We were totally spoilt

Our family of five (kids 19, 16, 9) spent 11 nights at Hotel Tugu in July and it was sensational. We picked Lombok because the weather is perfect at this time of the year, the water is like a bath and we wanted somewhere less commercial than Bali. We had two of the least expensive rooms and they were huge, one accommodated the three kids easily. We spent our days snorkelling (at high tide you can swim out directly in front of the resort to see lovely tropical fish and we saw a turtle once); paddling; reading; eating and drinking; and reconnecting as a family. A day trip around the Gili Islands is a must and the nearby Autore Pearl Farm does a great tour although you’ll need LOTS of money to buy their pearls. Instead I bought cheapie freshwater pearls from Ali who sells them on the beach! As with all holidays its the people who set a place apart. The staff at Tugu couldn’t have done more for us. Trips to chemists for cold medication, aranging tours, making delicious food that they will serve literally anywhere you like, bringing sun lounges to you when they see you laying on the sand, and a final night display of folded towel animals, the likes of which we’ve never seen. If you need a real break, Tugu comes highly recommended. If you do go, please consider Lombok’s Forgotten Children’s Foundation (just google for details). We took over a couple of bags of good quality children’s clothes and I’m currently collecting pre-used laptops and phones to send over. It’s an incredible grass roots charity making a huge difference and if you’re lucky enough to stay at Tugu I’m sure you can also do something small to help when you visit Lombok.