Gerupuk Homestay

You can walk to nearby warungs and shops, and the boats for the surf spots leave from just across the street. The homestay is right in the village center, so there's no real need for a car or scooter unless you're heading to Kueta. We had a great time: friendly staff, a shared area to relax in, and a very clean room and bathroom with a comfy bed.

They can arrange surfing, fishing, trekking, motorbike rental, and laundry, and breakfast is nice too. The staff were really pleasant, the owner welcoming, and the place felt like the cleanest and most modern option in Gerupuk.

The staff were lovely and always smiling, which was the one good part of our stay. The room itself was far too uncomfortable, so although I booked two nights, we left after the first. For the same price we found a villa, Villa Alasa, 20 minutes away, which felt like pure luxury compared with Charlie’s. The room was tiny, with dirty linens and a dirty bathroom. There was little or no water most of the time, and when it did run, the pressure was extremely low. The drinking water dispenser was empty. There was no AC for much of the night. I know the power problem affects the whole village, but given the small room and lack of outside-facing windows or airflow, a fan seems like the bare minimum. The two small windows Tommy described to me on WhatsApp before booking face the living room, not outside, so the room got no daylight. I'd asked because a Google review mentioned there were no windows. I found the price a rip-off. When I texted Tommy, the director, to explain we were leaving because the room was so uncomfortable, he just replied “ok”. He didn't try to find out what was wrong or even say goodbye. He wasn't honest about the windows. Don't stay here, it's not worth the price.

This is just about the restaurant. The staff were friendly and the view was great, but the portions were small for the price. The curry cost 50k, and the “massala chicken” turned out to be rice with a chicken wing, which wasn't what we expected.