The better half (at travel bookings, anyway) had found a nice deal in The Chandi boutique resort, a newish small hotel with only 15 villas on the beach on the south side of town. And what a gem it was. It's got some Ocean view villas scatted around the swimming pool with a terrace overlooking the well groomed garden and glittering seas, and slightly more spacious Garden Villas tucked away in the beautiful grounds. It doesn't really matter in which you stay, since the hotel area isn't very big and you are by the pool or lying in the hammock within 5 minutes from getting out of bed.
The villas are beautifully decorated, and the outdoor shower guarantees an authentic experience. Especially at the prayer times as the mosque next door belts out prayers morning, noon and dusk. Luckily you can shut out all the noise as you shut the doors. The terrace is big, a great place to relax after dinner. I guess that's where the biggest difference would be in choosing the Garden Villa: lying on the sofa, listening to the waves crashing in to sand. But we were still very happy with our garden, listening to the distant waves.
The pool area is lovely, and the size of the hotel guarantees a tranquil day by the pool or on the beach. The pool is freezing, though, as it's cleverly set in the shade of palm trees making a day's sunbathing session quite a pleasant one. The fruit and water service by the pool is a nice touch, and one doesn't have to go thirsty with an extensive food and beverage menu. For someone who is pregnant, the only really upsetting thing was that non-alcoholic drinks weren't included in the happy hour! If you fancy some shade from the sun, or just to chill with a cocktail in hand and admire the sunset, the hotel's Quri Beach bar offers a nice set up with lounge sofas and chilled music. You can easily spend the whole day chilling with your toes in the sand, starting from the ample, albeit slightly slow, breakfast service to the evening's excellent bbq meal.
Senggigi area is full of resorts of the same standard, I'm sure. In fact, our guide knew to tell that the owners of Chandi spent couple months in Qunci Villas, the area's most popular resort, before building theirs. And that kind of shows - at least the pool must be built by the same people! But the size of the villas make it a relaxing stay for a week as you don't have to live on top of each other, nor from your suitcase. And the size of the resort makes it a personable experience with the staff knowing your name and coffee preference - and you can't complain about the view either. I did take a liking to Lombok coffee in the mornings, although hubby did refer to the old Blackadder quote:
Blackadder: Now Baldrick, fix me some coffee, and make it taste slightly less like mud this time.
Baldrick: Not easy I'm afraid, Sir
Blackadder: And why is this?
Baldrick: 'cause it is mud. We ran out of coffee 13 months ago
I would not hesitate to recommend the Chandi. They've got a good spread on the local bbq menu, or if you are looking for some more authentic warung experience, they've got some walking distance away. Or a taxi onto any of Senggigi's beach eateries will set you back around 20,000. We also stayed in Qunci, and I'd say the stay in Chandi was made more relaxing by the size of the resort. (more of that in a later post)
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