Hotel 4-Star di East Java, Indonesia

Great place, well maintained, with swimming pools, its own rice paddies!, marvelous service. We've been here for one night, but had to regret our plan did not let us stay longer. Our objective was to trek Ijen, which is just 30 minutes away from here. The frontdesk can help you with the driver, the health check, tickets and supplying breakfast in a box. However, there is much more on site and around to make a longer stay enjoyable.

Delicious Indonesian Javanese food specially created by the host, May, as well as the level of dedicated service is the highlight of this hotel. The menu food sounds unappealing, but all 7 lunch and dinners were so good. You have to try the chicken satay, which is soft and has white clean meat. The tuna is melted and panini is so fresh. The spaghetti cakalang is her created recipe of smoked fish and spaghetti. Her tofu and Tempe must not be missed! Her tempong chicken is yummy and fresh! Feels like it's directly from the farm. Nasi goreng must not be missed! Papayas seem to be in the season. Fried bananas covered in coconut flakes are not to be missed! In this hotel, don't expect luxury cleanliness because there are a lot of insects (bees, butterflies, moths, grasshopper, flies), spiders, millipedes, lizards, even a gecko. If you want to stay in this rustic resort you have to be okay with them. I didn't like the insects stuff in the room but the hosts immediately sent their staff to deal with them. Staff are friendly just be patient with them because not all speak English. May was a super host, who gave ALL sorts of ideas on where to go, and how to go, and gives you contacts and numbers and details. Ibnu makes the best dirty latte in Banyuwangi, most probably. The hosts are very nice and go out of the way to make their guests welcome. They even dropped us at a nearby tour site, and also gave us a short walk to the beach nearby. This level of service is almost unbeatable. Staff are always ready and welcome to greet and smile at you. I think the Indonesian and Javanese meals are better than the breakfast menu. Breakfast pancake and American breakfast normal only. They generously dropped us off at Bangsring Underwater which was 3-5 mins away, which MUST NOT BE MISSED for snorkelling beginners! (But first check out if the season is good for snorkelling) If you stay here, be prepared there's not much in the area. And not much air-conditioned cafes or restaurant or shops nearby too. The family room has a breathtaking view of the mountains but because of the attic like structure, is prone to insects and lizards and stuff. It had a resident gecko. The deluxe suite room had a flat ceiling so lesser insects! + huge verandah for drying your clothes + pink bougainvillea. There are corn fields beside the hotel. They send food to your room if you don't want to eat in the restaurant which also has a amazing view. Restaurant has rustic vibes with antique candelabras (+ spiders).

Pro - excellent service from the staff! - We have a baby (＜ 1 yr old), they provided us with baby cot, baby bath tub and water scoop (gayung) - View of the animals from the room is breathtaking - Can throw carrots (3 pieces were provided by the hotel) from the room to the animals - Breakfast is yummy. They have a selection of local and international buffet spread - Can take photo with giraffes if you missed the breakfast with giraffe slot - Can feed the fishes at the lobby for free - Souvenir shopping at the hotel for convenience - there was a bird (cockatoo?) available for photo taking for free too Cons - stinks of animal poops at the lobby - Giraffe, rhino and meerkat feeding are extra charge - Only rain shower head (ie, not moveable)

This is my second time here. The staff are genuinely nice and will greet you every single time. I had an issue with the aircon not being cold enough. The technician, front desk are all very patient and attentive to my request. Reaction was quick and I also had a room change. The room is very spacious with a great view of the city. Amenities aplenty and will cater to your needs. I had a good three nights rest and a wonderful stay here. Would definitely recommend this hotel.

Banyuwangi truly is the ultimate ”sanctuary of stillness,” and ÉL Hotel Banyuwangi provides a beautiful, serene backdrop to experience it. I had a wonderful stay overall, and while there are a few areas where the hotel can step up its game, the foundation is absolutely there for this to become an exceptional property. 🏨 The Hardware & Facilities (Top-Notch!) On the physical side of things, the hotel completely delivers. The rooms are comfortable and well-designed, the gym is well-equipped for a holiday workout, and the swimming pool area is beautiful—perfect for soaking in the quiet energy of the region. 🍳 Food & A Soothing Morning Ritual The culinary experience was a highlight. The food quality was solid, and the local flavors were genuinely delicious. But my absolute favorite part of the morning was the outdoor breakfast area, where they offer fish feeding. Watching the fish move gracefully through the water while enjoying breakfast was incredibly calming and set a beautiful, soothing tone for the day. 🌱 Areas for Growth: Service & Sustainability To truly elevate this hotel to a 5-star luxury standard, there are two areas I’d love to see improve: Eco-Friendly Amenities: In a pristine destination like Banyuwangi, sustainability matters. Currently, the hotel is still using single-use plastic containers for bathroom amenities. Shifting toward refillable dispensers or biodegradable alternatives would align beautifully with the natural essence of the area. Staff Guidance: The young team members have incredible potential and are clearly eager, but they just need a bit more structured guidance and hospitality training. With the right leadership, this passionate young staff could easily turn good service into an exceptional guest experience. 🗺️ The Verdict Overall, I will absolutely come back! There is so much promise here, and I have high hopes that the team will take this constructive feedback to heart and continue to polish their service. If you are looking for a peaceful getaway in Banyuwangi, this is still a highly recommended spot. #ElHotelBanyuwangi #BanyuwangiTravel #SanctuaryOfStillness #WonderfulIndonesia #HotelReview #TravelBlogger

The location is a bit out of the way, and access is still limited as it's a new property and hadn't had its grand opening yet when I visited. However, the service was absolutely outstanding; the staff were very open to directly asking guests for feedback and suggestions. There will be more facilities in the future as it's still under development. But the view from the hotel room was stunning, both at night and in the morning. The restaurant's food was delicious too.

Before I begin the review, let me say that the front desk staff of the hotel have been extremely understanding and accomodating. They ensured most of my complaints were addressed. So this review isn't a reflection on them. They graciously changed my room three times due to the following issues I faced. But having said that, the hotel itself is a disaster. The walls were essentially thin cardboard and you could hear everything from the adjacent rooms - from people coughing their lungs out, sneezing, talking to ********** - literally everything. In the bathroom you hear some continuously banging noise coming from somewhere as if there is construction going on - maybe it's from the plumbing. You surely need ear plugs if you decide to get a good night's rest. There were mosquitos in the room I was given on the first night. There was also no hot water in the bathroom at night. It was at best luke-warm. The safe was not working and the sheets and pillow covers were stained. The couch was stained. The worst part about the first room was a serious hygeine issue. The commodes have a retractable bidet. It was covered in faeces. It was too disgusting to take a picture of but I showed it to the manager. After I complained they changed the room but I couldn't sleep properly because of loud neighbours in the adjacent room. You can also see from the pictures that the rooms aren't maintained well. There's water seepage and damaged furniture. I had to request a change of room again but even this room had loud neighbours and a poorly cleaned bathroom with hair everywhere. I just cleaned it myself and adjusted as this was my last night of the stay. I ended up staying in 3 different rooms during my 3 night stay. This hotel needs to be shut down and renovated. They first need to build proper walls in between rooms. Their housekeeping staff also needs proper training.

I stayed in a suite with an ocean view. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, allowing me to fully enjoy all the amenities. The pool was clean, and I particularly appreciated the bathtub, which even had bubble bath, perfect for warming up after a cold hike. However, the hot water supply wasn't endless; there was a limited amount, and then it needed time to reheat. Breakfast was decent, but being outdoors, it felt a bit hot, and I wished there was an indoor area with air conditioning. Overall, it was a perfect place for a relaxing getaway. I would 100% recommend and would definitely visit again.

We had a very pleasant stay at Aloft Surabaya Pakuwon. The hotel is new, modern, and very well maintained, with clean rooms and excellent facilities. The bed was very comfortable, which made for a great night's sleep. The buffet breakfast offered a good variety of food. A special thank you to Mr. Arul, who was exceptionally friendly, attentive, and helpful throughout our stay. His warm hospitality made our experience even more enjoyable. The 24-hour gym is a great bonus for guests who like to work out at any time of the day. One thing to note is the location. The hotel is next to Pakuwon City Mall, which is different from Pakuwon Mall. If your main destination is Pakuwon Mall, expect about a 40-minute Grab ride depending on traffic. Overall, we had a great experience at Aloft Surabaya. The comfortable rooms, excellent service, and modern facilities make it a hotel I would happily recommend and stay at again.

Im was very happy with this hotel. I wanted to stay longer in Malang only because I liked the service of this team . Very friendly and helpful. The best breakfast I have ever tried. They have surprised me with the high quality. Always clean and location is good. Thank you 101 Malang Team .