Where to stay in Kuta, Lombok

STAY

Kuta was the last place I visited in Lombok. While travelling around the island, I asked some of the people I met, expats mostly, where they stayed when they visited Kuta. The name of one hotel came up again and again.

“Rascals has a backpacker-ish name but it’s a four-star hotel: very clean, beautiful landscaping and very reasonably priced,” said Grey Meyer, the Australian owner of Bask, a luxury resort on Gili Meno, one of Lombok’s satellite islands.

“The rooms are quite big and have oversized indoor-outdoor bathrooms with gardens. Almost any traveller would be happy staying there.”

Rascals is an oasis with Mediterranean-Indonesian fusion design. Everywhere you look is something beautiful: tropical plants, rustic artwork, and plantation-style furniture. The amenities are off the chart for a 60-room property: three large pools, an ATM, surf school, a yoga pavilion, a day spa, a bakery, plus a Turkish-style bathhouse with a Swedish sauna, ice baths and a therapeutic soaking pool.

But the one thing that stood out most were the pools. You can see sparkling blue water from every guest room, and there are all these cool little shaded places to hang out by the pool or cool off in the water: submerged steps and shelves, a 25m lane for laps, daybeds with umbrellas, and pavilions shaded with drapes. With snappy service, modern-Asian poolside fare and the fact that this is an adults-only hotel, Rascals looks and feels like a glitzy beach club in Bali, making it ideal for flashpackers who want to meet like-minded travellers. And with a dedicated yoga pavilion — an intricate structure made entirely from bamboo — three yoga classes per day plus regular breathwork and meditation classes, as well as vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options on the menu, it ticks many boxes for wellness travellers.

My only complaint: no bar fridge in the rooms. Rooms start at $107 per night including breakfast. See rascalskutalombok.com for bookings.

+ Ian Neubauer was a guest of Rascals. They have not influenced this story, or read it before publication.