Accomodation North of Sengigi

Hi,

We have tried to get accomodation over the new year period at the Santai Beach Inn, however, many of their rooms are booked out. Does anyone know of any similar type of accomodation in that area, other than Pondok Damai (nothing against Pondok Damai - we have stayed there before and loved it, just wondering if there may be something new for us). Something that could be recommended and also would you have contact details?

Thanks

Kate and Peter

Unfortunately nothing similar to Santai exists. I just spent a lovely 3 weeks at Santai - it was about my 15th visit there over the last 12 years. The only other hotel in a similar price range is Bulan Baru - but of course that is a different style hotel. Any new developments are more upmarket and more expensive - which they generally have to be to justify the cost of the land and expense to build the hotel. Santai has been there for 20 years now!

Why don't you ask Santai to put you on a waitlist in case there is a cancellation?

Hi,

We have got most people booked into Santai, the remainder of us are at Puri Mas next door, and there is one other couple at Pondok Damai (similar to Santai). Has that area changed much over the past 8 years. All I can remember was Santai, Puri Mas, Pondok Damai, and a bit further down the beach was the Holiday Inn. What other accommodation is available around there now?

Thanks

The Mangsit strip these days goes, from south to north:

Alang Alang : boutique hotel popular with Eurpoeans. It is the fist hotel in the Mangist strip and has been there longer than 12 years (i.e. was there the first time I went to Mangsit)

Private house that belongs to Alang Alang, been there maybe 8 years.

Santai Beach Inn. Still my favorite.

Puri Mas Hotel - originally known as Santai II, but that was a long, long time ago. Nothing like Santai, quite upmarket these days, I was most unimpressed when they booked a wedding on Idul Fitri this year and their staff all had to come into work. That would be like someone booking a wedding on Christmas Day and everyone having to go to work in the middle of the day.

Puri Mas Private villas - new development over the past 4 years, been open for about 2-3 years. As far as I know there are still villas available for sale.

Qunci Pool Villas - actually a hotel. New branch of Qunci, each 'villa' room has it's own pool. Nice if you have the bucks. Lovely for sunset drinkies by the beachfront pool.

Pondok Damai - recently sold I heard, not sure what will happen to this property now. I suspect it will go upmarket, as I said above - you kind of have to so as to justify the cost of the property because land prices are so much these days.

Qunci Villas - the original Qunci hotel, been open maybe 6 years now? Also lovely.

Private house - got a fair few beachfront are there - maybe will develop into a hotel/restaurant/bar one day. They used to have a 'coming soon' sign up to that effect a couple of years back, but that is gone now..

Holiday Resort - formerly known as Holiday Inn
Windy Cottages - been there nearly as long as Santai and Santi II (aka Puri Mas) used to be around the same price range as Santai, but has upgraded tooms, put in a pool, and jacked up the prices.

Holiday Inn and Windy Cottages are the only hotels with any beachfront to speak of. The beach has completely eroded to the point that in front of Alang Alang, Santai and Puri Mas there is no beach at all. The water comes right up to the wall. This is a result of a combination of the reef being destroyed by fish bombing and given the death knell by a couple of large storms, and sea walls being built in front of those properties which discourages the sand from being brought back in naturally after a storm. And maybe sea levels are rising?

The only free land on Mangsit is now between Puri Mas Villas and Qunci Pool Villas. As far as I know it is still tied up in the courts, as it has been for many years. It is the only place that the fishermen can put their boats now. Lets not forget that Mangsit is a fishing village, it would be a disgrace if one day there was no where for the fishermen to put their boats.

I suppose if things pick up more, the next thing will be hotel development across the road from the water.