Read genuine traveler ratings & reviews to find your perfect stay.
Posted onDec 27, 2025|Palm View Bungalow
Matt NasirPondok Santi Estate is truly an exceptional place to stay.
We stayed at Pondok Santi Estate in Gili Trawangan for four nights, and from the very first moment, everything exceeded our expectations. The level of service is outstanding — a true 5 out of 5 — and the experience feels much more like a five-star luxury resort rather than a hotel.
Every detail is beautifully designed and perfectly maintained. The rooms are spacious, elegant, and extremely comfortable. Housekeeping is impeccable, and the staff is attentive without ever being intrusive.
The restaurant experience deserves special praise. The food quality, presentation, and service were consistently excellent. Breakfasts were a highlight of our stay — fresh, delicious, and served in a peaceful, beautiful setting that made every morning feel special.
What truly sets this resort apart is the warmth and professionalism of the team. From the room staff to the restaurant team, everyone made us feel genuinely welcome and well cared for throughout our stay.
Personally, Gili Trawangan itself is not a destination that impressed me greatly. However, Pondok Santi Estate completely transformed our experience and made the island a place I would happily return to again — specifically because of this resort.
We feel very fortunate to have stayed here and are deeply grateful for such a memorable and high-quality experience. Pondok Santi Estate is a true sanctuary of comfort, elegance, and exceptional hospitality, and we would not hesitate to return.
Show more
Price per night from:PHP 10,435
Posted onJun 5, 2025|Poolside Sumba Room
Guest User
An amazing place! Tucked away from the main roads and horse trails, it’s peaceful and has a wonderfully secluded vibe. The staff is attentive and friendly, the breakfasts are delicious with a wide variety to choose from. The room was clean, cozy, and everything looked new or very well maintained. I would definitely stay here again.
Show more
Price per night from:PHP 5,732
Posted onMay 8, 2026
Guest UserThe hotel's location is fantastic, right on the beachfront with private sun loungers. The staff are welcoming, and there's a tap outside each villa to rinse off sand after the beach. We were greeted wonderfully and checked in immediately as our room was ready. They promptly brought welcome drinks and cold towels.
Regarding the downsides: there are no disposable toothbrushes or body lotion. The water isn't in disposable bottles but in a carafe that you have to refill yourself in the lobby. The room is very dark with insufficient lighting. The windows aren't airtight, leading to high street noise, especially when the call to prayer starts at night. The refrigerator is also very noisy. The air conditioner is positioned to blow directly onto the bed, so we had to sleep with our heads at the foot of the bed. The AC is also loud. There were strange worm-like caterpillars crawling in the bathroom and room. There are no power outlets near the beds. Breakfast is à la carte, with an additional buffet offering vegetables, fruits, cheese, cold cuts, and pastries. The breakfast food isn't very good; poached eggs were overcooked. A plus is that you can order several dishes from the menu. The latte coffee was very bitter, and I had to add milk myself. I believe the price for this hotel is too high. The only plus is the location – it's conveniently situated a 10-minute walk from the port and has a beach spot where you can see turtles.
Show more
Price per night from:PHP 5,273
Posted onMar 4, 2026|King Room with Balcony
AnastasiaGSea Shell Hotel Gili is a small and cozy hotel where we stayed for two nights during our trip to the Gili Islands. The hotel is located inside the island rather than directly on the beach, but the ocean is still within easy walking distance — just a short walk to the left side of the island. Considering the size of Gili, the location is actually quite convenient and quiet.
Our room was spacious with a large comfortable bed, perfect for relaxing after a day in the sun. The bathroom was also quite big with good plumbing — hot water was always available and the water pressure was strong. Overall everything was clean and well maintained.
One small thing that felt a bit strange was that we were given only one towel per person. If a place positions itself as a hotel rather than a guesthouse, it would be nice to have at least two towels per guest.
Another detail we didn’t love was the drinking water system. Water is provided in a jug rather than sealed plastic bottles. While it may be more eco-friendly, personally I feel a bit more comfortable when the drinking water comes in sealed bottles.
The hotel has a large swimming pool which looks nice, although we didn’t end up using it — when you’re on Gili, swimming in the ocean feels like the obvious choice.
Breakfast was probably the most disappointing part of the stay. There is a menu, but in reality there aren’t many options to choose from. On the second morning about half of the menu was unavailable when we tried to order, and no explanation was given.
Amsterdam - Good cafe near the hotel :) in the end we sorted out our breakfast there
Overall, Sea Shell Hotel Gili is a decent option if you’re looking for a quiet place to stay with spacious rooms and a good bathroom. It’s not perfect, but for a short stay on the island it worked well enough.
Show more
Price per night from:PHP 2,674
Posted onMay 5, 2026|One Bedroom with Private Pool
Alex-WGreat experience, all the staff were super friendly and accommodating. The location is also well located, close to Bask and Pomona (both great for breakfast / Lunch / Dibber). I would not recommend the breakfast attached to the hotel though as it is super basic (but it is cheap at approximately 8 euros). Also there weresome drainage issues with the villa we had.
Show more
Price per night from:PHP 3,787
Posted onJun 22, 2026
Guest UserThe hotel is good, with lots of greenery and a clean area. We were able to check in early. The beach is close by, but the waves are strong and the water recedes in the evening. The water near the shore is light turquoise, but in some places, there's trash floating on the surface. The hotel has a pool where a disco is held; in my opinion, it's the best on the island. Entry is free, but if you want to sit by the pool, you need to place an order.
However, we rented garden cottages, which were quite expensive. For that price, breakfast should have been included for free. Next time I'm on Gili, I won't pay so much for accommodation. There's no difference from other bungalows, except for the exterior.
Show more
Price per night from:PHP 2,450
Posted onFeb 9, 2025
Мурад
A good hotel within walking distance from the port (5 minutes walk). The house lacks daylight. If possible, it is better to book without breakfast. The location is convenient, the beach and cafes are within walking distance.
Show more
Price per night from:PHP 2,338
Posted onMar 24, 2026
Guest User
I stayed in a female dorm with 3 beds and was very happy with my stay! The location is great and very close to the harbor. The room was very clean upon my arrival, and having a locker/wardrobe right by the bed made me feel very secure when storing my belongings. The bed squeaked a bit, but it didn't bother me much. The bathroom was also very clean, which isn't always a given in dorms/hostels. A towel is provided, but you need to bring your own hand soap/shower gel/toothbrush/toothpaste. It's a very quiet area around the hotel, and there's a fantastic local eatery (Warung) practically next door. I would recommend it to any solo female traveler.
Show more
Price per night from:PHP 271
Posted onJun 11, 2026
チモリちもりBefore my stay, I was quite anxious due to many negative reviews about the hotel. I had booked four rooms and checked all the areas that had received poor feedback, such as the hygiene of the rooms and pool, and issues with air conditioning not cooling. To my surprise, all the negative points had been addressed and improved! Waking up to the sound of many different birds chirping in the morning was lovely. This is a hotel with great value for money, and I'd love to visit again.
Show more
Price per night from:PHP 2,010
Posted onOct 30, 2025
Anonymous User
Location is great (near the night market and the harbour) however the room was not quite as it was advertised.
When I booked it, the details clearly said that there is hot water and TV for my booked room type, but when I got there, the shower only has cold (brackish) water, and no TV
Room cleanliness is also a bit of an issue in that while the room is ok to stay in, cleanliness could be further improved, especially around the bathroom area (stains on the wall and leftover sand on the floor should be cleaned regularly). Twice I also found dead cockroaches in my room
The amenities are alright in the sense that they offer massages and wellness therapy at an affordable price, and can also help you with renting a bike/e-scooter, but that’s all there is. There is a small cafe/bar, but it looks quite spartan, somewhat untidy, and (to me) not very inviting to stop by for food/drink
The staff are friendly but could be more professional, for example by waking up early (they were still sleeping at 8 AM) and being standby at the reception desk in case of problems, and not lounging around the pool while smoking
I think for the price they charge there should be better alternatives around the island, so I’d think twice before returning here
Show more
Price per night from:PHP 636