Pulau Weh Paradise

We booked a Luxury Bungalow for 3 days and found the toilet broken when we arrived. We called staff, but the person who came only spent a couple of minutes in the bathroom before coming out to explain how to use it, LOL. The toilet was still the same the next day. It needs replacing, not an explanation of how to get used to it. I’d already read a similar review on a travel site, so it’s surprising it still hadn’t been fixed. The email confirmation said checkout was at noon, meaning 12 PM, or before 12 PM as at other hotels. On checkout day we went out for a while and returned at 10AM. A guy with a hat and an overexcited vibe then told us we should check out at 11AM. It felt like we were being thrown out, even on a stormy day. I wasn’t hoping to stay long there anyway. The receptionist lady had a flat expression when we checked out at 10:55AM, which felt weird. I’ve never experienced that before. They seemed friendly when we arrived, but then it felt forced, like they were kicking us out if we took too long on checkout day. It seemed to me they wanted guests near checkout time out so they could take new guests. I totally don’t recommend this hotel. You can spend your time healing without ruining a soothing day by staying here.

The food tasted great, the room was spacious, and the staff were extremely friendly, especially Mr. Sandy, the manager. A couple of details were memorable in a funny way: they used a wheelbarrow instead of a usual luggage cart, and there were lots of crabs and snails on the beach. It was fun collecting them. My brother put what he caught in a bottle and brought them home, and surprisingly they’re still alive. Cats wandered around too. One came over and won me over until I stroked it, then stuck close to me. At home cats jump on the dishes and make a mess, but the place’s cat, probably the manager’s, was well behaved and didn’t bite when I touched it. Everything was perfect.

The staff were quite friendly, and the view was exotic, with blue ocean and lush trees. The place is around 30 minutes from the city centre. The room was large enough for two, but based on my experience, room 1 was noisy and creepy because sticks falling on the roof kept bothering me while I tried to rest. The price was pretty expensive, around 700k, with no breakfast and fewer utilities. You can buy a meal from their cafe. I’d give it 3 out of 5.

Sandy and the team were incredible hosts, and we felt very comfortable during our stay with 6 adults and 2 kids. The main house rooms are hostel style, while the bungalows are more or less private. Some things in the rooms and toilets could be improved, but the hotel area itself was clean and well maintained. Our first stay in Indonesia, on the island of Pulau Weh, went well. Thanks again to Sandy for arranging excursions, events, and entertainment. Recommended.