Shanti Boutique Retreat

This was my second stay at Shanti, this time for the three-day immersion, and I can’t wait to come back with my mum and best friend. I’ve never felt calmer or more grounded, it was a complete reset for my nervous system. The staff are all so friendly, and Shannon, the owner, is especially warm and welcoming. Toekik helped me a lot with finding my passion and light again. And Mary the dog is such a special creature, I wish I could’ve taken her home. I also had the best massage I’ve ever had in Bali, and I’ve had many!

I liked the room a lot. It was spacious and clean, the bed was super comfortable, the aircon worked great, and the shower looked out onto some greenery with steady pressure and hot water. The outdoor pool overlooking the rice paddy was lovely for a day or two of relaxing. We also had a massage there, which was thorough and good. The restaurant was unreliable. Some meals were very good, others very average. My mother and I got upset stomachs after eating only there, and there aren’t many other options around, so it’s likely to be your go-to place. The staff were generally nice, but they pushed for personal details. They kept asking where I was going next, then wanted the exact villa name, which made me very uncomfortable. They also tried to sell transport at a bad moment. As my mother and I were heading out to catch the sunset, I said I hadn’t arranged a ride yet, clearly indicating it wasn’t the time. They still followed up with a million questions. There was also confusion about a motorbike. I told them my dad and I needed to try it before deciding, since he’d never ridden one. We tested it for just two minutes, discussed it, and decided not to rent it. At checkout they tried to charge us for a full day’s rental. That’s poor service, especially when staff don’t communicate details like this with each other. The owners were very nice, and I had a great impression of them. The room was great too, but the food, upset stomachs, lack of variety, and communication problems really spoiled the stay for me.

The design is lovely, and the hotel looked beautiful both online and in person. It’s a small boutique stay with six rooms, a nicely designed space, and an outdoor shower. But the first impression didn’t last once I stayed there. I had lunch and dinner at the hotel, and by that night I was extremely unwell with a fever and what turned out to be Bali belly. Since the hotel food was all I’d eaten, I was disappointed that staff showed no concern or sense of responsibility. The water situation also felt careless. They didn’t provide standard bottled water, just an unmarked bottle they said they refilled daily. When I asked where the water came from, they said the kitchen. Given that Bali tap water isn’t safe to drink, that wasn’t reassuring. When I asked for proper bottled water, they eventually gave me some, then told me at checkout that all the bottles were chargeable at a premium price. Nobody had mentioned that before. I’d have been happy to buy my own at a supermarket, especially while sick and trying to stay hydrated. The outdoor shower looked beautiful in photos, but was uncomfortable to use. The water pressure was the lowest I’ve ever seen, and frogs, bees, insects, and even cockroaches were around the plants right next to you. One night it rained heavily until mid-morning the next day. With no roof over the bathroom, the whole area stayed soaked, and even going to the toilet beside the shower meant getting completely wet. Getting around was another problem. Neither Grab nor Gojek serves the area, so you have to depend on the hotel’s transport. I needed to go to an event several times a day, less than a ten-minute ride away. Each trip cost 150,000 IDR, though I was initially told 100,000 IDR. The final bill didn’t match what I’d first been told, and the price felt far too high for such a short ride. I can’t recommend this hotel. The nice design couldn’t make up for the food safety concerns, water practices, uncomfortable bathroom, lack of transparency, and staff behavior. I left disappointed, sick, and misinformed.

Shannon is one of the kindest people I’ve met. She always made time to check in with guests, share a meal, or have a meaningful chat. And Mary, the lovable retreat dog, was never far away, which made the place feel even more like home. Shanti Boutique Retreat felt like a home away from home and was a lovely start to my Bali trip. Shannon and Toekik have created a special experience with their immersions, a chance to relax, reset, and reconnect with yourself. The staff were friendly, the rooms beautifully designed, and the food was incredible. Everything exceeded my expectations. I’ll remember this place for a long time and can’t recommend it highly enough.