Ambon hotels

It may not be a 4-star hotel by Singapore standards, but it is still a pretty good hotel. It was clean, the rooms were spacious, there was a nice balcony looking over the water. (We asked for the top--3rd--floor, with a water view.) The breakfast was fine. Lots of options. I recommend trying the kacang hijau (green peanut) soup--it's flavored with ginger and some sugar. Lovely. I didn't use the pool, but it looked nice. The grounds are immaculately kept. There is a private beach, though no one was using it, and there weren't any chairs on it. We rented a scooter from the hotel and drove it all over the island. Very convenient. Like others who have reviewed this hotel, we had some wi-fi issues, but they resolved them for us and we had no problem getting online. We did try the "spa"--a converted bedroom--which had two massage tables. The masseuses were fine, not great. Such a resort should probably invest in building a real (even if small) spa facility. We didn't eat dinner there, so can't comment on that. We ate down the road at Gaba Gaba (disastrous food, great view). Lobby could be a little cozier. They have live music in the lobby every night, but it wasn't comfortable to lounge and listen to the music. We saw this hotel's competitors in downtown Ambon, and can attest that this hotel is much better than all the others!

Ambon city has many small hotels but this is the only one that comes close to reaching an international standard. The staff are friendly and very efficient; rooms are comfortable, quiet, and ample; the restaurant is good for Indonesian fare. There's a small, one-treadmill fitness, with handweights and two bikes… small but sufficient if you arrive early in the morning. Many nights too there is also music and singing -- Western style done very well by local artists, an unexpected plus.