East Java
Right opposite the waves, this attractive camp has three standards of bungalow in shady grounds with a restaurant and bar. It has beach volleyball, ping…
Must-see hotels in Indonesia
Mentawai Islands
Located on Pulau Karangmajat, American-owned Kandui Villas is a short paddle from Kandui Left, not far from the legendary Rifles. It offers unlimited…
West Sumatra
More like a museum than a guesthouse, this wonderful Dutch heritage villa has been lovingly restored by the great-grandchildren of the original owners…
West Java
Relatively sleek, with a parlour-floor lobby and a nice pool area, this hotel rises like a shark fin above the city, looming over the red roof tiles and…
Surabaya
What Surabaya lacks in budget guesthouses, it makes up for in cool, arty and affordable chain hotels. One such example is this reliable budget chain,…
Jakarta
Ask for a room on one of the top floors of this modern high-rise hotel and you'll enjoy sweeping views (smog permitting). More than 250 rooms have a…
Kalimantan
Just south of the main village and jetty, Maratua Paradise is a popular choice for its beachfront and overwater villas – the only ones on the main island…
Labuan Bajo
The drawcard at this hostel is the pool, flanked by a colourful ocean mural and shaded by a giant mango tree. Private rooms and dorms (mixed and female)…
West Java
Terrific-value, fan-cooled rooms, all with floor-to-ceiling glass on one side (some with beach and surf views), high ceilings, hardwood floors and…
West Bali
You can certainly hear the sea at this tropical fantasy of thatched cottages and flower-filled gardens. There are 12 rooms; those on the upper floor have…
Kupang
Although predominantly a business hotel, four-star Aston remains one of Kupang's better places to stay. English-speaking staff are helpful and there's a…
Medan
This huge, five-star hotel follows the standard business-class formula of great facilities, an array of different restaurants and a guaranteed good night…
Yogyakarta
Part of the expanding Via Via empire, this guesthouse enjoys a quiet side-street location not far from its cafe-restaurant of the same name. It has seven…
Labuan Bajo
Peppered with quote decals ('Always remember, karma comes back') and adored for its pool and friendly staff, this five-room, 29-bed dorm nails the balance…
West Java
Offering a great local experience is this character-filled family home, whose owner has lived here his entire life and is a wealth of knowledge on what to…
Flores
Look for a friendly group of Rastas sitting under a dried grass umbrella in front of a white house and you've found Mahoni. Owner Galank is welcoming to…
Nusa Dua
Attached to a large convention centre, the Westin has an air-conditioned lobby (a rarity) and vast public spaces. Guests in the 433 rooms enjoy the best…
East Java
This well-run hotel is 500m along a side road on the eastern side of the village. As it's almost on the lip of the crater, you can stumble out your door…
West Sumatra
Down a maze of footpaths about 300m northwest of the main intersection, these beachfront bungalows are a good deal in central Maninjau. The small beach…
Bukit Lawang
One of Bukit Lawang's most popular backpackers for many a year, Rainforest has a cluster of rooms set close to the gurgling river. The cheaper rooms have…
Padang
A little out of Padang's centre, this slick business hotel features spacious, contemporary rooms with polished wooden floors, large bathrooms, sumptuous…
Bukit Peninsula
A rare budget find amid the pricey resorts of Jimbaran, this former spa is older and slightly rundown, but in an aesthetically interesting way. The best…
Kalimantan
Located 800m downriver from town, Mountain Meratus is Loksado's best accommodation, with a collection of well-crafted timber rooms with open-air stone…
East Java
This friendly and buzzing place has four styles of frills-free rooms on offer: dorms, a bamboo hut, concrete rooms and stilted wooden cottages with arched…
Tana Toraja
With commanding views and landscaped grounds, this place offers traditional tongkonan crash pads – inside are thin mattresses squashed together in compact…
Candidasa
Set next to Candidasa's pretty lagoon, Rama Shinta's 15 rooms are split between a two-storey stone structure and bungalows. All have terraces and have…
East Bali
One of the original Amed resorts, the Uyah is looking faded but still has lots going for it. Rooms have small terraces, good bathrooms and four-poster…
Malang
Helios has steadily upgraded the quality and prices of its accommodation in recent years. Behind the flash reception you'll find a selection of bright,…
Ubud
This hipster haunt behind the Alchemy cafe has a classic motel configuration overlaid with rock-and-roll panache. The 24 rooms are set up for global…
Flores
With 18 lumbung (rice barn) style bungalows and four family rooms spread along a white-sand beach, this is a truly beautiful island resort. Bungalows have…
Flores
Enjoy basic accommodation at Pante Hera in raised tents on the cliff overlooking the ocean or bunk rooms, both priced the same with meals included. There…
North Sumatra
Run by two friendly young brothers who speak good English, Dreamland has three appealing A-frame cottages with private bathrooms sitting partially hidden…
East Bali
Perched on jutting cliffs, this luxury resort has three infinity pools that step down to the sea in a cascade of aqua blue – a magnificent sight. The 33…
Ubud
Located in a river valley amidst the rice fields of Peliatan, 2km from the centre of town, this huge resort was built in 2001 and is looking a bit dated;…
Bukit Peninsula
Rumah Bali is a luxurious interpretation of a Balinese village by cookbook author Heinz von Holzen, who also runs local restaurant Bumbu Bali. Guests…
West Lombok
This all-inclusive resort for the backpacker set envisions itself as a place to practise the art of doing nothing. Rates include three daily meals,…
Flores
If Sunset Cottages is full, or even if it's not, Sante Sante homestay and beach bar next door is run by the owner's nephew. He has two basic rooms and…
Labuan Bajo
This central, 30-bed hostel from Green Hill Boutique Hotel is perfect for travellers who want a hostel set-up without the rowdy crowd. Immaculate and…
West Sumatra
Commanding Bukittinggi's heights like a Moorish citadel, Novotel (formerly Hills) is usually full of VIPs and their security squads. Sports lovers can get…
Flores
Bintang is one of the best guesthouses in town, offering five large, centrally located and renovated rooms. It has hot water and the cafe (mains 30,000Rp…
