Hotel Mutiara

You get what you pay for here. It's very close to the port and everything, and it has lasted a long time. I stayed at the Mutiara in 1983, back when it was the only accommodation in Labuhanbajo unless you slept under the stars. I returned in 2008 after going to Lembata to climb Ili Api (Lewotolo), then visited again in 2023 and early 2024. Not much has changed. It would take a lot of investment to bring the standard up enough to compete with the many pricier options. So please don't complain, this place doesn't pretend to be anything but a cheap budget option.

Good thing is that breakfast is included, and you can rent scooters here. Otherwise, the tap in my room dripped and there were some cockroaches. It's suitable for backpackers, but there are better hostels in Bajo for the same price.

A good budget place, as long as you don't expect anything fancy. I paid 200k a night for a double room with air conditioning and a private bathroom. The bathroom was basic, with cold water only. Breakfast was a banana wrapped in a pancake with coffee or tea, and I really liked it. They also offer cheap laundry and motorbike rental.

The owner was friendly, and the place was a bit grubby and run down, though not offensively so. It had Wi-Fi, but the signal didn't reach my room. For 100k a night, I had no toilet paper, blanket, or air conditioning in the room. Breakfast was two sprinkled doughnuts with tea or coffee. A basic budget option, but I've stayed in better places around the country for about the same price.