Waecicu Eden Beach Hotel

The view is gorgeous, and they do provide mosquito nets so we could sleep. But there were too many mosquitoes and other insects, and it was too hot to sit on the balcony. Getting there was awkward, and a boat is easier, depending on the tide. When we left before the tide came in, we had to take off our shoes and socks and wade through shallow water to reach the boat. The family rooms weren’t practically laid out: you enter both rooms through one, and the stairs are outside by a side door. Bathrooms had nowhere to hang towels or swimsuits after snorkelling. At low tide the beach has lots of seagrass and mud, plus rubbish washed ashore that staff didn’t seem to clean up. They also rarely swept sand from the reception floor or wiped dining tables, even when it wasn’t busy. I often saw staff sitting on lounge chairs looking at their phones. There’s a lot of potential here, but poor planning and lazy staff let it down.

The chalets were clean, well kept and had new amenities, AC and mosquito nets over the beds. They sit on the slope above the beach, with a beautiful view, and the restaurant food was great. We arrived at 10pm and had to carry our luggage down dimly lit steps from the road for 10 minutes. The steps between the chalets and beach restaurant take about 5 minutes and are better. It’s a quiet, peaceful spot away from Bajo, which added something different to the stay. Until 6.30pm you can take a 7-minute boat ride to a taxi pickup point near Bajo, then it’s another 10 minutes into town. The hotel arranged taxis both ways. The steps make this unsuitable for anyone with mobility issues. The staff were great.

I loved staying here. The rooms are beautiful, the food is delicious, and the quiet spot away from town has a lovely feel. Everyone was incredibly friendly and helpful, especially Putra, who went above and beyond for me. I only wish the access had been explained better. In the daytime you can call and get picked up by boat from Waecicu beach. Otherwise, there’s a steep, bumpy path down from the road, and climbing back up when leaving is harder. Getting around the hotel itself also means lots of steep, uneven steps. None of these routes would suit someone with even minor balance or mobility difficulties.

Getting around from here was the main drawback. The hotel controls the boat access and charges quite a lot for each trip, then you still need a taxi into Labuan Bajo. The cabins were okay but tired and basic, with poor linen and almost no hot water. Food was basic too, though fine. I stayed 2 nights in November, and for what they offer it’s an expensive place. The paths and steps up to the cabins are steep, so you need to be pretty fit.