Sawah Ijen

The shared pool was spotless and crystal clear, and the bungalow was peaceful. We stayed in the mountain view one, and waking up to that view was lovely, though frogs could get noisy at night. Getting into town can be tricky since you're out of the way. Watch out for Grab or Gojek drivers who try to overcharge for the return trip from Banyuwangi town centre. There wasn't much hot water, and it ran out fast. The bed was extremely soft, too. If you're sharing it, you tend to roll toward each other, which wasn't great for my back. The sliding door was clunky and hard to lock.

We could have stayed longer. This quiet, cozy spot sits among rice fields, with lovely mountain views and a pleasant pool. A very nice couple runs it with real care, and the surrounding area is wonderful to explore by scooter. Highly recommended.

The view is beautiful, but that was the only thing I liked about this accommodation. The bathroom was tiny and extremely ugly, and made me feel very uncomfortable. There was no WiFi anywhere on the property, and breakfast was delivered an hour late several times. The staff were throwing rubbish into the lovely river behind the rooms. The owner lives in Jakarta, so there's no way to complain to them. I can't blame the staff for all of these problems, of course.

The sound carries easily between rooms and from outside, since there's little to block it. Our first night was fine because the other guests were quiet, but two groups arrived late and made a lot of noise the next night. The rooms are modest bamboo huts, though the cool mountain air keeps them comfortable, and our hot water and WiFi worked fine. Sawah Ijen's best parts are its setting, service, and the community around it. From the room we could see Mount Ranti above the green farmland, and breakfast at reception was delicious. The staff were kind and attentive. We walked to nearby resorts and restaurants, then spent an extra day hiking up and down through mountain communities. People greeted us with smiles along the way. I wouldn't recommend booking the Ijen Banuwangi tour through their provided service. The drivers were nice, but the tour itself left a lot to be desired.