Lombok special tip: Hotel Tugu Lombok

Beach of Sire, Lombok.

Here it is my Lombok sleeper. Hotel Tugu Lombok is located on the pristine, miles and miles of virgin white sand beach of Sire, on the northwest coast of the island. The hotel displays numerous artifacts from ancient kingdoms and the forgotten history of Lombok, which give the hotel a special, mystical atmosphere that makes it easy to forget daily workload and problems.

The Tugu Lombok offers also unique dining experience. You can eat anywhere - in the gardens, in a private cabin or even on the beach. Or get your most unforgettable experience by starting your day with having breakfast in the beautiful sunrise over the Mount Rinjani, on the traditional wooden dragon head boat. You’ll find your lounge and relax area at Lara Djonggrang Bar, which can be found in a traditional hut with hundred-year-old thick wooden benches and tables. Feel the atmosphere of a long old teak bar, oil lamps and semi-open bamboo windows and beautiful artworks. Enjoy sweet traditional tunes during the day and sensual lounge music playing in the evening with a brick-walled wine cellar.

 

The Spa at Hotel Tugu Lombok provides the ultimate experience to find bliss and wellbeing for the body and soul. A giant open-air temple spa room lit by oil lamps, with an extra-long spa bed for both spouses to enjoy treatment head-to-head, a giant jacuzzi bathtub with jets, hundreds-years-old relief of temples on display, a rooftop where yoga or meditation can be held next to the soaring tower of beautiful Singhasari and Majapahit statues as well as 180 degrees of oceanview, surrounded by palm trees. Don't dream about it, live it.

Expect a hotel that is different from Asian mainstream tourist hotels. Expect something special.

 

Source: http://www.tuguhotels.com/lombok/gallery2/normal/769-rumah-ampenan.jpg

Bintan Island Paradise

Far away from the nearest large Indonesian island Sumatra, but very close to the dynamic city and city-state of Singapore, the small Indonesian island of Bintan is located, as part of Pulau Riau. The short journey from Singapore, it is only 45 minutes by ferry, makes Bintan a popular haven for stressed city slickers from Singapore. Especially on weekends and public holidays in Singapore, be prepared to meet a lot of people at hotel pools and bar. But on regular working days in Singapore it might happen that you are not only at pool and bar, but also completely alone when walking along the many kilometers of glorious palm-fringed sandy beaches. Therefore I will present here three examples of hotels in different price ranges on Bintan:

Budget: Bintan Cabana Beach Resort, seen from 35US$

 

Situated in 14 arc of tropical lush gardens and located directly at the beachfront, the Bintan Cabana Beach Resort offers simple but nice, many of them with panoramic view over the ocean.

The Bintan Cabana Beach Resort offers many activities, like kayak, snorkeling, bicycle riding, banana boat or fishing, to mention just a few outdoor sports.

Seafood lovers can also replete with delectable savories in alfresco dining style that sits above the calm, glistening waters—while you indulge in the panoramic view of a breathtaking seascape. 
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Midrange: Nirvana Resort Hotel, seen from 71US$

 

A tropical and romantic hub for honeymooners and couples with an array of recreational facilities guaranteeing an entertaining and relaxing holiday. Enjoy international and Indonesian cuisine from the restaurant’s themed buffets and later lounge by the outdoor pool and order cocktails from the poolside bar. 

The Nirvana Resort Hotel is one of five hotels that are nestled into huge tropical gardens of the Nirvana hotel compound. Enjoy the sound of the waves and the wind on your skin while you sit at one of the many palm trees, which spread along a 2km long sandy beach lined up.

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Top End: Bayana Tree Bintan, seen from 278US$

 

The Banyan Tree Bintan is a top end luxury hideaway situated between the beauty of the South China Sea and natural. Each of the 61 luxurious Balinese-styled villas comes along with a private Jacuzzi and free wireless internet. The private talcum-white private beach is just a few steps away. The championship golf course and the Banyan Tree Spa make this 5-star resort is the most comfortable choice in Bintan.

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How to get there:

Bintan is not reachable by air. The resort area can best be reached by ferry from Singapore. There is a regular ferry service operated by Bintan Resort Ferries to travel between Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in Singapore and Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal in Bintan. The journey takes about 55 minutes.
From Indonesia, there are regular speedboat services running between Telaga Punggur Ferry Terminal in Batam and Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal Bintan. The journey takes approximately 45 minutes.
And a Pelni cruise ship sails to Jakarta weekly.

 

My Melia Pursosani Hotel in Yogyakarta

Hotel lobby with coffee shop

The island of Bali has certainly the best and most luxury hotels in Indonesia. Hotels like the Ubud Hanging Gardens, or the Giri Giri don’t need to be afraid getting compared with any other hotel in the world. However, my personal favorite hotel in Indonesia is not in Bali but on the island of Java.
The Melia Purosani in Yogyakarta offers a level of comfort, which the overland traveler in Java would not expect. The rooms are large, extremely clean and the beds are just a poem. I've never slept in any other place in such a wonderful beds. The breakfast is a significant step better than anywhere else, in the lobby there is a real cafe with wonderful cakes and real coffee. The later is a rarity in Indonesia by the way. And this is completed by low-cost but high quality cigars called Dos Hermanos. The only smokable cigars manufactured in Indonesia.
Among the facilities is in addition to a spa, a gym and a few shops, also a pool area in the courtyard of the hotel. Shielded by the six floors of the building, located in the courtyard of a beautiful tropical garden with a large pool, several Asian stone figurs, small waterfall, water slide, etc. Here you can relax from the hectic shopping and sightseeing tours in and around Yogyakarta.

Prambanan Temple in Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta is considered the cultural center of Indonesia. One of the main attractions of Yogyakarta is Kraton, the palace of the sultan. Also a must is a trip to Borobudur Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in the whole of Southeast Asia. And the Hindustic Prambanan temple is located next to the city. Yogyakarta is the center of classical Javanese art and culture and is primarily known as a center for batik art.
But the city offers more than just culture. Yogyakarta is a very vibrant city and a shopper's paradise. On the main street of Malioboro Street travelers can choose among a variety of souvenirs from Jogyakarta: batik, traditional wayang puppet, sculptures, pottery and cutlery.
So far I’ve been to Yogyakarta for three times and for each visit I stood in the Melia Purosani. So, I am not able to compare with other hotels in Yogyakarta. But next time I will again step in the Melia Purosani. And maybe you can see me then, sitting on the terrace to the garden, drinking some coffee and smoking a Dos Hermanos, and letting my thougts wandering here and there. Until then!

Smoking on the terrace: see you there!

Tropical gardens with pool

Bali hotel architecture

The art of tropical living
Many hotels in Bali bribe with their beautiful architecture. Upon entering the hotel facilities, the traveler emerges into another world. All thoughts of everyday life at home and the stress with the boss are blown away abruptly. Thereby, this Balinese style of architecture becomes increasingly popular all over the world. Stone carvings, relaxing space, and open living rooms that invite the outside landscaping in are major parts of Balinese architecture.
Open living space benefits from lush tropical gardens, which are as much a can not be overlooked component of modern Balinese way of life. Mossy walls, handcarved statues, and watergardens, combined with tropical plants, palms, the beach and and lots of space.
See this small selection of very luxury examples for hotel architecture in Bali:

The Balé combines traditional Balinese architecture with contemporary design. The hotels offers a wide range of pavilions with direct sea view, which gave the name, as the word balé translates in Western terms as "pavilion". Each pavilion comes with a large day bed where guests may enjoy ocean breezes and a massage.

A well kept secret is the Komaneka Resort near Ubud. The guest villas of this quite and unhurried hotel are open and invite the tropcial gardens into the living rooms. The Balinese-styled rooms feature dark wood furnishings and offer a private terrace with views of rice fields or landscaped gardens.

Overlooking the Ayung River, the luxurious Ubud Hanging Gardens offers villas with a private infinity-edged pool. Recline in these private plunge pools and you are totally enveloped by nature: jungle-covered mountains, exotic flowers, and an exquisite temple on the opposite cliff. This is the pinnacle of luxury.

Several writers and photographers have been busy with the trend of Balinese architecture. Some interesting books and picture books were created, two of which are on my bookshelf. Many a holiday has been replaced with a glass of red wine and browse these two books:

Living in Bali
Balinese homes in harmony with nature. Loved by travelers for its lush, tropical scenery, and charming people, Bali is considered to be one of the most magnificent places on earth. When it comes to Balinese houses, walls are not compulsory, wood is everywhere. This title takes you in a world without walls.

Bali Modern: The Art of Tropical Living
Shimmering pavilions, open verandas, living rooms that invite the outside landscape in--all part of the Balinese tropical experience.

Bali hotel price comparison survey

When it comes to book a hotel in Bali, we can choose among several huge hotel booking websites. So far, I always had a favourit website where I did all my hotel booking for each journey to Bali. However, meanwhile I did a small survey and compared prices of three leading hotel booking websites: Booking.com, Agoda.com and Asiarooms.com. Therefore, I took the three top recommended hotels from each provider, so 9 hotels altogether, and put the prices for a specific week (02. June 2012 to 09 June 2012) in an Excel sheet.
Recommended hotels where as follows:
Agoda ("Agoda Recommended):
- Harris Hotel Tuban
- Sun Island Hotel Kuta
- The Catur Villa
Asiarooms ("Best Discount"):
- The Sunset Hotel and Villas
- The Khayangan Dreams Villa
- Villa Areklo
Booking ("Recommended"):
- Kajane Mua Private Villa & Mansion
- Ayodya Resort Bali
- Le Jardin Boutique Villas

And here are the results of my little hotel price survey, stated in USD and per night:

	Booking.com	Asiarooms.com	Agoda.com	Hotels-Website
	Recommended	Best Discount	Agoda Recommended	Online Rate
Harris Hotel Tuban	$62,00	$86,30	$60,00	$86,16
Sun Island Hotel Kuta	$99,00	$142,00	$117,00	$118,00
The Catur Villa	sold out	not listed	$124,00	$not found
The Sunset Hotel and Villas	$60,57	$52,74	$51,00	$47,00
The Khayangan Dreams Villa	$204,00	$204,75	$169,00	$246,84
Villa Areklo	not listed	$75,00	not listed	not found
Kajane Mua Private Villa & Mansion	$175,00	$175,00	$145,00	no online reservation
Ayodya Resort Bali	$144,00	$144,00	$119,00	$119,00
Le Jardin Boutique Villas	$382,00	$425,00	$351,00	sold out

Date: 12. February 2012

AND THE WINNER IS ... very clearly Agoda.com. The even succeded agains the "Best Discount" hotels of Asiarooms. This result leads to the conclusion that we have a very good chance of getting the best price for any hotel at Agoda.com. At least I will switch over.

February 15, 2012, revised:
Meanwhile, I thought that it would be a good idea to check the original hotel websites for online booking rates, too. Surprisingly, there are some hotels with no webpresence at all, at least not on the first three pages of Google's results. As two out of five available online rates are quite competitive, it might be an alternative to book directly at the hotel. On the other hand some hotels are really expensive with their online offers. And again I made the experience, that the more the price is show as a special offer, the more expensive it is compared to other sources. So, you should check several booking options before spending money.

Surabaya Airport Hotel

Juanda International Airport is located 20km South of Surabaya and is the second largest airport of Indonesia. The airport is well connected with international flights, so it might be used as a gateway to other regions in Indonesia. And when it comes to the question where to stay over night at the airport to catch the next flight tomorrow morning, travelers usually search the internet for hotels directly at the airport. And so did I. And I found "Hotel Tilamas", which should have been directly at the airport according to all online sources I found. However, "Hotel Tilamas" is NOT at the airport, you have to go by taxi for about 15 minutes to reach the hotel. And believe me, taxi drivers know how much money they can ask from wealthy foreign tourists for this short trip. Located these 15 minutes away from the airport, "Hotel Tilamas" is still the nearest place to stay. Nevertheless, from my point of view this hotel is a no-go. I stayed there only one night, so it might be unfair to degrade "Hotel Tilamas" as I do now. But the room I had was extremely dirty, urine inlusive in the shower. So, I can not help it.

Unfortunately, I cannot suggest an alternative so far. If you have an idea, please let me know. So far, you might check here for hotels in Surabaya. If you stood in an original Indonesian hotel and you had Nasi Goreng with lots of chilly for breakfast, and you need something sweet, then you can choose at Surabaya airport between Dunkin Donuts exactly between the international and the domestic area (Banana Croissant is a must), and Starbucks, already in the security zone. Both staff speaks English. If they ask you, if you want to have jelly in your coffee, you answer should be "NO". 
The Reiseführer Indonesien offers some additonal travel informations and ideas for what to do in Indonesia, including a trip to Mount Bromo directly from Surabaya airport.

Legian Beach Hotel in Bali

Legian Beach Hotel reception area

The Legian Beach Hotels is a bungalow style hotel. After passing the modern designed reception area, you enter the hotel gardens with many bundalows, each hosting two guest rooms, some of them hidden behind tropical vegetation. The guest rooms recently got refurbishment adheres to a theme of crisp white wall ascended by the occasional splash of yellow. Graceful dark wood furnishings and canopied beds are complemented by Balinese touches such as the 'Poleng' cloth headboards, cushions and accessories, garnished with frangipani blossoms.

The Legian Beach is adjacent to the Kuta Beach, which is famous for its nightlife and party scene in Bali. However, the Hotel estate is separated by a huge wall and the hotel grounds and gardens are silent and relaxed. Travellers should ask for a bungalow not directly beside this wall, maybe.

The hotel has two outdoor pools, one with pool bar. Don't forget to have your ice-cold Bintang beer here. Breakfast is OK and goes in line with the classification of a 4-star hotel. The restaurant offers regional, Indoensian and International/European dishes, staff speaks English, German and Dutch. But however, avoid the Balinese wine from Hatten. Maybe they are simply not able to store it appropriately, but it was really terrible.
The hotel is located directly at the beach, with no road or something like that in-between. Hence, it is possible to have breakfast or dinner with a perfect view on the ocean and the waves.

Legian Beach Hotel pool

The Legian Beach Hotel has a own website @ http://legianbeachbali.com/ , where travel packages and price-off deals are available. However, many times you will get the better deal at the regular huge hotel websites.