Manulalu Jungle

El concepto del alojamiento es muy bonito siempre que puedas disfrutar de las vistas, en nuestro caso estuvimos rodeados de niebla en todo momento.

Hay que desplazarse en coche para poder ir al restaurante, aunque también existe la opción de que te lleven la comida a la habitación.

The view from the terrace

No wifi

Breathtaking views.

Our breakfast came basically wrapped in cling film. Not only cling film on the plates, but also the cups and even the cutlery was packed in a thick layer of horrid unrecyclable plastic wrap. Totally unnecessary and a shame to see, knowing that there is no waste management on most Indonesian islands and waste usually ends up in landfill, in the sea, or being burned openly. Also the plastic water bottles in the room could be easily avoided by providing a jug or a glass bottle with filtered water (I noticed a drinking water filter in the kitchen).

Manulalu Jungle Bungalows are sited on a ridge overlooking the Gunung Inerie volcano. The views from the bungalow of the volcano and countryside is unsurpassed. Seven bungalows are sited here, but done so in a way that they have no direct sight to each other, so ultimate privacy. It is just you and the nature surrounding you. The inside bed is super comfortable, affording a restful sleep, and the outside bed (also netted), allows for daytime gazing and napping. Attention to detail in the design is amazing. The hot water shower is spacious, and the entire bathroom very light and airy, with views of the valley below. The bungalows are supported by the resorts restaurant, Heaven's Gate, as Manulalu Parorama, which offers a limited but ample assortment of food and beverages, coupled with a drop dead gorgeous view of the volcano. Transport to the restaurant, about 1km away, is provided on request gratis by hotel staff. Breakfast can be taken at the restaurant or delivered hot to your bungalow by staff. We found the veggie omelet to be quite tasty.

The jungle bungalows lack wifi, but the 4G network seems to work well in the location, so not really as issue. The Heaven's Gate restaurant does have wifi, but it was rather weak, possibly due to the number of dining guests using the system. Again, 4G solves that problem. As the jungle bungalows are in the jungle, literally, there are mosquitos at certain times of the day, however the netted beds inside and outside solve this. We were careful with our entry and exit to the bungalow, so had no problem with mossies insider and didn't use the nets once. We requested a standing fan for air movement and would suggest that all bungalows be provided with one as a standard feature. A/C is not provided, nor is it needed here, as nights are wonderfully cool. The Heaven's Gate restaurant, being the only one nearby, will be your main food provider, so it would be helpful if they stocked the materials needed to prepare their popular dishes. They seemed to be out of 3 or 4 dishes on a regular basis. The food quality and service was very good though, so no issue there. Just a bit better handle on availability of dishes would be nice.

Possibly the most stunning view/location I have ever stayed :)

The location was absolutely stunning. No wonder the restaurant is called Heaven’s Door. The bungalow was amazing. Large bed, another bed on the veranda to curl up on in the Evenings or mornings to watch the sunrise. Lovely bathroom. The staff were great and more than happy (Jimmy) to ferry us up to the wonderful eclectic reception/restaurant and back. Even had one impromptu night of Ryan and Jimmy jamming (guests included if you want!) fabulous fun evening. The best. Yep, it’s the Jungle and there are critters but how often do you have a praying mantis as a room mate? Idyllic and would have no hesitation wholeheartedly recommending.

Nothing!

Just to confirm what others are saying: the setting. It couldn’t be located in a better place. The view on Inerie is absolutely gorgeous. The bungalows on their own are also beautiful and look amazing on the pictures. The decor is lovely and outdoor seating space is beautiful. The restaurant with that view is also mmm amazing. The food is quite good as well. And the staff is absolutely great! Very friendly and welcoming.

The place is on the pricey side so one expects excellence but we all felt it was just very good, not excellent. We’ve had water boiler issue which couldn’t be fixed so we had to go to other bungalow to take shower. Didn’t understand why they just didn’t move us there right away. The second morning they forgot about our pre ordered breakfast and had to make it after we texted them. To navigate between restaurant and bungalows isn’t too quick, especially around dinner time when it’s dark. None of this ruined the experience, just made us questions the value for money a bit. Keep up the good work!