Biru Meno Beach Bungalows

The best things about Biru Meno were the beachfront view, the sunrise, friendly, helpful staff, and the pizza. The rooms were another story. We were shown three before settling on the least bad: the first had a filthy bathroom and broken toilet, the next had a very dirty toilet and a shower stuck at floor level by the drain. In the room we took, the floor felt greasy, the walls were moldy, and the bed linen smelled and had mud marks. The bathroom had no window, fan, or barrier around the shower, so water spread to the toilet and sink and never dried. There wasn’t even a floor towel or mat, and the room stayed messy. Water outages were the worst part. After long beach days we couldn’t count on a shower, and the water sometimes stopped while we were in one. We don’t know if that affects the whole island. We thought about moving and paying more, but high season made that impossible. For the price, it didn’t come close to being worth it. They call it a bungalow, but it felt more like a hostel.

We chose this place for its quiet setting and all the shade from the trees, and it’s a lovely spot for sunrise by the beach. Our room was cozy and close to the water, with a comfortable bed and AC. The staff have been great. It’s about an 8 minute walk from the port, and we’re here at the end of low season on the quietest of the three Gili islands. The shower pressure is only a trickle, though still usable, and the wifi is slow. Depending on which resort’s frontage you’re by, washed-up litter can be an issue along parts of the island’s beach. The wood oven pizza here is delicious.

We paid $150 AUD a night, and the staff and location were the only good parts. I can’t say whether every room is the same, but ours had no hot water, just a cold single tap shower that felt straight out of the 60s. There was no soap or water, and the towels looked like they’d been used for 30 years.

The beach outside is away from the crowds, and a five minute walk takes you to the turtle sanctuary, where there’s plenty going on if that’s what you’re after. The team running the place work hard and the service is amazing. Sand gets into the bungalows, though. A broom in every room and maybe an outdoor shower to rinse off before going inside could help. The bathroom floors are also hard to keep clean because the surface isn’t smooth.