Tangkoko Macaca Resort — Hotel in Bitung

Robbed and then threatened by the hotel owner. We arrived on a Tuesday night to stay for two nights and have two full days trekking looking for Tarsiers, Macacos and birds. The first two nights were ok until our last day morning when we noticed that my almost new shoes where stolen from our room porche were we left our stuff drying since it rained a lot during our trekking. I went looking for our guide Julian who reply me with a laugh and said that maybe a dog took my shoes (there are no dogs at the hotel). Since I wasn’t having an caring answer from the guide neither the hotel staff I called Franky, the hotel owner and ask him if he could come to search for my shoes. He answered he was sleeping and that he would come to the hotel in a while. When he arrived I explained the situation and told him that it was very strange that only my new shoes were taken. He said this was the first time something was stolen from his hotel and vicinity. He told us to wait and said he was going to look for the shoes and go to some kind of sorcerer (with paranormal powers) that was able to find a jacket that was missing from another hotel some months before. 30 minutes before he said nothing was missing ever from his hotel and surrounding premises. We waited for more than two hours in our room with no news from the search so I went to ask Franky if he had found something and he said that there was nothing he can do. So I told him that we wanted to check out, ask for the bill (which was Rp1.600.000) and told him that he owned me Rp3.667.000 that my shoes cost. At that moment I noticed he placed a MACHETE at the table. He responded that he wasn’t going to charge us Rp1.000.000 for the two nights, but that we still have to pay Rp600.000 for our guide and that he wasn’t going to pay for the shoes. He argued that my shoes were used and said that a customer once said that his T-shirt was lost and then it was found in his luggage. I replied that if we wanted to go search throughout our luggage he was welcome to do so. He also blamed us for leaving the shoes (soaked and with mud) at the room porche. So I reply asking why he didn’t warn us that nothing could be left outside and why they have hangers and metallic shelves to place the wet and dirty stuff out of the room. I said we were not paying for anything and he shouted at us grabbing his MACHETE and ordering us to leave the hotel and that we had to pay Rp600.000 for the guide!! Once we noticed our lives we being threatened we ran to our room to grab our stuff while Franky wear his machete in his waist, put on a helmet and called “his friend”. He shouted us that we had to pay, which my crying wife did and left the premises while being filmed by Franky and his friend. We ran down the road while Franky followed us in his car and his friend in his bike. We asked for for help in a small store by the road, jumped into a truck’s rear plate and went to Bitung scared as hell! At the end we got robbed and life threatened! Don’t go to this place!!! You will never know what Franky and his staff...

We arrived on a Tuesday night to stay for two nights and have two full days trekking looking for Tarsiers, Macacos and birds.|The first two nights were ok until our last day morning when we noticed that my almost new shoes where stolen from our room porche were we left our stuff drying since it rained a lot during our trekking.|I went looking for our guide Julian who reply me with a laugh and said that maybe a dog took my shoes (there are no dogs at the hotel).|Since I wasn’t having an caring answer from the guide neither the hotel staff I called Franky, the hotel owner and ask him if he could come to search for my shoes. He answered he was sleeping and that he would come to the hotel in a while.|When he arrived I explained the situation and told him that it was very strange that only my new shoes were taken. He said this was the first time something was stolen from his hotel and vicinity. |He told us to wait and said he was going to look for the shoes and go to some kind of sorcerer (with paranormal powers) that was able to find a jacket that was missing from another hotel some months before. 30 minutes before he said nothing was missing ever from his hotel and surrounding premises.|We waited for more than two hours in our room with no news from the search so I went to ask Franky if he had found something and he said that there was nothing he can do. So I told him that we wanted to check out, ask for the bill (which was Rp1.600.000) and told him that he owned me Rp3.667.000 that my shoes cost. At that moment I noticed he placed a MACHETE at the table.|He responded that he wasn’t going to charge us Rp1.000.000 for the two nights, but that we still have to pay Rp600.000 for our guide and that he wasn’t going to pay for the shoes. He argued that my shoes were used and said that a customer once said that his T-shirt was lost and then it was found in his luggage. I replied that if we wanted to go search throughout our luggage he was welcome to do so. He also blamed us for leaving the shoes (soaked and with mud) at the room porche. So I reply asking why he didn’t warn us that nothing could be left outside and why they have hangers and metallic shelves to place the wet and dirty stuff out of the room. |I said we were not paying for anything and he shouted at us grabbing his MACHETE and ordering us to leave the hotel and that we had to pay Rp600.000 for the guide!!|Once we noticed our lives we being threatened we ran to our room to grab our stuff while Franky wear his machete in his waist, put on a helmet and called “his friend”. He shouted us that we had to pay, which my crying wife did and left the premises while being filmed by Franky and his friend. We ran down the road while Franky followed us in his car and his friend in his bike. We asked for help in a small store by the road, jumped into a truck’s rear plate and went to Bitung scared as hell!|At the end we got robbed and life threatened!|Don’t go to this place!!! You will never know what Franky and his staff...

When you enter the Tangkoko area, you’ll notice that there are not so many lodging options. This lodge is one of the few. We stayed one night. There are several separate rooms on the grounds, each in its own stone building. There is one larger building that looked like it has rooms and had two stories. But not sure. We had a room next to the main building. The place was very simple but at least it was clean. There is a closet and a side table. One kingsize bed with bed tables. A door separates it from the bathroom. This is quite large. The shower gave a decent amount of hot water. The sink is small but it will do. Most people won’t stay for more than one night anyway. |The bed slept really well. The airconditioner works good and you will be glad because you need it. It is quite hot and moist out there.|In the evening, you can sit outside your small terrace. And listen to the sound of the jungle. |Next to the main building a small river flows and that also contributes to the laid back atmosphere this hotel has. ||They serve you breakfast and dinner. All of which is surprisingly good. Dinner is at an extra charge. You can take coffee or tea for free in the main building. You can also take a beer or a soda from the refrigerator. All they ask is that you write down what you take and pay for it upon checkout. This shows a level of trust that you don’t find easy these days!||As you will most likely use this hotel for visiting the national park, one of the official guides will find you here and it is easy to make arrangements for your hike. Make sure you bring rain clothing. The guides have some, but maybe not enough. And it can rain out there. A lot… that is also why you need sturdy shoes. No low sneakers. And long trousers. And last but not least not least, enough mosquito repellent. Take a decent flashlight also. Your hikes will partly be in the dark.|We did two hikes on two separate days. We had to pay 1.9 million IDR. (€100,-) That is for two persons, two days admission fee and including the guide. (Jemy -Jemy adventure tours)|Way too much money and in hindsight, we believe we were ripped off. ||So, this hotel will suit you fine on your journey. It is simple but does the job. |If you found this review helpful, please vote helpful, so I know I was of help to you....