Pondok Santi Estate — Pondok Santi Estate is a beautiful and spacious resort, located on the island paradise of Gili Trawangan. For those who have never escaped to this island paradise, you can find it just off the West coast of Lombok or a 2-hour boat ride from the East coast of Bali.
In this review, I’ll cover my journey and personal experience during my stay with Pondok Santi Estate. I’ll also discuss its location, rooms and highlight some worthy facilities.
My journey began by taking the fast boat from Padangbai, Bali to Gili Trawangan using Eka Jaya Fast Boat. Upon arrival on the island, there are only 2 methods of transportation, walking or by horse-drawn cart, the latter known locally as ‘cidomo’, which to Pondok Santi costs IDR 100,000. We opted to walk but I would personally recommend taking the cidomo as we struggled to drag our suitcases around the sandy roads of Gili T.
After a sweaty walk, we were absolutely delighted by what greeted us at the resort. The property is undeniably huge. The first thing you’ll see is a big open space of coconut trees and a pathway lined with well-manicured landscaping. Just by looking at it, it already felt refreshing. We were greeted by friendly staff who escorted us to the reception area where every person we came across gave us a very welcoming feeling of warmth and hospitality.
At the resort, the check in process was completed swiftly and we were offered complimentary drinks and ice-cold towels – thankfully, we were in our room in less than 10 minutes.
Pondok Santi Estate is in the midst of a coconut land, giving the resort a very relaxing atmosphere. It offers a quiet and homey feel with its 18 locally themed bungalows, all of which have porches with daybeds and outdoor bathroom. It is situated about 400 meters away from the main beach and the liveliest part of the island, tucked away in a peaceful area which is easily accessible. It is perfect for those that are looking for a relaxing holiday, which affords the option of mingling in the busier parts at your discretion.
The first 3 nights we stayed in their Palm View Bungalow, their smallest bungalow in the property facing a wide stretch of land. It was an elevated, local suburban style hut with tropical interior, brown earth tones, hardwood floor and handwoven rug. Behind the room was a big and spacious outdoor bathroom with a small garden, while in front was a small porch with a daybed. While the room itself wasn’t hugely spacious, it never felt cramped due to the dual aspect windows which provided plenty of stunning views.
After our 3rd night in Pondok Santi Estate, we moved to one of the Private Pool Bungalows which faces the beach; these set of bungalows truly are in a league of their own. We were fortunate to stay in Bungalow 7 next to the bar and the pool, which possesses a bigger outdoor space with perfectly manicured garden, a personal gazebo and sun lounges for some private and relaxing time. It also has twin showers, his and hers sink and an even larger toilet. In front of the bungalow was an extended veranda with a sitting area and a bigger daybed.
There was also an option to completely open the space if we wanted some natural breeze for an indoor/outdoor feel. Inside the bungalow was a very stylish modern tropical interior with soft earth tones, chic decors with lots of local touches. The bungalow felt perfect, it took us less than 5 minutes to decide to extend 2 more nights. It was very luxurious and relaxing, we wondered why we didn’t stay there in the beginning.
Address: Dusun Gili Trawangan
Desa Gili Indah, Pemenang
Lombok, Utara 83355
Indonesia
Phone: +62 819 07057504, +62 853 38287650 (available for WhatsApp)
Email: https://www.pondoksanti.com/
