Juma Cottages

We went to rent kayaks because the sign clearly said 50k, but the woman in charge charged us 100k. It felt like she assumed western tourists had money to spare, and she was incredibly rude throughout. Just being there seemed to inconvenience her. The other staff were kind and helpful, which made her behavior stand out even more. Maybe they’re afraid to speak up, or maybe she sets the tone. Either way, it’s a bad look. Perhaps she thought we wouldn’t notice the price, or maybe it was a “foreigner tax.” Who knows. I wouldn’t recommend renting here. There are plenty of other places where you can kayak and be treated decently.

The room was spacious and the setting right on the lake was amazing. Shops and cultural activities are nearby, and the food was varied and good. The managers were nice and tried to help when our neighbors were making a lot of noise. They woke us at 4am, and although the owners spoke to them, it didn’t solve the problem. The walls could use better soundproofing, so I can’t give five stars. Still, it was a nice experience.

The view is lovely, and it’s much quieter than the area with the big resorts. There’s no jetty, so a staff member took us on a motorbike, luckily it wasn’t raining. They took us to our next accommodation on a bike when we checked out, too. Motorbikes are available to rent at the property. The room was clean and had water and an electric kettle, but no spoon, tea, coffee, sugar or refrigerator. There’s no AC. With lots of mosquitoes around at night, mosquito nets on the windows would help. It’s uncomfortable to keep every window shut to sleep without AC. Be patient if you order food, and remind them if it hasn’t arrived. Orders can be forgotten and preparation is slow, so order before you’re hungry. It seems to be the typical relaxed Samosir pace.

The garden is lovely, with gazebos by the lake where you can sit. The family who own the place are friendly and have done a good job with it. Our room was enormous, with a huge bathroom and balcony, more space than we needed. We ate here instead of going out. Breakfast was the obvious choice, and one evening it was raining very heavily. Everything we ordered was excellent, and the portions were generous. We were happy with our two nights, though the price felt a little high for a simple guest house. Breakfast costs extra, the bathroom had only a small bar of soap with no shampoo or shower gel, and the room had a kettle but no tea or coffee. Tuktuk is a lovely little village and a good base for exploring the lake and island. One nearby bar plays very loud live music six nights a week. It’s not Juma’s fault, but we couldn’t sleep until the bar closed.