Phurua Sanctuary Resort and Spa

It looks lovely, with spacious rooms and decent Western-style bathrooms. The beds were the problem: the mattresses felt hard as cement, even though we usually choose firm mattresses.

The setting in a nice park is a plus, and it worked well for a night’s stopover. The bungalow I stayed in was clean, the beds were good, and the water pressure was extremely strong, which made me happy. The main building also looked well maintained and clean. The resort is a little dated and needs some small renovations, both outside and in the bungalow. There’s a breakfast restaurant but no dinner, perhaps because it was low season. Breakfast leaned toward Asian food. As a Dutch person, I found the bread low quality.

The grounds were lovely, with a great nature view, and the rooms looked just like the photos. Staff were polite and had a good service attitude. Prices were quite reasonable, especially with a discount through sites such as agoda or traveloka. It’s a new, clean resort in a peaceful setting, about 10 minutes outside Phurua town, and it seems well maintained. One thing to know: there’s no lighting on the road to the resort. For your first visit, I’d suggest arriving before sunset. After you know the route, it’s fine.

I’d give it almost 5 out of 5. The stay was nice and the restaurant was good. I did miss having an outdoor terrace somewhere, perhaps near reception, and a place to get a drink at a bar or lounge by the pool or reception.