Hambilica Ecolodge

There’s no Wi-Fi or AC in the rooms, intentionally, for environmental reasons, but the big fan kept us comfortably cool. At night we could see fireflies. The owner is really eco friendly, and the whole eco lodge feels like a beautifully kept little forest. Our room was clean and spacious, with window nets to keep bugs out. The shower had hot water and good pressure, and shampoo, shower gel, and towels were provided.

This was the worst stay I’ve had in many years of traveling. The owner was intrusive and rude, the plants looked thirsty, there was broken glass around the paths and beach, and the furniture and room were dirty and dusty when we arrived. There was mould just outside the cottage, the kitchen had no stove, and dogs barked almost constantly. Over our month there, the owner disturbed us more days than she left us in peace. She often came in through the back door in the mornings, which was always open, with no respect for privacy. Visitors weren’t allowed in the cottage. My friends were stopped, questioned about who they were, and told they couldn’t come in. There were too few cooking facilities, just a tiny rice cooker, so I had to use my small butane cooker. There was no proper garbage disposal either. I was told to leave rubbish outside the cottage, where it could sit for days, until I took it to reception. The owner refused to dispose of my empty butane cans, brought them back, and shouted that they were a bomb. The warm shower didn’t work properly, so I replaced it with my own shower set to get steady warm water. The owner also hassled us over her dog entering our rented space and stealing an open coconut. I started putting coconuts in a sack, but later the dog got an old one from somewhere. She came back to tell us that a young cut coconut could turn really old in three days. She complained that my son’s toys outside looked ugly and demanded we keep them within the rented space. She lectured me about raising my child and wouldn’t let me use the area we had agreed I could use for online work. Since she wouldn’t provide anything I could work on, I put my old mattress on the floor. Then she demanded I remove it because it looked ugly, even though the space was unused except for her daily inspections. She said I couldn’t use that area because some stones there would damage her stairs and she’d have to rebuild them from scratch. There was one broom for the cottage, veranda, and outdoor kitchen. I bought another, but it disappeared within days. I thought the owner or a worker might have taken it by mistake. When I reported it, she promised another broom and a cover for the kitchen window to keep rats out. Neither came. When I asked, she said she had no time and that each guest was allowed one broom. Luckily, I had my own mop and hoover. By the end, my child was so stressed that he wanted every door shut and avoided going outside. After moving in, I spoke with local people, and they all had negative things to say about the owner. Keep away and be aware, especially for a long stay. There’s no refund policy.

The resort has a nice natural garden, and the owner takes good care of the environment. It’s a quiet place, since the owner tries to keep noise down, and the rooms are in good condition. I’ve been back and checked them: they were clean and in good shape, as they had been the year before. The garden was still lovely and full of plants, with the leaves cleared almost every day. Edit, 1.12.18: I doubt the review by Rafał Baran from around October 2018 was genuine, and I don’t think he was ever a guest. I think people should visit and decide for themselves which review is more accurate. Edit, 4.3.2019: I went there and checked the place. The review by Rafal Baran didn’t seem quite right to me because the points he complained about were different from what he described. He complained about a small wall with a fence, saying it was a good place for mosquitoes. Normally there’s no water there. The wall is built to let water through. Its main purpose is to stop the plastic bottles and other rubbish people throw from the road from flowing to the sea during heavy rain. Edit, 19.1.2020: I visited again and can say clearly that the last bad review was fake. I checked all the rooms, and they were clean and in good shape, as they had been the year before. The surroundings were well maintained too.

The owner seemed very strange, and breakfast took 45 minutes for just two eggs, toast, and coffee. There’s no Wi-Fi in the room and no signal at all. The room itself was clean, the bed was okay, and the shower had hot water. There’s no AC, but the fan did its job. Still, there were lots of bugs, even inside the room, and I think it’s overpriced for what it offers. I wouldn’t come back.