SD › Lombok Best Family Hotels
Updated: December 28, 2021
The 7 Best Hotels for Families in Lombok
1. Novotel Resort & Villas – Kuta
Kuta’s only large resort is family-friendly but isolated (or secluded, depending on your tastes). The Novotel faces a perfect beach, with plenty of space on the sand for volleyball courts, lounge chairs, and lovely pools (including one for kids). Each ‘terrace room’ is very comfortable, with a modern bathroom, and some have connecting doors, while family rooms contain two bedrooms, each with an attached bathroom. The appealing villas are almost ‘stone age’ in design, and some have a private pool. The resort offers a tempting array of family activities, such as cooking classes and horse riding, while many others are free, eg aqua aerobics, and visits to a traditional village. Children would also relish the monkey feeding, kite-flying, games room and organised beach activities, while parents would appreciate the family movie nights on the sand. The kids’ club and playground, however, are undersized, and it feels isolated: 20 minutes’ walk from Kuta (but quicker via the beach), and, inexcusably, the resort offers no shuttle bus.
2. Kies Villas – Kuta
Secluded, cosy and comfy, with a countryside feel. Only one hotel in Kuta (the Novotel) is well set up for families, but Kies is the next best option, especially for teenagers. The grounds are large, with swinging hammocks and thatched huts, and both pools are sizable. The rooms are spacious, with funky furniture, tiled floors and sliding doors opening out to the pool, and some have connecting doors. Villas contain two bedrooms, a kitchen and private pool, while the two-level ‘exotic bungalows’ feature a downstairs living/kitchen area large enough to fit two singe beds. Staff can organise family activities, such as surf lessons and other water sports, as well as bicycle rental and guided hikes. While a bit isolated – 10 minutes on foot from shops/cafés and another 10 minutes to the beach – it does boast a delightful rural vibe.
3. Sheraton Senggigi Beach Resort – Senggigi
Luxury and location, with sublime beach and family-friendly facilities. Although the design of the three-level block of rooms may appear bland, it doesn’t feel overbuilt or overcrowded, but some rooms are close to the main road. The ‘deluxe seaside’ rooms feature connecting doors, a wooden floor and plenty of seating, but the balcony is smallish. The ‘family grand suites’ are oversized, with a boardroom-style dining table (but no kitchen) and two extensive balconies overlooking the pool. Perhaps more appealing to families are the two-bedroom ‘beachfront villas’ with a private pool and separate bathrooms. The beach is particularly enticing, while the lagoon-shaped pool and decking is completely encircled by shady palms. There’s no kids’ club, but the children’s pool does have a modest waterslide. The family can also use the floodlit tennis courts, enjoy water sports and become involved in the resort’s turtle conservation and release program. Located on the outskirts of Senggigi, the Sheraton is still within walking distance of numerous cafés/shops and the art market, but distant from nightclubs.
4. Merumatta – Senggigi
Affordable rooms and luxury villas in prime location. Senggigi’s first and largest resort seems a little dated but plans for renovations are underway. The standard rooms facing the sea or extensive gardens are functional, while the ‘garden bungalows’ offer more seclusion but face the noisy public beach – and these can all accommodate one extra child. The adjacent Pool Villa Club has two-story villas with direct access to the extensive lagoon-style pool. The huge living/dining/kitchen area downstairs has another bathroom and is spacious enough for two single fold-up beds. Most of the beachfront is rocky or lined with fishing boats, but there’s enough sand and sea for all, and the pools are enormous. The main road, with seemingly endless cafés and shops, is a two-minute walk, although the side-street to the resort is lined with noisy nightclubs. Activities available to all guests include tennis, basketball and snorkeling (just offshore), as well as other water sports. The Bejalang Kids’ Club offers little more than a few balls, video games and bicycles, and child-minding is available.
5. Holiday Resort – near Senggigi
Spacious Bali-style resort with family-friendly amenities. Only 10 minutes by taxi from Senggigi, this is one of very few on Lombok that actively encourages families and features a layout reminiscent of Bali, such as tropical gardens and a massive lagoon-shaped pool with ‘islands’. Some ‘ocean view’ rooms have connecting doors, but all are crammed with funky art and furnishings that detract significantly from the ambience. Equally inappropriate décor can be found in the ‘garden chalets’ and ‘beach bungalows’, although the two-bedroom ‘family suites’ with separate bathrooms and a kitchenette are more traditional and functional. And beware of the newer and less appealing rooms on the other side of the road that suffer from traffic noise. Numerous activities are offered, such as tennis, bike tours and pony rides, while the onsite dive centre can also arrange water sports. The Sea World Kids’ Club, games room and playground are disappointing, but child-minding is available and the ‘family package’ rates are good value. The beach is wide, undeveloped and lacks shade.
6. Jeeva Klui Resort – near Senggigi
Convivial, contemporary and copious family-happy activities. Halfway along Mangsit (only 10 minutes by taxi from Senggigi), the unassuming entrance leads to a welcoming resort with shady gardens, a mountainous backdrop and an Infinity pool that seems to stretch into the ocean. The modern design is very appealing, while the overall ambiance is still traditional, with carvings alongside wooden paths. Each room is spacious and airy, with garden and/or sea views from the sizeable balcony, and the two-bedroom villas with a private pool are ideal for families. The beach directly in front is disappointingly rocky, but the empty sandy cove nearby is heavenly. Although there is no kids’ club, Jeeva Klui does offer more family-friendly amenities and activities than most resorts in Senggigi: eg, a games room; snorkeling, kayaking and surfing trips; and guided bicycle tours and hikes. Parents may prefer to relax at the free yoga classes, library lounge or ‘adults-only’ pool.
7. Qunci Villas – Mangsit
Family-friendly resort offering alluring gardens and numerous activities. Pronounced ‘kunci’ (‘key’ in Indonesian), this delightful resort is nestled along a curved bay in Mangsit, 10 minutes by taxi from Senggigi. The beach is a bit greyish and narrow in places, but serviceable, with benign waves for novice surfers. The gardens are lush and expansive, and the trio of elongated Infinity pools are barely metres from the sea. All rooms are bright and airy, and feature a heavenly window-side sofa and veranda/balcony wide enough for a lounge, table and chairs. The standard rooms can accommodate one extra child in a fold-up single bed, while some ‘private pool villas’ have two or three bedrooms. Qunci doesn’t offer any specific activities or amenities for children, but families can enjoy a tempting range of activities, with an emphasis on traditional pottery, cooking and painting, as well as a weekly seafood barbeque on the sand and beachside ‘night market’ to try Indonesian food.
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We’re trying to decide where to stay on Lombok. Want good beach and walking distance to restaurants. Would you recommend Senggigi or Kuta? What is the best town for families? We’re a family of 2 adults and 2 kids (ages 7 and 11). Thanks.
Lombok is vastly less developed than Bali. This suits many visitors, who prefer to stay in tourist regions on Lombok that are far quieter and less ‘touristy’ than regions on Bali; others, may be disappointed by the absence of malls, nightclubs and kid-friendly activities (such as water slide parks).
The Gili Islands are administratively part of Lombok, but more accessible and commonly reached from Bali. The only other two tourist regions on Lombok are Senggigi and Kuta. Senggigi is a strip of shops, cafes, bars and hotels stretched along several gorgeous sandy bays, some of which are undeveloped and almost empty of tourists. Choose your hotel carefully, because if you stay in northern Senggigi, at places like Mangsit, you may be 10-15 minutes by taxi from any shops or cafes. Otherwise, central Senggigi has a range of decent hotels and a few resorts, albeit a very limited number compared to Bali. There isn’t much to do in Senggigi but laze along the beach and wander about the shops, although it is handy for snorkeling trips, day trips by taxi to the capital Mataram, with some interesting temples and water palaces, and day trips by boat to the Gili islands. The best hotels for families are the Sheraton, Holiday Resort and Kila Senggigi.
In stark contrast to its namesake in Bali, Kuta on Lombok is astoundingly undeveloped, although recent signs indicate significant redevelopment is imminent. Kuta faces an extensive sandy bay and is near other adorable coves where goats may outnumber tourists. There are some walks, but, again, Kuta is about lazing on the beach, while the range of shops is very modest. There is plenty of space and traffic is negligible, which suits some families. All hotels are within walking distance of Kuta’s small number of cafes, except the Novotel, which is easily the best family-oriented hotel on Lombok, but a 2km walk from the village centre.