If Bali is becoming too crowded for your taste, try out the neighboring, quieter Lembongan island. I made a side trip and stayed Lembongan D’Licks Villas. D’Licks Lembongan offers nice, new rooms, a pool surrounded by greenery and a basic breakfast at a budget price. The weak a/c and terrible internet make it feel budget, too. Check out my detailed review of Lembongan D”Licks and photos to see if it is good enough for your trip or you’d like a little more luxury.
Location: The Lembongan D”Licks Villas are set back from the beach, about 10 minute from from the central beachfront and the main road with restaurants and shops. Given how small Lembongan is, that might seem “out of the way”, but didn’t really matter as I ended up walking along the beach and road every day. It’s close enough to walk to and from the ferry speadboats with light luggage. If you want to explore the sights of Lembongan, you’ll need a motorcycle.
If you are planning a short stay to explore the island or a longer stay on a budget, the location is ok. If you want to have the tropical island experience, it’s worth paying a little more for a beachfront location!
Service: The service at D’Licks was friendly and attentive. Two folks took care of all the things around the small, privately owned guesthouse. They checked me in, served me breakfast and cleaned the rooms. One of the staff rented me his motorcycle for the day. Both spoke enough English to cover those basic tasks and can also assist booking boats or tours. More complicated needs might require the help of Google Translate.
Room: I had booked a Standard Double Room. There are 10 wooden bungalows that only vary in having a double or two twin beds, all grouped around the pool.
Each has a small patio with two chairs, a small table and a beautifully carved, wooden front door.
The door has a padlock on the outside or a little wooden bar on the inside, open to the room. It’s completely made of wood with a high, open roof covered in local palm mats. Add the local artwork and you’ll certainly get an island feeling. The bed has two pillows and a comforter with sheets, was clean and comfortable. Some shelves and a wardrobe are built into the wall and you’ll get two small night stands with a light and power outlets.
There is a (too) small air conditioner that takes a while to cool down the room. Unfortunately, staff will turn it off during cleaning or while you are out, making it warmer than I’d like it. The TV has a selection of local channels. The hotel doesn’t have it’s own generator. Other guest have reported power outages on the island, but there were no issues during my stay.
The free WiFi internet was the worst I’ve experienced at any hotel in the last 6 years. It was too slow to measure most times and when the test completed, it averaged 0.02Mbps. Hello, the 90s called – they want their dial-up modem back! Even in this price category and on a small island, that’s not really acceptable in 2019.
Amenities: The headline feature of the D”Licks Lembongan is the pool, surrounded by lush greenery. There is even a shallow area for kids and some fountains for a relaxing gurgling. Several loungers and umbrellas line the pool and there was always one available throughout the day.
The small restaurant next to the pool serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. You have a choice of several toasties and pancakes, but only one dish per person. You have a choice of tea, instant or Bali coffee. Staff was kind enough to offer me a second cup after a few days.
You can also order food for lunch or dinner if you don’t want to go out.
The hotel owner also operates a boat for snorkel tours and will organize other tours or transportation. They even managed to get some guests on the next boat to the Gilli Islands, just 1h before departure – and the pick up showed up literally 5 minutes later, good job.
Value: I booked the D’Licks Villa Lembongan a few days before arrival at a rate of $25/night. I booked through Agoda and earned 4% in cashback. Considering the nice, new room, included breakfast and pool, it’s good value. But if you have read my Bali on a Budget review, I wouldn’t consider it exceptional. You can find the current prices here.
Bottomline: The Lembongan D’Licks Villas offer nice, new rooms, a pool surrounded by greenery and a basic breakfast at a budget price. The weak a/c and terrible internet make it feel budget, too. I always said that all I need are a comfortable bed and a strong, hot shower, which D’Licks delivers. But I might have to ammend that rule to include strong a/c in tropical climates and working WiFi in 2019. If you are looking for the simple life, away from the crowds and endless onslaught of media, Lembongan D’Licks Villas delivers. If you want a little more luxury, there are more upscale choices for a little extra money!