Lelewatu Resort Sumba Reviews

We have loved our stay at Lelewatu and feel very grateful to have been able to experience staying there. We stayed in a cliff pool view villa, the view is spectacular, the villa itself is so beautifully designed and very clean. The pool is a nice size, very clean and has such a beautiful outlook. The bathtub is lovely overlooking the ocean and fills up very fast with clean water. The bed is comfortable with soft and clean linen. The staff are all very helpful and kind and we really have enjoyed all meals that have been lovingly prepared and delivered to our room. As we were celebrating our anniversary the staff organised a beautiful table setting for dinner which was such a kind gesture. Although neither of these two things would deter us from staying again they are worth noting. 1 the villa floor itself is noticeably unlevel and tilts down a little towards the back wall of the villa. 2 If you are a surfer this location does prove a little difficult and the hotel itself does not have a boat for transfers nor were they able to supply us with a rental bike that has a surfboard rack. As my husband is an experienced rider and has previous experience of navigating in rural areas using google maps he managed, although the trips to find the waves were not too comfortable without having a surfboard rack. If you have your own car or rent a car with a driver that is familiar with the area this may be fine for you to get to the local surf spots which are all around 30 minutes from the hotel. There is surf at nearby Nihi however that beach is private for hotel guests only. This is an ideal resort for honeymooners, couples of families looking for peace and tranquility.

Nice & neat room, friendly staff, marvelous scenery to enjoy

Beautiful hotel! There are only a few resort type hotel on the islandZ and this worth every buck to spend the day chilling in the room, by the pool and ordering room service. Food quality is great. Staffs are nice. Also there are not many restaurant options on the island. And we were able to see the milky way right from the room. Stunning!

Lelewatu is an example of understated luxury in Sumba Island, which is much off the beaten track compared to other parts of Indonesia. The staff is very attentive but low key at the same time. The restaurant is great, especially on local choices. The villas are spacious with really high ceilings, a great pool and plenty of privacy. Will miss sleeping at the sound of the waves.

Beautiful location and villas, food at the restaurant is good. Service was good until they asked me for an outrageous amount when I asked for an additional blanket. That sort of ruined the experience but everything else was super nice.

This place was stunning! The views, the room, the staff all were top quality. The food could be improved but very good considering the lack of restaurants in the area. Thank you for an amazing stay.

One of the best resorts in Sumba.

Although it took three flights to get there, it was definitely worth it. The scenery is so beautiful and the service is particularly good. I remember everyone's name. I stayed in the hotel for very little time and it felt like a hotel.

Unforgettable hotel!! The staff goes out of their way to please and the place is amazing!

We checked in and headed to our cliff villa. The villa had seriously moved, the level of the swimming pool showed a difference of +|- 10 cm. The electricity didn't work, no water, the pool didn't work and the water was cloudy... A technician came to restore the electricity which after 5 minutes went out again….. After 2 hours and with long negotiation they decided to change villas, supposedly upgrade…… Butts everywhere in the empty flower boxes, nails sticking out of the pool floors…. For a so-called 5 star the maintenance is poor, the gardens poorly maintained etc etc The menu card is very poor in choice even though there is no restaurant in the surrounding area… Very disappointing for this level of hotel No activities to offer… The safety box is not sealed to the wall and therefore not secure…. Fortunately the local staff are very warm and helpful.

Before arriving at this hotel, I had some concerns after reading a few negative reviews. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the weather was consistently clear during our stay, allowing us to relish stunning sunsets daily from our accommodation and gaze at the stars in the night sky. Although the hotel, being by the seaside, may not boast entirely new amenities, its traditional thatched roofs add to its charm, bringing us closer to nature. Each morning, the delightful sound of birdsong atop the roof greeted us, and while the occasional bug may find its way in, it added to the authentic experience. While some may find this challenging, the warm and attentive staff went above and beyond to ensure our comfort. The staff made every effort to communicate effectively and cater to our needs. We thoroughly enjoyed the recommended dishes, which were deliciously prepared. Furthermore, unlike hotels in Bali, the water here is exceptionally clean. We brought a shower filter with us, but it turned out to be unnecessary because the water was so pristine. Thanks to the perfect weather, we were able to enjoy the hotel even more. On a separate note, for those planning a trip to Sumba, embracing the local nature, culture, and cuisine with an open mind is essential. With the assistance of a knowledgeable local English-speaking guide, we were able to immerse ourselves fully in the rich tapestry of experiences that Sumba has to offer. This allowed us to overlook any minor inconveniences, including the condition of our accommodation, and fully appreciate the journey. Our time in Sumba was truly a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, and we depart with cherished memories that will endure forever.

What a stunning location, about 90 minutes drive from Sumba Airport and set down a very steep hill on the waters edge overlooking the ocean. There is something really special about being able to fall asleep to the sound of the ocean, open your balcony doors in the morning & drink your tea whilst watching the waves. As with most Asian hotels it was hurt badly by Covid, talking to the staff it was completely shut & only had security staff for over 2 years. There is clearly work that needs to be done & is being done to being it back to its former glory but I would say this is predominantly in the grounds rather than the villas. We had a beautiful pool villa overlooking the ocean v6. As mentioned by other reviewers the whole villa was on a slant there had clearly been some sort of land movement but that's a bit out of the hotels control. The room was lovely & rustic with huge daybeds indoors & outdoors & a big bath tub, my only complaint would have been the water pressure, not for the bath but shower & toilet. The transfer & trip we organised through the hotel had really comfy cars, on our way from the airport they even offered to stop at the supermarket so we could pick up supplies as there is nothing round the hotel. The trip was less a tour & more a driver, paying in each place for a guide, but nether the less we enjoyed the stunning scenery of Sumba & it was good value. There is only one restaurant in the hotel, but a pretty large menu, good choice of wine by the bottle & not bad value given its your only option. It overlooks the main pool area which is stunning. The only downside was the staff doing Karaoke which to be honest rather spoilt a quiet sunbathe or dinner/drinks. This seemed to happen the first few days we were there and then thankfully stopped. We had one 90 minute massage in the spa which was open sided & overlooked the ocean, the setting, treatment & value were fantastic. Overall I would thoroughly recommend staying here, there are some very expensive resorts on Sumba but Lelewatu seems to strike a great balance of good value & stunning setting. Its also worth contacting them directly if you find it cheaper on a booking site as they were willing to match for me & obviously it means more $ goes to them to support the refurbishment of the grounds & unused villas.

Our stay was such a disappointment, not only because the property has so much potential but because the staff really tried hard to be helpful. Unfortunately, the place is very poorly run. The staff, as friendly as they are, barely speak any English. Their uniforms are also dirty. The room, as much potential as it has, is falling apart. Windows don't close properly, showers have no pressure and the toilet barely flushes. Mosquito nets are also full of holes, rendering them useless. We also only found used toiletries in the bathroom. There was also no bannister on the staircase down to the room, with a fairly violent drop if one were to fall off the edge (which can be easily done). The staff, while friendly, are also not particularly conscientious. Dangerous driving from the hotel meant we almost had a collision on at least two occasions (even trying to overtake another Lelewatu vehicle en-route). The golf cart down to the rooms was also overloaded and didn't feel safe but the poor English skills made it practically impossible to communicate this. There is also no manager on site (they're based in Bali), which means problems are almost impossible to resolve. In any case, said manager also doesn't speak English. Said management also appears to be deleting reviews on Google (of which I have screenshots). The quality of the food is very poor; a bread basket that came with breakfast is made up of cheap local rolls that are stale and dry, having more in common with cheap pre-slice

Our stay was such a disappointment, not only because the property has so much potential but because the staff really tried hard to be helpful. Unfortunately, the place is very poorly run. The staff, as friendly as they are, barely speak any English. Their uniforms are also dirty. The room, as much potential as it has, is falling apart. Windows don't close properly, showers have no pressure and the toilet barely flushes. Mosquito nets are also full of holes, rendering them useless. We also only found used toiletries in the bathroom. There was also no bannister on the staircase down to the room, with a fairly violent drop if one were to fall off the edge (which can be easily done). The staff, while friendly, are also not particularly conscientious. Dangerous driving from the hotel meant we almost had a collision on at least two occasions (even trying to overtake another Lelewatu vehicle en-route). The golf cart down to the rooms was also overloaded and didn't feel safe but the poor English skills made it practically impossible to communicate this. There is also no manager on site (they're based in Bali), which means problems are almost impossible to resolve. In any case, said Manager also doesn't speak English). Said management also appears to be deleting reviews on Google (of which I have screenshots). The quality of the food is very poor; a bread basket that came with breakfast is made up of cheap local rolls that are stale and dry, having more in common with cheap pre-sliced supermarket loaves rather than what one might normally expect in a five star resort. Our private pool was also dirty, and therefore not particularly inviting to use. The hotel markets itself as a five star luxury resort but this is misleading as the property neither has the service nor maintenance to be described as such. Sadly, we spent one night and left for another property on the island, which thankfully is far nicer.