Star Semabu Resort

It was cheap, and for good reason. The place might once have been very nice, but it has been allowed to run down for years. The rooms are in very poor condition, as some of the photos show. Some staff were friendly and helpful, while others were pretty ordinary and not very helpful. We left a day early because of the dilapidated state and the unhelpful staff. It's partway up a hill, reached by a narrow, very winding road with a big drop on one side. Traffic can be diabolical, as anyone who has been to Bali would know, so walking is difficult and not an option at night for me. Taxi transport on the island is a rip-off. The hotel had transport but refused to give us a ride down the hill. When we asked them to arrange a taxi, they quoted IRD 250,000 (A$25) for the five-minute trip, and the taxi they recommended was a friend of theirs. The pool looked nice, and there was a restaurant attached, though I use that term very broadly. Nobody was ever there, and you had to ask reception to send someone up to serve you. We ordered burgers and fries but got Club Sandwiches instead, and it wasn't a communication problem. The outlook is quite nice. The place is under the flight path, so there can be plane noise from time to time. Also, 'Adhan', the Muslim call to prayer, is broadcast over loudspeakers 5 times a day. After every shower the bathroom floor flooded because the drain backed up. The polished concrete floors were very slippery when wet. The TV was new, but there were no cable channels unless you logged in with your own details. Loose curtain-like coverings gave very little privacy at the front of the room. At night, a rodent came into my room and left a present on the floor. The bed was reasonably comfortable, but the bedding had stains. A companion's room also had a rodent visit, and theirs left a calling card on the bed. Their TV had to be replaced 3 times before staff gave up on the issue. On a rainy night the roof leaked badly and soaked their bed. I found a couple of caterpillars in the bathroom, while they had about 20. After complaining, they were moved to another room more like mine than their old one, so it was better, but still not great. Particles of some sort fell from the roof onto my bed, clothes, and luggage. The door key and lock were corroded and difficult to use. They didn't even seem willing to put a bit of WD40 or other lubricant on the lock to free it. The taps and shower head also had heavy water stains. The shower knop fell off, and the photos show that everything badly needs repairs. As we checked out, the Manage, I presume, tried to get us to sign a waiver explaining why we were leaving early. It specifically said we wouldn't make a refund claim for the room condition or the night we didn't stay. We didn't sign it. That gives a good sense of the management's attitude. If you want somewhere cheap and are willing to accept the room conditions, go for it. I think paying a little more to stay somewhere else would be a much better idea.