Rinjani Houseboon

The terrace has a lovely view, but my stay at Rinjani Houseboon left me with a bad impression. Breakfast was meant to be at 7, but nobody brought it and the host didn't reply to our message. After waiting 15 minutes, we woke the guys who were supposed to prepare it. They seemed to still be drunk and didn't think anything was wrong, so we left without eating. Our first impression of the host had been good. That changed overnight, when he and his friends partied loudly until at least 2 am. The room itself was rustic and very basic, with just one rubbish bin outside. I also spotted a scorpion on the bedside table before going to sleep. Some ventilation holes had no netting, which could be how wildlife gets in.

The view was lovely, and the staff were friendly. Great room too. Such a beautiful place, I'd recommend it!

I was disappointed by how neglected the place felt. The upstairs reception was dirty, with cigarette ends and ripped advertising posters around, and the receptionist spent most of the time chain-smoking. It was also noisy, since the area seemed to be a hangout for the receptionist's or owner's friends. My room was very basic and hadn't been cleaned well. It smelled of sewage, and the windows looked out onto the terrace of the restaurant next door, so there wasn't much privacy.

The hosts and their family run this place as well as the restaurant next door, which we thought was the best place to eat in town. They were wonderful to us. The host shared tips for exploring the area, came along with his friends and some other guests to the waterfalls, and arranged a driver and guide for a great hike. We had such a nice day. Our room was cozy and clean, with a beautiful sunrise view. It was cool enough up here that we didn't need air conditioning. We'll definitely come back one day.