Arbiru Beach Resort

The mattresses were the hardest I’ve ever slept on. If you send clothes to the laundry, be prepared for them to write your room number on the item in blue permanent marker, both inside and out. It won’t wash off. At least every room has air conditioning. The price doesn’t feel worth more than $40 USD a night. I don’t think they understand what USD is or what they’re charging. The ratings used to be much lower, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some foul play here.

Close to Timor Plaza, with good Wi-Fi and a nice, clean swimming pool.

The location is a long way from the city center, with nothing nearby apart from the hotel and industrial buildings. I came back from dinner at around 10 PM and the garden was almost pitch black, with the lights off. Check-in took nearly an hour, and they wouldn’t take card payment even though the online app showed it as an option. The staff were very slow and didn’t understand me. I booked through the app, but they tried to charge the offline price. They eventually gave me the app price, but it was still annoying. There was no hairdryer when I asked for one, and no amenities at all. The water was boiling hot and I couldn’t adjust it to cold. The door wouldn’t lock from the outside when I tried to go out on my first day. There was an extra lock on the inside, so I left it since I canceled the rest of my stay and only stayed that night. At checkout I told the staff the door wouldn’t lock from outside. They said it was automatic, then kept insisting it had to be locked from inside. I was leaving the room, so how was I meant to lock it from inside? No. Just no. I’ve been to less developed countries, but never seen a hotel like this, let alone one that calls itself a resort.

The warm welcome and friendly atmosphere made a real difference during my two-and-a-half-month stay. The staff were incredibly kind and attentive, always ready to help with a smile. Special thanks to Cindy, who was exceptionally kind and made sure everything went smoothly throughout my stay. I can confidently recommend this hotel, and I’ll definitely come back on my next visit!