The Sanubari

I don’t usually write reviews but I felt compelled to do it after our stay at the Sanubari. I have never experienced such dedicated, friendly, attentive and personal service at a hotel or resort in my life. Everything felt thought out and taken care of. The resort itself is stunning and so peaceful! We hardly put shoes on the whole time walking from our villa to the restaurant via sand. You will fall asleep to the sound of crashing waves which is just magic! The villas are next level beautiful and peaceful. Whilst there’s a few in the resort you felt like you had your own private little haven. We had a beachfront villa and it was perfect! Waking to the beach was so beautiful and looking over at the cliffs was just breathtaking! Ms Catarina, the hotel manager, was so lovely and such a beautiful soul. I feel I need to mention her in my review. She was always welcoming and went out of her way to see us or say hello if she was around. I’ve never experienced such care from a hotel manager. The resort is lucky to have her I think as just our interactions with her left us always feeling so good about the place. One of the owners of the hotel also went out of his way to speak to us one morning. This place has a very personal intimate approach which I loved about it. It’s unique and truly is special. Our trip to Sumba will be one I’ll never forget. You will leave feeling like your cup is full! The staff are also lovely and so great with kids! I took my two sons and everyone there was just so patient and kind and playful. Also highly reccomend the village tour! Shout out to Carlos who took us on tour with the kids in tow. He was incredibly funny, informative and patient. Thank you Carlos for being a great tour guide! I also can’t remember some of the staff names now but some of the ladies in the restaurant were so incredible, interacting with the boys and playing, always smiling and saying goodbye felt like saying goodbye to old friends. Highly recommend this beautiful place if you want something special

We stayed in The Sanubari early August for my birthday. Extraordinary stay with villa that directly in front of the ocean. From our arrival, everyone are very welcoming and friendly, nice and clean villa, and tasty Indonesian food (which sometimes are hard to find in this kind of resort so it’s a BIG APPLAUSE), not to mention their ginger beer (red ginger fermentation drink) are hard to forget. Had an accident but all the staffs are very helpful and we feel safe to stay there

Our engagement holiday at The Sanubari was practically perfect. We went swimming with horses one afternoon and the photos Carlos took are just incredible. Our private beach dinner was set up so beautifully the same evening and I can't think of any way it could be improved. Carlos and Jeffry were so friendly and made our trip so much more enjoyable, and Agil is doing a great job managing the resort. My only word of warning is there is major construction happening onsite, but even with that we felt like the staff really went above and beyond to make our trip memorable. We'll definitely be back once the new restaurant is finished!

I stayed at The Sanubari in early April and only just got around to writing this, but it’s been on my mind ever since. The whole experience was absolutely breathtaking—so peaceful, beautifully designed, and one of those rare places where you instantly feel like you've stepped out of the world and into a slower, more intentional rhythm. We had a beachfront villa with our own pool, and it genuinely felt like we were on a private island. Most days we barely saw another soul, just the waves in front of us and the sound of nature all around. Watching the sunset from the beach each evening was pure magic—nothing but the ocean and sky changing colours right in front of us. The staff were incredibly warm and kind—so genuine in their hospitality. You can tell they truly care about making guests feel at home. The service was flawless, always attentive but never intrusive. The food was also a standout—every dish fresh, flavourful, and really great value. As a first-time visitor to Sumba Island, it was eye-opening to see how much the island has been overlooked in terms of infrastructure and basic resources. It was saddening in parts, and a reminder of how unevenly development is spread. What really stood out, though, is the positive role places like Sanubari can play. It’s not just a beautiful resort—it’s bringing real opportunities to the local community, through jobs and a growing tourism presence that has the potential to open more doors for the island in the future. That kind of thoughtful, responsible approach is rare and deserves recognition. Can’t recommend it enough—and I’m already dreaming about going back.