Lombok is Bali’s size with a tenth of the visitors, and its hotels are scattered accordingly: a surf town in the south, a 1990s resort strip in the west, hidden coves in the south-east, rice-terrace lodges under the volcano and the Gilis off the north-west tip. Each is an hour or more from the next, so the choice of base matters more than it does in Bali. Here is every area worth considering, with airport times, who it suits, typical prices and the one or two hotels we’d book in each. For the small, design-led places specifically, see our Lombok boutique hotels guide.
The short version
- First visit, surf, cafés: Kuta Lombok — 30 minutes from the airport.
- Beginner surf and a swimmable bay: Selong Belanak.
- Honeymoon in a hidden cove: Tanjung Aan, Mawun and the Mertak coast.
- Classic beach resort, transit to the Gilis: Senggigi and Mangsit.
- Diving and the “secret Gilis”: Sekotong.
- Rice terraces, waterfalls, Rinjani: Tetebatu and Senaru.
- Car-free islands: the Gilis — see our Gili guide.
The south
Kuta Lombok (Mandalika)
~30 min from the airport · simple hotels US$25–60, mid-range 50–100, top boutique 200–280
The island’s one real traveller hub: a surf-and-backpacker village that has grown up into cafés, scooter rental and sunset drinks on Merese Hill, with the Mandalika circuit, Pullman and Novotel next door and the great beaches of Tanjung Aan and Mawun 15–20 minutes away. Kuta’s own beach is ordinary, scooter traffic is constant and there is building work everywhere.
Sikara Lombok Hotel — a small hotel 15 minutes’ walk from the beach with two pools, a rooftop, a well-liked restaurant and a free local shuttle; 9.4 from 160 reviews, from about US$50. Open-air bathrooms and construction noise are the caveats. Check prices →
Jati Kuta Lombok — five century-old Javanese teak houses, each with a private plunge pool and garden, ten minutes from the beach; self-catering with deliveries, from about US$243. Check prices →
Selong Belanak
~50 min from the airport · US$70–150; villas from 400
A crescent bay with gentle beginner waves, buffalo wandering the sand at dusk and a few charming resorts spread along the coast. Calm and swimmable; thin on restaurants outside the hotels, so you’ll drive to dinner.
Segara Lombok — ten beachfront bungalows, a pool and a bar at Pantai Serangan, 4 km from the main beach; a perfect 10 on one booking site, from about US$91; no children under 11. Check prices →
Amber Lombok Beach Resort — a 38-room four-star opened in 2021 at Pantai Torok, with spa, lounge and vehicles for hire, 9.4 score, from about US$68; guests 11 and over. Check prices →
Selong Selo Resort & Villas — 24 one- to five-bedroom pool villas on the hill with a kids’ club and free beach shuttle, from about US$440; reviews note ageing and slow service. Check prices →
Gerupuk
~30 min from the airport · US$20–60
A fishing and surf village seven kilometres from Kuta whose breaks — Inside, Outside, Don-Don — are reached by boat. Surf camps and homestays, local life, low prices, no swimming beach and no nightlife. The hotels here have too few reviews to recommend; our advice is to sleep in Kuta and surf Gerupuk.
Tanjung Aan, Mawun and the Mertak coast
25–45 min from the airport · US$75–200; US$800+ at the top
The best beaches on the island — white crescents, empty coves, turquoise water — with a handful of resorts hidden in the hills and nature reserves behind them. Nothing is on foot; you need a car, a scooter or the hotel shuttle.
Tampah Hills — sixteen architect-designed villas with pools above the south coast, a private beach, chef and butler service, a sports centre and 75,000 trees planted, from about US$806 with breakfast; steep terrain, car essential. Check prices →
TUNAK Resort — inside the Mertak nature reserve near Tanjung Aan with a private beach, pool, spa and yoga, 9.6 from early reviews, from about US$99. Check prices →
Kuara Lombok (adults only) — infinity pool in Mertak, about US$190. Check prices →
The west and north
Senggigi and Mangsit
~1 h from the airport, 30–45 min from Bangsal harbour · US$50–120; US$150–250 at Qunci and Jeeva Klui
Lombok’s original resort strip, a little faded now, with a few lovely addresses in Mangsit and Klui, sunsets over Mount Agung across the strait and the easiest access to the Gili boats. Beaches are average; restaurants are plentiful.
Sudamala Resort, Senggigi — 35 suites and villas in Balinese-Sasak style on Mangsit beach with a spa and the Olah-Olah restaurant, 9.6 from 260 reviews, from about US$66; guests must be 21 to check in. Check prices → Qunci Villas and Jeeva Klui are covered in our boutique guide.
Sekotong and the south-west Gilis
1 h 30 – 2 h from the airport · US$60–200
A quiet bay facing Gili Gede and Gili Asahan: diving, snorkelling, fishing villages and hardly any tourists. Isolated — you’ll need a scooter or taxi for everything — and short on restaurants, but the water is calm and the prices fair.
Cocotinos Sekotong — a 33-room boutique beach resort on Elak Elak beach with a dive centre, spa and pool, from about US$192 average; reviews mention a need for refreshment and 21 % tax on meals. Check prices →
Tetebatu, Senaru and the Rinjani foothills
1 h 20 (Tetebatu) to 3 h (Senaru) from the airport · homestays US$15–40, lodges 58–90
Rice terraces, waterfalls, a monkey forest and craft villages at Tetebatu; the Rinjani trekking base and Sendang Gile falls at Senaru. Cool nights, authentic village life, simple infrastructure and long drives.
Les Rizières Lombok (Tetebatu) — rooms and family suites with mountain or garden terraces, a restaurant, bikes and scooters, waterfalls 4–12 minutes away, a perfect score from early reviews, from about US$58 with breakfast. Check prices →
Rinjani Lodge (Senaru) — two infinity pools over the valley 700 m from Sendang Gile, 9.4 from 80 reviews, from about US$89. Check prices →
Medana and the north-west coast
~2 h from the airport, 30 min from Bangsal · US$200–450
A quiet stretch of coast facing the Gilis with one grand old resort and little else — the choice if you want five-star service and the islands as a day trip.
The Oberoi Beach Resort, Lombok — fifty pavilions and villas on Medana beach, some with private pools, tennis, spa and kayaks, 9.7 from 80+ reviews, from about US$203; breakfast is extra and there is nowhere else to eat nearby. Check prices →
The south-east
Ekas and Beloam
~2 h from the airport including 30 min of track · ~US$140 all-inclusive
A private cove on the south-east tip with one camp and nothing else: kayaking, snorkelling, mountain bikes and total silence.
Jeeva Beloam Beach Camp — eleven to sixteen 60 m² timber beach huts with all meals included, 8.6 from 270 reviews, about US$140; electricity and air-con only in the evening, cash only, no mobile signal — confirm it is open for your dates. Check prices →
Practical notes
From Lombok airport (LOP): Kuta 30 minutes (Grab about IDR 230,000; metered taxi from IDR 120,000), Mataram 45 minutes, Senggigi an hour (about IDR 250,000), Bangsal harbour for the Gilis 90 minutes (about IDR 580,000) plus the boat. Age limits: several southern resorts are adults-only or set a minimum age — Segara (11+), Amber (11+), Kuara (adults), Gili Meno Escape (12+) — so families should check. Transport: outside Kuta and Senggigi a car or scooter is essential; Tampah Hills, Cocotinos, TUNAK, Selong Selo and Jeeva Beloam all say so themselves. Season: May to October is dry, with the biggest south-coast surf from June to August; the wettest months are December to February.
Frequently asked questions
Where should first-timers stay in Lombok?
Kuta Lombok: thirty minutes from the airport, the best choice of hotels and cafés, and the south-coast beaches within twenty minutes.
Lombok or Bali?
Lombok for empty beaches, surf and a slower pace; Bali for restaurants, culture and infrastructure. Our Lombok vs Bali comparison weighs it up.
Is Senggigi worth staying in?
For a night before or after the Gilis, yes, especially at Mangsit. As a main base, the south is better.
“From” rates were seen on the linked booking pages in October 2026 and vary by date. Trioffe may earn a commission when you book through links on this page; our picks are editorial. Sources: Hotels.com, Expedia, Trip.com, The Hotel Guru, myboutiquehotel, Mr & Mrs Smith, Bamboo Travel, Gecko Routes, South East Asia Backpacker.
