Ocean Retreat and Spa Guest House

The rooms were really good, and the hotel was very cheap. It’s a small family hotel about a five-minute walk from Bikini Beach. The island itself is very local, wild, and beautiful, though boring, with nothing to do. The food was very bad. They serve what they’ve cooked for their family, and it’s usually very spicy. The club sandwich was good. Room cleaning was an issue too, as they didn’t empty the trash. Staff should learn to treat guests like paying hotel guests, rather than people staying for free in their own home.

The first thing I’d mention is how well they handled safety for women. For water games, they gave advice and guided us properly, with care for people who couldn’t swim as well as for stronger divers. We also enjoyed three meals a day, served on time even during the iftar fasting period. The food was good in quality and taste, though the dishes were repeated with only small variations. Everything else was very fine. This was my first international trip, and Ocean Retreat and Spa Resort was our first choice for a budget stay. We were a little hesitant at first because it’s on an island far from the main city. Once we arrived, though, everything seemed fine and beautiful. The management gave us a warm welcome, and we liked the welcome drink, friendly manner, well-maintained rooms, and ocean view. They treated us like family and cared for us from check-in to checkout. We had a pleasant family stay and enjoyed ourselves. I’d suggest other travelers give it a try.

Zizu, our local guide, made the experience amazing. He arranged outings and water activities, including swimming with turtles, dolphins, sharks, and fish, snorkeling around coral reefs, a full-day visit to a private resort, and a barbecue picnic on a private island. He took underwater GoPro photos and videos of our activities and sent them to us. He also shared lots of information about the island, its people, culture, and religion. We were there with my partner as part of a larger tourist group, and our stay was awesome. The hotel and rooms were clean and had air conditioning, a small refrigerator, and a safe. We got a 1.5-liter bottle of water each day. Rooms were cleaned about every three days or on request. The staff were all very nice and friendly. The food was good, perhaps a little spicy for some, but not too much, and a great way to try local dishes.

The hotel’s own beach was a bit dirty, although we saw staff making improvements during our stay, so it should get cleaner over time. Bikini Beach is also within walking distance. The staff were very kind and polite, and the hotel offers lots of excursions. The sandbank picnic stood out most. Dinner at a restaurant was just $10 per person, and the local fish was excellent. We spent two weeks here with family and highly recommend it.