’t work, though it was fine in the others.