Gili Divers Hotel

I was in Kuta when I realized, two days later, that I'd left $1000 cash on the bed in my room. I messaged the hotel, and they found it and got it to me that afternoon, even though I was flying out the next morning. They took a boat and drove for 2 hours to return it. It was all my cash, and I got every bit back. I can't thank them enough. The location was great, near the harbour, restaurants, and beach, and the atmosphere was lovely. I'm not a diver, but chose it for the location. There's a great restaurant out front, and I was surprised to get a room right by the pool for the price I paid.

It's a basic but decent place, with clean, functional facilities and a clean room that's a little on the small side. The room has a safe and kettle, plus complimentary coffee and water, and you can refill the water whenever you like. There's no in-room fridge, but guests can use a shared one. They don't serve breakfast on site. There are two small pools, mostly used for dive lessons, so sometimes you may be asked to get out. The hotel seems to operate separately from the dive shop and the "connected" beach club. A convenient option if you're diving with Gili Divers.

Selena and Jo were warm, accommodating dive masters, and the hotel and restaurant staff were great. I wasn't keen on how some of the other dive masters spoke to their students and customers, though the general atmosphere at the hotel also felt a bit standoffish. It's in a great spot, especially for diving. The rooms are small and arranged around the pool where they train divers. The call to prayer in the morning was expected, but staff talking just outside and dive gear clanking made noise from about 7am. WiFi worked well in the room, while the hot water lasted only around 2 minutes.

I only stayed in the dorm, so I can't comment on the hotel rooms. The bathroom had no hot water, body soap, or hand soap, and they didn't provide towels. It was dirty and poorly kept, with insect droppings on the toilet and six small spiders in the shower area, plus one huge one above the toilet, about half the size of my palm. The dorm is right by a mosque, which makes a full night's uninterrupted sleep difficult.