Airas' Homestay

For 400k Rupian, I thought the price was fair. You get a private room in a cute bungalow with a toilet and shower, plus breakfast, and I wasn't expecting a luxury resort. The owner was kind, chatted a little while handing over the keys, and showed us to the room. Breakfast was simple, just some fruit and a choice of freshly made banana pancakes or eggs. Both were nice. At night you can clearly hear dogs barking and mosque announcements. That's to be expected in Lombok, where there are dogs everywhere and most of the island is Muslim. I've seen lots of very negative reviews, and I don't fully agree with them. I'd give it a solid four stars and would stay another night if I visited again.

The place could be nice, but our stay was a poor one. We'd booked a bungalow near the end of our trip hoping to relax in the garden and use the pool. The pool was badly maintained, so murky at the deep end that we couldn't see the bottom. Stray dogs drank from it, and the owner's dog patrolled the garden barking at all hours. Our bungalow looked pleasant at first, but smelled odd, maybe because it was made from old bamboo. The bathroom was okay, but the shower was cold, weak, and pointed at such a bad angle that it soaked much of the room and was hard to use. We found several geckos despite keeping the door shut, and a cockroach appeared in the bathroom on our last day. The towels had brown marks. When we returned one, it was replaced without an apology. The owner didn't seem pleased to see us when we arrived, though he could be pleasant at times. There was also an awkward dispute over breakfast. The booking page and confirmation clearly said it was included, but after we asked the time, he insisted it wasn't. We asked to pay for the first night and get our money back for the other two so we could leave. Then he changed his mind, said breakfast was included, and called it a mistake. I don't know why he seemed so grumpy. We later found reviews on other sites describing similar experiences, though the ones here happened to be outdated.

The owners were really friendly and helpful, suggesting places to eat and visit. He even let us use his 10% off card at two restaurants. The cleaners and other workers were cheerful and friendly throughout our stay. Our room was self-contained, comfortable, and clean, and the grounds were just as tidy. There's a lovely garden you can look out on from the hammock on your balcony. Thanks for a relaxing, pleasant stay.

The room itself was clean, spacious enough, and the WiFi worked well. We already knew there'd be no hot water. The service, though, made us feel unwanted. We tried to make conversation, but the welcome was cold. Breakfast was advertised as included, and we'd paid based on the online details. We were told it was a mistake, though we could still have it included. The conversation was awkward, and it seemed resolved until morning, when the woman serving us, perhaps a host, was rude and the mood felt tense. We were uncomfortable even though the breakfast issue had supposedly been sorted. I think there are better places where guests are made to feel welcome.