Kusuma Abiakta — Hotel in Nusa Penida Subdistrict

TO GET THIS OUTLOOK YOU WILL HAVE TO SPEND MORE ELSEWHERE.||||The western half of Lembongan is hilly with a rugged coast, giving no shortage of hillside and high elevated headland locations for new accommodation to meet the remarkable increase in tourism since I first started visiting in the 90s. A majority of new tourists are mid-range and so it’s no surprise most new places are the same – and that they can outbid budget joints for key locations with good views. So the hillsides and elevated headlands feature mid-range and top end accommodation – most new budget joints are found towards the outskirts of the original surfer/diver/backpacker hang of JUNGUBATU BAY (where you can still get budget accommodation with sea views along the long-developed sea-front: albeit not elevated) , in LEMBONGAN VILLAGE and the backblocks of MUSHROOM BAY. None of these new areas are known for sea-views let alone ELEVATED sea-views. ||||But one relatively untouristy area can do the trick – the hillside on the OTHER side of the island from JUNGUBATU/MUSHROOM BAY where there are some very nice views across the narrow channel to the small neighbouring island of NUSA CENINGAN. This is the area the school teacher owner of KUSUMA ABIAKTA decided to buy a property and start converting it into a upper-budget/lower mid-range type resort.||UPPER BUDGET-LOWER MIDRANGE? Um, yeah – some places are hard to classify: rooms and service are similar to a very good upper budget place but the location and gorgeous rim pool would not be out of place in a much more expensive place. Someone coined the term FLASHPACKER, but this place to me is a step up from a flashpacker joint.||||My room was a huge (8X8M) concrete and tiled-floor job with a sinfully comfortable double bed. Furniture was sparse – a couple of chairs and a small ward-robe making it look a bit bare: there was room for 2 more double beds. Finishes were a bit rough around the edges – the owner is doing much of the work. The sizable bathroom has brackish water (most Lembongan water is from bores and the water table most areas is close to sea level) but not anywhere near as salty as sea water – I felt refreshed after a shower) and I couldn’t get any hot water. Bathroom lights were a bit dim, but the main room was okay. The front balcony had a drying rack and had much the same expansive views as the pool.||The pool is outstanding. Check the various reviewers’ photos on this page for the outlook. There were sufficient sun-lounges/umbrellas for the small number of rooms. There is a small shallower kiddies’ area. ||Paths and garden areas are a work in progress – there are still a few unfinished parts.||This place doesn’t do meals but they can supply a very basic breakfast for 25k ($US1.90) and drinks incl beer at fair (budget) prices. I found the free wifi worked best in the small “restaurant” reception area. There are some good value warungs nearby.||Staff is top rate – very good service. The owner has been working on his English and it isn’t bad – his wife has less but could communicate the basics and a younger girl had quite good communication.||The area was very quiet at night with very little traffic along the road – the major sound was high tide waves breaking on the shore 100m away. During the day my visit saw the tide drop and these waves were breaking right across the channel entrance between LEMBONGAN and CENINGAN, 1000M away. Closer, local seaweed farmers were taking advantage of low water to work their plots. Good viewing.||||TIPS||- For very good value and tasty meals there is a roadside/seafront warung only 70m to the right of KA – if you like a big breakfast their ENGLISH BREKKA at 45k seemed the go. Open-sided, the place has similar (maybe even better) views as KA’s. There is a another warung (a bit more exxy) 40m on.||- LEMBONGAN VILLAGE runs up the hillside starting another 80m on. Lotsa warungs, shops etc plus a surprising amount of new accommodation both basic and mid-range.||- WALKING around KA’s area is worthwhile. To the left, the bridge across to CENINGAN is only 10 minutes. I crossed and was at the scenic southern tip within another 30. There are some nice waterfront warungs both sides of this stretch. I walked across the hill to JUNGUBATU in 40m. To the west of LEMBONGAN VILLAGE is lovely DREAM BEACH (SEE TRIPADVISOR’s separate page) accessed via back roads – as usual I tried to shortcut along a promising track, ended up bush bashing and taking 45 minutes, +15 on what it should be.||- Best way to access KA from MAINLAND BALI is via one of the seemingly dozens of commercial fast boat operators IMHO. As part of the deal they will pick you up at your KUTA AREA accommodation or the airport, take you to the boat launching area at SANUR, and on arrival at LEMBONGAN take you to your accommodation. If you use the cheaper public slow-boats or public speedboats you have to get to SANUR and on arrival at the island are at the mercy of the venal TRANSPORT MAFIA – they wanted 200k to take me 3km: I got it down to 50k on the back of a moto. Still too much.||- AK’s RENTAL MOTOS are a bit exxy at 90k a day. You will find them for 50/60 up in...

It's a small hotel run by an old couple. Pak Kusuma and his wife are very friendly and share lots of stories (if you can speaks Indonesia) the rooms are very large because it was a classroom that they converted as a bedroom. Furnished are very limited. Breakfast is very flexible. We came and occupied 4 of their bedrooms and Since I can talk to them, we asked different breakfast everyday day and they tried to accommodate our needs. One day we have pancake, the next day Indomie, next day toast with eggs. This place is a simple place, but we were happy staying there with their friendliness and good services. They will not able to compete with other hotel, but If you would like to help their family, you can help them by staying here. 😊😊

There are many good restaurants near by walking distance. The mini mart beside the hotel make it comfortable for us to buy any drinks, bier Bintang is...

First we were kinda lost in this big room, one double bed with just a little bit of furniture. There are those kinda holes in the wall to keep the airflow going, but no mosquitoe-net. The doors are not 100% closed. The shower is ether cold or super hot, nothing in between. It’s pretty simple, it seems they using rainwater. Later it turned out the room is just lovely, we felt home within 2 days. There were some small animals coming in, nothing disturbing, it was almost like we lived aside with them. No mosquitoes. No noice, no loud neighbors, just a lovely place to relax the brain. So we did.

The family is really sweet, always there to help out. Motorbike, shuttle bus, simple breakfast, nothing missing. Overall simple as hell, for the price easily a 5/5! If you’re looking for luxury it’s the...