Bamboo Lodge Private Villa

The staff were very attentive and even arranged local food on the nights I didn't feel like heading out. I rented a bicycle at the villa and used it to get around the island. Some villas in the area haven't been fully renovated yet, but that didn't bother me. The place is a magical eco-friendly hideaway built entirely from bamboo and wood. My private villa had its own pool and garden among tropical palms, and arriving there felt like finding a little paradise. It was so peaceful and open, with a lovely feeling of being alone in the world. I love being close to nature, and would definitely come back!

Please don't stay here. I don't feel it's safe. My boyfriend and I booked a week and arrived on 31st March 2024. On our first night, someone forced open our locked door and stole his backpack while we were inside. It was drizzling, and we were watching a movie on my iPad in bed. At about 12:30 AM, I heard a loud noise at the door. I didn't understand what was happening until my boyfriend shouted that someone had taken his bag. We ran outside, but the thief was fast, and we didn't think it was wise to chase him in case he was armed. Our things were on the floor about a metre from the sliding door. Thankfully, the backpack held little of value apart from his passport, some clothes, and a headset. I was traumatized and scared. I'd never experienced anything like it, and couldn't believe someone would steal from us with the lights on and movie playing while we were in the room. We went back to Bali the next day because we couldn't feel safe anywhere we went on Gili. We stayed up all night after the break-in, afraid someone might come in again and hurt us. We asked the host to refund the nights we hadn't used, since we couldn't make sense of staying in a room someone had broken into, especially with the door locked. The owner said they would refund us only if we agreed not to leave a bad review. I couldn't do that, because people need to be warned. The owner didn't apologize or show empathy for what happened. When we arrived, the door was already broken. Before leaving the room, we noticed the key was stuck and wouldn't turn, so we asked the manager to help. A staff member came with a screwdriver and knew exactly how to fix the door, which made it feel like this had happened before. The gate lock wasn't working either. It was a cheap lock from MR. DIY, and seemed to have rusted in the rain. The villa is in its own gated complex. It was really dark at night and there was no CCTV. There was no security, only staff who, they said, patrolled at night. They told us they hadn't patrolled that night because it was raining. We asked the staff for help, and they said they'd tell us if they found anything, but two weeks later we still hadn't heard anything.

I stayed here five months ago. The villas are individually owned condos near the dump, so there's always a trash smell. I also had $2500.00 in cash stolen from my villa while I was asleep. Be cautious.

The worst experience I've had in six months of travelling around Southeast Asia.