Sari Sky Villa

I hate leaving a bad review for any business, but I hope this helps another traveler avoid a ruined trip, or gives the owner a chance to address the problems. We arrived as a group of 12 for a wedding. The groom had generously booked and paid for rooms for most of us for four or five nights. We knew the place was remote and looked forward to relaxing, having drinks, and using the pool. We've traveled in Bali a lot and understand that some places are run down, but a property rating itself five stars should still have basic amenities. There are a few good things. The building and fixtures are decent, though they need maintenance and tidying. The rooms and bathrooms are large, and the bathrooms are nicely finished, but they smelled strongly because the sink drains have no U-bend. The view is amazing. Staff were friendly when they briefly appeared, but didn't seem trained in hospitality. The access road is dangerous and very difficult to enter or leave, and people were afraid to use it. Flies covered the place and got into the rooms. I understand the owner can't control nature, but rubbish and plates from outside restaurants sat by the rooms for two days. Bins could have helped reduce the problem. There was no AC or ceiling fan, and keeping the doors shut against the flies meant the rooms had no air circulation. No fridge, cold drinks, cups, plates, cutlery, fly spray, or mosquito spray were provided or for sale. There wasn't even water available. Children offered to go into town for food, but we couldn't know its cleanliness or quality, so I chose not to eat it. Some guests did eat it, and most of them got sick the first night. Other basic things were missing or in bad shape. We asked for toilet paper and got half a roll. There was no bathroom mat on the polished tile floor, and guests slipped after showers. One towel was provided for a room with two adults and a child, and the towel rack was broken. There was no bedside lamp or dimmed light for reading. Rooms weren't serviced during our stay, and there were only two pillows per room, which felt inadequate for a five-star property. There wasn't enough outdoor seating for the number of guests. The pool furniture was broken or run down, and the pool was disgusting, full of dead insects and flies. Staff spent five minutes clearing the heavy debris when we arrived, but it still wasn't swimmable. The large swing looked nice, but its rope was frayed and nobody tried it. Within twenty minutes of checking in, everyone wanted to leave. We had to stay because the wedding was two days later, and we felt bad for the person who booked it. He spent the whole time apologizing and was so disappointed that he stayed just one night. Everyone else packed up early on the wedding morning and booked somewhere else. Since there weren't many places available, we ended up scattered an hour or more apart. There was no staff around to tell, so I don't know if they even noticed we'd left. Given how remote it is and how hard it is to reach, the owner could make good money by selling food and drinks. Guests had no easy alternative. I would gladly have paid $10 for a cold bintang instead of taking that broken road to get warm beer and return. A few small improvements could make this an amazing stay because it has real potential. If the owner had any decency, he would contact the guest who made the booking, apologize, and refund the unused nights. With good improvements it could be a three-star property, but right now I'd give it one star. I've stayed in $10 guest houses with cleaner rooms and better facilities.