Lombok: Oberoi or Sheraton?
 

I need to choose one of the two hotels.
Which one has a nicer and more beautiful beach?
Anyone of them have a beach with blue clean sea water and is bordered with coconut trees?
Which one should I choose?

I have seen the Sheraton, and wouldn't choose it. Others on this board have recommended the Oberi. I like a small place on Lombok, Qunci Villas - 20 rooms, lovely place, great beach (and great price!).

Thanks Kathie. I apprecciate very much your posts. I'm also a great fan of South East Asia. Besides Lombok I will go to Singapore, Yangon, Bagan and Jakarta, on August. In Lombok I will stay 2 nights at the Novotel and 2 nights at Quinci Villas as you suggested.
One more question. From the Quinci Villas is there a view for the Gunung Agung volcano (Bali)?

Yes, take a look at our Lombok photos at www.marlandc.com Those views are all from the beach at Qunci Villas.

I visited the Novatel the first time I visited Lombok. The "rooms" are really awful - motel type rooms in a huge building. The Villas are nicer, four around a semi-private pool, but they still lack privacy. Also, the hotel is built at the hottest part of the island and there is little shade. It's one of those places that look much better on the internet than it does in person. If you're staying in a Villa, it'll be ok, but you may wish you had saved your money and stayed at Qunci Villas for the whole time.

I don't understand the previous post - the Novotel is in Kuta, Lombok and the poster is asking about Sengiggi hotels. I could not see a lot of diff betw the two originally mentioned - six of one half a dozen of the other. I would say tho that you must cover up after sundown eating outside there as the mosquitos will eat you as you eat other things.

Gee, Merck, if you read the OP's second post, you'll see why I gave some info on the Novotel. "In Lombok I will stay 2 nights at the Novotel and 2 nights at Quinci Villas..."

Kathie, I hesitated about the Novotel after I had read your last post. How do you compare the beach at the Novotel with the one at the Quincy Villas? When I saw the picture of the Novotel beach I said to myself I wish I could stay there. But now...

The beach at the Novotel is ok - nice and sandy, but no palms and shade. They have planted palms around the lovely swimming pool.

I’ve stayed at both the Sheraton and the Oberoi and would say that the Oberoi is a far better property, I’d say one step up from the Sheraton.

They’re quite different though so it depends on what you’re looking for. Senggigi beach is a long sandy beach with nice water. There are several hotels along the beach so you have lots of choices for restaurants and shopping. The Oberoi is situated on an isolated cove. The beach is acceptable but not spectacular. The resort itself is really lovely, especially if you can go for a villa.

I haven’t stayed at the Novotel but I’ve visited. Kuta beach is beautiful, more big waves surf oriented than calm clear water though. The Novotel is distinctive in architecture. Some like it; some don’t. (I don’t.) It’s hot as BLAZES and there’s very little shade.

Quncy villas sounds like your best bet. I haven't been there but it always gets good comments.

Unless conditions have drastically changed in the past three years, there really is no comparision b/t Oberoi and Sheraton -we stayed at both. My husband and I are global warriors and have varied tastes. Yet, we both to this day hold the Oberoi Lombok as our all-time favorite travel experience. We found Sengiggi neat for a day, but touristy, cramped, and the Sheraton far more downmarket. Oberoi is indeed a bit more isolated but an utterly gorgeous, peaceful property that put Four Seasons' best boutique properties in Bali, Big Island & Uruguay to shame. We loved the pool, the villa w/ plunge pool, the beach (kayaked next to Sean Connery sans toupee!), the spa and grounds (with the most decadent frangiapani everywhere). A couple highlights: taking the quick hotel boat ride to the nearby Gili Islands to swim/snorkel with turtles and having a local lad masterfully carve a pineapple for us at about 10 cents. We also had a private candlelit dinner set up poolside with an interesting couple we met there (very international crowd). At the time, there was an American fellow from the East Coast heading the kitchen - the food was remarkable. In any case, I am heartened to hear folks are still heading to Lombok, an amazing island (watch out for naughty monkeys!). Unrest seemed to be escalating after our visit and I feared that after 9/11, folks would be less keen on visiting this little slice of heaven.

The Oberoi wins. The best on the island . I have stayed at The Sheraton and The Novotel Coralia. Sengiggi beach is not good . The advantages are a choice of other cafes to eat .The rooms were standard Sheraton type rooms .
I loved the Novotel and have stayed twice.Once in the standard rooms and once in the suites . The standard rooms are ok but nothing special . I love the beach . White sand , flat ( it used to be raked level each morning by a cow hitched up to a giant rake )clear water protected by an outer reef which when the tide is out enabled walking to the rockpools to float in them . I agree there is no shade but if at the hotel you can have big umbrellas over you .There is a pool , elevated ,next to the beach . I really liked the architecture which adapts the indigenous style of Lombok houses .I call it Indonesia meets Mexico in style .Price differentials may also influence you .It also depends how much touring around you may want to do and if you love lying doing nothing with a book to read , at best.If going for 5 or 6 days or longer I suggest that you split between 2 leaving the Oberoi until last as a sure treat.