Salim Beach Resort

The staff were lovely when we arrived, welcoming us with fresh fruit and tasty juice, and offering helpful suggestions. But the bar staff seemed uninterested, and we waited more than 20 minutes to be served. Our room was dirty, and the shared areas need a deep clean. The thin wooden walls let us hear all kinds of sounds from the neighboring guests and animals. For what the place offers, the rates felt high, especially since other nearby places charged about the same for better facilities.

The location is lovely, close to the turtles, and the wooden huts, pool, and greenery give the place potential. Still, we never felt comfortable, and it had a big effect on our stay. A youth hostel might suit its clientele better. If you want genuinely good service, we can only recommend staying elsewhere, perhaps at one of the guesthouses where we found the welcome flawless 🌸 We were made to pay the entire stay in cash when we arrived. Our rooms were very dark and not especially clean. In four nights, we had six power cuts and two water cuts. Breakfast was included at Raja Bar, but on two of the four mornings we left before our order arrived, with no alternative or apology. Service was poor in general: taking orders took ages and everything was extremely slow. At the end of our stay, we found six strangers sleeping on mattresses on the ground right in front of our rooms. The noise, light, and cigarette smells made it impossible to sleep. At checkout, the receptionist said we should have reported it, although it happened outside reception hours and the hotel had arranged it. I work in hospitality and had never seen anything like it.

The snorkeling just offshore was superb. Swim out a little and the current carries you south along the island, then you can walk back north. The location is lovely too, with a quieter stretch to the north and more restaurants south. We spent one night in a room with such thin walls that we could hear the neighbors whisper, then moved to a bungalow for two lovely nights. I'd definitely recommend the bungalows.

I had a really nice stay at Salim Beach Resort. The traditional bungalow felt cozy, breakfast was delicious, and the pool was a great spot to relax. The staff on my last night were especially kind and helpful, and made me feel welcome. I'd happily come back!