Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world, with 1000s of islands out there to explore. For the most part we stay on our Bali island home {we really can’t complain}, but every now and then we feel the need to get out of the seminyak bubble and get out there and see some of it. One of our favourite getaways is only an island away. 22 miles east of Bali lives Lombok. And the best hideaway in Lombok is the breathtakingly stunning Tugu hotel.

Lombok is similar in size to Bali but markedly different in flora and fauna {due to the famous Wallace line}. Its beaches are whiter than an Englishman in winter. And the sea is clear. And *dah dah dah* BLUE.  The terrain is quite mountainous and very green. Kinda like a tropical New Zealand or maybe even Hawaii. Oh, and no one really knows about it yet…

Charlie recently took her parents to the Tugu Lombok hotel for their 40th wedding anniversary. And her words all kind of fell out of her mouth. Wow. It was that special. The Tugu has one of the most extensive antique collections in Indonesia and the hotel is styled with its historical beauty…. distressed Javanese doors with layers of paint peeling back…. daybeds of antique ironwood and locally woven ikat.  Everywhere you look the decor whispers secrets.

And then there’s the beach. Quiet and peaceful as the lapping waves. Sometimes after school you’ll see a group of kids playing, but they don’t hassle you like they can in South Lombok. Along the beach it seems like God has hidden his secret stash of shells and coral. Incredible pieces just lie in huge piles by the shoreline. Perfect for sunrise beach walks and shell collecting. Come sunset and the staff begin to set up tables – for your dinner of course. Champagne. Fresh fish. Excellent service. It kind of feels like you’re in a page of Conde Nast traveller.

The rooms themselves are fantastic. Really, for me, it’s all about the bed. Mattresses that you could melt into. Egyptian cotton and cloudlike pillows. Tugu has got it going on. But maybe my favourite thing of all was the bath. Styled in a green and copper colour scheme the bathrooms instantly calm your mood. It really is the perfect place to breathe it all out, relax and meditate. Soaking in the flower filled tub at night, with candles flickering and a sneaky glass of pinot. Quite delicious really.