Mario Hotel and Cafe

All the staff were great, and the facilities were very good. We were about 20 minutes from Tambolaka Airport on the west side of the island, with lots to explore within a 1.5-2 hour journey: Wikuri lagon, Bendungan Waikelo Sawah, Lapopu Waterfall, Lokomboro waterfall, pantai watu Bella and Pantai Ratenggaro. You can rent bikes through the hotel. We’d definitely come back. Thanks for having us.

The staff were welcoming and helpful, and the food tasted great despite the limited menu. Breakfast had a few choices, both Indonesian and European, with fruit such as dragon fruit, papaya and watermelon. The steamed rice was the one thing I found too hard. The bungalow room was clean and had soap and shampoo, but no toothbrush or toothpaste, so bring your own. I stayed three nights and got itchy red marks on my back, legs and thigh. I’m sure they weren’t mosquito bites, maybe bed bugs, but I can’t be certain. A gecko sang all night in the bathroom, though I couldn’t see it. If you’re a Karen, you’ll probably complain about that. The hotel opens right onto a beach, which is rocky, and underwater it’s mostly reef and plants rather than sand. It’s good for snorkeling, with some fish and a lobster hiding around; the waves are low and the tide never seems to change, I don’t know why, lol. Not a surfing beach, but the pool is amazing. It’s isolated in the wild, about a 20-minute drive to the city, though there’s a nice beach and restaurants, depending on what you need. Internet worked well in the restaurant, but was so bad in the bungalow I couldn’t browse smoothly.

We booked a deluxe sea view Bungalow, but when we arrived the cheaper superior rooms in the hotel seemed bigger, cooler and more modern, maybe because of recent reverberation. The little hotel is right on the coast, with beautiful beaches, a great pool, good food and wonderful staff. A hidden gem, highly recommended.

The sea sounds, 24-hour pool and breakfast buffet made for a great start to the morning. The staff were welcoming and helpful. The hotel is in a lovely spot, though getting to the nearby sights means allowing at least 40 minutes each way. Thanks to everyone on staff 🙏🏿