Gajah Mina Beach Resort

Secret Bay restaurant was delicious, and our largest villa was great. The resort is quite aged and run down, though there’s a kind of magic in the wild, overgrown gardens and old buildings. The staff had that warm, friendly, relaxed Balinese manner. A few small bathroom updates, better lighting at night, and some minor repairs could take my rating from four stars to five. I’d be glad to return one day.

The cassava fries were a delicious surprise, and my wife and I enjoyed the squid steak. Our friends had steamed fish in banana leaves and grilled fish, all fresh and nicely garnished. Thanks to the kitchen and restaurant staff for such a relaxing evening. Secret Bay may be the name, but it’s too good to keep secret.

The rooms had everything we needed, the staff were delightful, and breakfast was yummy. I loved the beautiful beachside setting, with pristine beaches and verdant rice paddies just a short walk away. Do yourself a favor and experience Bali in this timeless spot.

The view and location are stunning, and breakfast was great. Our first dinner was amazing, but the same dishes were shockingly bad the second night. They need more consistency. The rooms are a bit run down, though that doesn’t take away from the location. Most of the staff were good, but one restaurant employee seemed kind of lazy: he brought a cheesecake for us to share with only one spoon, and after I asked for another, he went back into the restaurant. I had to follow him in after a few minutes before he handed me the spoon. At check-in we had to rush off and asked staff to put our bags in the room. They contained money, laptops, and other things, but when we came back a few hours later the bags were unattended and in full view at reception. It’s little things like that. I would stay again, though.