I think this was one of the worst family hotel experiences I’ve had.
I was traveling with my three young children, ages 6, 10, and 11. We decided to stay at this hotel for 5 days and 4 nights, choosing the Family Suite because of the appealing digital visuals — the bunk beds, bathtub, and kid-friendly room design. Plus, the promise of gluten-free welcome ice cream got my kids really excited and eager to arrive. The hotel claims to be a 5-star property.
We arrived around 7 PM, and disappointment struck right from the start.
1. The welcome ice cream was not available due to being out of stock. I expected the front desk to at least reassure us that it would be delivered once restocked the next day, but instead, I had to be the one to ask.
2. I had booked and paid for this hotel on May 13th, 2025, for a stay in early July — a nearly two-month lead time, which should have been sufficient to allocate us a proper room. Yet, here’s what we encountered:
• Upon entering the hallway to our room (no. 528, the last one at the far end), we were hit with a strong sewage-like smell.
• Inside the room, the odor worsened — especially in the family room area. It seemed to come from the air conditioner (cassette type), which had two loose covers. We ended up staying mostly in the bedroom with the door closed because turning on the AC in the family room made the smell unbearable.
• Near the bunk bed, we discovered a dried-up lizard carcass (photo attached). This raises concerns about how often the room is actually cleaned — was it rarely used?
• The bathtub area was dusty when we arrived, so we had to clean it ourselves. Many bathroom fixtures, like the faucets and flush buttons, were rusted.
• Although the interior was decorated with child-friendly sticker wallpapers, many of them were peeling off.
• The TV cable system wasn’t user-friendly — I couldn’t access any features. Luckily, I could still stream Netflix via my own account.
• Even in the hotel lobby, the sewage smell lingered heavily. It made us wonder if the drainage system had issues that hadn’t been addressed.
• Breakfast was overpriced in my opinion. As a family of five, we had to pay for an extra voucher since only four were included. Honestly, we’ve had better breakfasts at 3-star hotels.
3. Most of the staff were friendly, especially those in the restaurant. However, one staff member left a bad impression — a male staffer in black attire with an athletic build who was stationed at the lobby. One evening, around 8 PM, we returned from a trip. I smiled and attempted to greet him as we exited the car, but he turned his face away as if we weren’t even guests. Do hotel staff only show warmth to newly checked-in guests needing luggage help?
4. It also appeared that local guests were treated differently than foreign tourists when it came to ride-hailing pickup. My driver, who was staying elsewhere, needed to pick me up via Gojek. He was required to wait 100 meters away from the hotel’s entrance. But on the third day, while relaxing in the lobby, I witnessed two foreign tourists getting picked up right at the lobby entrance by their online motorbike taxis.
Some positives:
• On the second day, after I filed a complaint, the staff responded and moved us to a replacement room of the same type. It was definitely better — no more sewage smell, though the new room still had a damp+perfume-like scent.
• The hotel’s location is strategic, close to Finns, Warung Made, and many other Canggu hotspots.
• The swimming pool and restaurant area offer stunning views with direct beach access.
• The gym is also excellent, with complete equipment.
Suggestions for improvement:
• Please improve lighting in the bathroom — it feels spooky, especially for guests with young children.
• Pay more attention to the overall quality of rooms, especially room 528.
I wish the hotel continued success, and I truly hope the issues mentioned above will be addressed to better match the 5-star standard it claims to offer. Thank you.