Qunci Villas is the only option worth...
Qunci Villas is the only option worth considering when visiting Lombok. Their levels of service, with the sublime attention to detail, puts the larger chain hotels to shame.
On arrival into Mangsit airport we took a cab to the hotel, emailing the hotel directly to arrange a pick-up may actually prove to be a slightly cheaper option but the cab was perfectly painless as there is a taxi counter directly outside the arrivals hall. Expect the cab to cost around 90,000 Rupiah (6GBP or abt 8 or 9 US$).
First impressions of Qunci when we pulled up outside were as good as those we would leave with a week later. The hotel is beautifully designed by a dutch architect, and whilst they have maximised the number of rooms for the size of the plot it never felt like we were intruded upon by other guests.
We stayed in a Ocean View Villa and it had the perfect view of the ocean and Bali's volcano as was described when booking. The sunsets are spectacular; wildly orange, red and purple, it's almost apocalyptic.
The room itself was spacious and airy, the bathroom had a wonderful open-air shower and the terrace was an enjoyable extra on which we could wind away the hours. Don't expect cable tv - there isn't any - and frankly i think it would have taken away from the whole air of calm which the hotel conveys.
The pool area is excellent, a beautiful 20m infinity pool surrounded by very comfortable loungers overlooks the deserted Mangsit Beach. The only souls who occupy the beach are a few very friendly hawkers who thankfully have a sense of humour about your constant rejections. They offer all kinds of local produce... pearls, sarongs, fruit and jewellery. The few ladies offering hr-long massages are an excellent alternative to the more expensive hotel spa. We enjoyed them thoroughly - expect to pay around 80000 Rupiah.
Also on offer by the beach hawkers are tours of the islands many attractions. Once again these are safe alternatives to the hotels more expensive offerings. We chose to use a young guy called Eko to take us on a snorkeling tour of the wonderful Gili Islands. He was great. As a former fisherman he was extremely knowledgeable and skilled in finding various species. Swimming with turtles was an obvious highlight. We highly recommend him, he also took us on a tour of the islands artisan villages and the beaches of the south coast which are incredible. (If you wish to find him - he often wears a white t-shirt with orange writing saying Snorkeling, Diving etc and you may see him touting for business around breakfast time on the beach front) Expect to pay between 500000-600000 Rupiah for a private boat trip... or slightly less if you book for more than one day.
The food at Qunci was excellent. It's slightly more expensive than some of the restaurants of Sengiggi but the quality was always there. If you do wish to go into Sengiggi for your evening meal then most of the restaurants there offer a pick-up service - the front-desk can arrange for you. We can recommend Asmara and Square.
Overall the staff were polite, friendly and never failed to bring a smile to your face. Happy hour and free fruit by the pool in the afternoon also helped! It really is an exceptional destination.
The owners of Qunci really must be applauded for its outstanding contribution to Lombok's growing tourist industry.
Read full Qunci Villas, Lombok review
Summary
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6/6
Customer service
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6/6
Cleanliness of accommodation
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5/6
Quality of room
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6/6
Value for money
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Not Rated
Quality of food
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6/6
Family friendly
