Judita Cottage

The staff were relaxed and friendly, and I liked the easygoing family-run feel. There was no deposit, they simply handed over the key and left you to it. I’d stay again. Just keep in mind that people sing karaoke at night, which could bother you if you want complete quiet. I didn’t mind. The hotel was very clean. If you book online at the cheapest rate, you might get a room without tap water or a toilet seat, like the pictures I uploaded. There were no other tourists because of Covid, so I was moved to a nicer room with a lake view at no extra charge. Breakfast was very simple, and you have to ask the kitchen for it. They also have a riverside area of their own, but it was still under construction.

The rooms are very clean, and the hotel is in a particular part of Lake Toba in Samosir where you can arrange custom jetskiing. Recommended. Nice hotel, though the TV didn’t work.

It was easy to find, right by the main road, but the stay itself was horrible. The place was dim, smelled of cigarette smoke, and a nearby restaurant or bar was blasting music around 10:30 at night. The man there was chain-smoking. I’d booked and paid in full through Airbnb, but when we arrived, the staff were rude and said there was no room. They insisted it wasn’t their fault and that the problem was mine. I accepted that there was no room and asked for a refund, but they raised their voices and banged things around. They said they didn’t have our money and told me to contact Airbnb. When I asked to use a phone to call Airbnb, they refused to help. After about 40 minutes at night, I gave up and booked somewhere else. When I said we would leave a review, they threw a room key onto the table and said I could have a room. That made no sense after they’d spent 40 minutes telling me to leave because there was no vacancy. The staff were hostile, unhelpful and unprofessional. The only upside is the location. There are much better places around Tuk Tuk, probably for better prices too.

The bed was comfortable, the pool was nice, and the location was beautiful, near good restaurants and convenience stores. Staff were accommodating. But you can’t swim in the lake here, there was no hot water, and the bathroom smelled bad. There was no AC, though they gave me a fan when I asked. The amenities listed online weren’t actually available, including kayaking. You have to walk 1 km to rent a kayak. Overall, okay 👍🏽