Resort Sombra E Água Fresca

“Amazing stay!”

We just came back from an amazing stay at Sombra e Agua Fresca. This hotel is easily the best one in Pipa. Their service is impeccable, all the employees are super friendly. We stayed in the Suite 00, their best room. This room is amazing, spacious, the bed is comfy, bathroom with sauna, a pool … more

We just came back from an amazing stay at Sombra e Agua Fresca. This hotel is easily the best one in Pipa. Their service is impeccable, all the employees are super friendly. We stayed in the Suite 00, their best room. This room is amazing, spacious, the bed is comfy, bathroom with sauna, a pool and jacuzzi with great views (see the photos). The food is also superb. The breakfast is one of the best we ever had, and their lunch and dinner dishes are also top level, matching or better than the other restaurants in the city. Also the spa offers good massages and other therapies. We enjoyed our stay since the first minute there.

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“Feel in Bali”

This is a very pleasant, exclusive and expensive hotel. The staff kindness is great and confort and architecture are mesmerizing .The gardening, the swimming pools. Breakfast buffet goes from non gluten to all you can eat. The restaurant is also good, but prices are higher than in similar ones, I… more

This is a very pleasant, exclusive and expensive hotel. The staff kindness is great and confort and architecture are mesmerizing .The gardening, the swimming pools. Breakfast buffet goes from non gluten to all you can eat. The restaurant is also good, but prices are higher than in similar ones, I did not like only the musical selection of the happy hour by the pool: sinthetic electronic music. breaking the Bali and tropical quietness,

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“Gorgeous property and views.”

We stayed at the hotel part of this expansive property. Our room had a king bed and roll away. The photos and description a bit confusing, we were hoping the roll way was in a separate bedroom, it’s not and no room will have a separate bedroom. We ended up getting a totally separate room for our t… more

We stayed at the hotel part of this expansive property. Our room had a king bed and roll away. The photos and description a bit confusing, we were hoping the roll way was in a separate bedroom, it’s not and no room will have a separate bedroom. We ended up getting a totally separate room for our teen. The rollaway was a good size but hard and left no room for privacy. Our king bed was very firm. Pillows old and a bit worn. Bedding fine. The hotel is not designed for anyone with mobility issues. It’s uphill. There is a golf cart and car, but that limits you to their availability. The room was amazing, it had a heated plunge pool (cleaned daily) steam sauna, hot tub and sun bathing deck. Bathroom had two sinks and a large rain shower. Room was very large and always kept spotless by the staff. There is a fridge and coffee maker, coffee is 9 Reals a pod….. toiletry items nice. A/C and hot water were good. Don’t leave any food out, you are in the jungle, you don’t want to attract animals or insects. If you have allergies to insect bites, bring your medicine. There is a safe and large closet, table and chairs. The decor is amazing and beautiful. The grounds of this hotel are unmatched in beauty and care. There will always be a project going on, as the property is huge. Be aware and have patience. The breakfasts are amazing, margaritas amazing and food very good. Service is excellent. The pools are gorgeous and well maintained. Not all are heated. The onsite gift shop, adorable. My daughter’s room had a dry sauna and chilled plunge pool, hot tub and double rain shower, hers was number 11, closest to reception and longest walk to pools and food. This hotel is a bit away from the shops and restaurants of the town and that’s good, it’s quiet. All is in walking distance, tip when dining in town, someone is showing you the menu and trying to convince you to eat there, don’t go, find a restaurant on a side street and one that has people there. We ate at some really bad restaurants until we learned this. Cars and motorbikes will not watch out for you in this town, you MUST watch out for them. Also bring Reals with you, there is one ATM in town. There is a currency exchange place with decent rates, but it’s a bit hard to find. The couple of odd things with the property, you have to sign that you will be or not be using the safe. And upon checkout there were a few items listed that we took from the mini bar that we did not. I hate mini bars, and never use them. This left me with a pi**ed off feeling, I had to sign that I did not take the items…. Very odd. After spending a lot of money this hotel, I am being accused of taking Nutella and not paying? lol the irony, I would not eat Nutella if I had to. The spa services are nice, but it’s a bit odd, it does not have a spa feeling, no room to relax in before/ after treatments, it feels like you are in the middle of the gym/ reception waiting for your services, so not the usual spa feel. The gym is partially open air, and well equipped. Everyone was very helpful and attentive. The last day of your stay, they want you out asap, to get the room ready, they will be waiting to get in. Just FYI. The beach is a short distance away and again, if you have mobility issues, the beach will be impossible for you to get to. It’s quite a walk, down stairs that will not have a railing and will be slippery. Plan on renting a set of beach chairs and table to use while on the beach, cheap and worth it. Bring money to the beach, things to buy and food to buy. The hotel is higher than the beach with amazing views. Some things I learned, the shrimp is all farmed, don’t drink any water from a tap and all salads will have a protein in them. Finding food for vegetarians will be hard. I would recommend this property, if staying in this area, I would spend the money for a sea view, the views are worth it. Would I bring young children or elderly, no. And plan on renting a separate room for teens.

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“Amazing grounds, incredible breakfast, average customer service - some repairs needed”

I have traveled over 83 countries and spend 100+ nights per year on the road. I know hotels. Here's the rundown: The good: INCREDIBLE grounds, fascinating variety of swimming pools, really great food, best EVER (no exaggeration!) breakfast spread (Grand Hyatt Singapore comes 2nd), good location. S… more

I have traveled over 83 countries and spend 100+ nights per year on the road. I know hotels. Here's the rundown: The good: INCREDIBLE grounds, fascinating variety of swimming pools, really great food, best EVER (no exaggeration!) breakfast spread (Grand Hyatt Singapore comes 2nd), good location. Staff (particularly the bar / restaurant staff) are sincere and truly nice folks who enjoy their jobs. The not so good: Staff are lacking in training. At this price point (~US$400/night +), I would expect little things to be done right - 3 towels for three people (not two, or 1), minimal water to be left behind as 'courtesy', and maintenance of rooms to be up to scratch. The bad: Some rooms are approaching 25+ years old since they were last updated. Gisele Bundchen slept on my bed in 2004!!! It's clear from my 10 days spent on the property(ies) that they place an incredible amount of attention on the beautifully manicured landscaping and well cared for pool (too much chlorine at times, by the way). However, little things such as reliable A/C, taps that don't fall off, doors that lock properly, and wardrobe inner walls that are actually attached are a must! The property's obvious focus on external groundskeeping over their rooms is a stark contrast. Lastly, the 'gym' at the Resort property is DISGUSTING and falling apart. Come on guys, either have a proper gym or get rid of it. The current gym is EMBARRASSING!!! Would I come back again? YES - Like the very fun / nice group of German / Dutch / Portuguese / Italian families that come back to this hotel year after year, despite the myriad 'small' issues that would drive anyone prone to 'first world problems' nuts, Pipa is an amazing and geographically / naturally blessed, the food is amazing (unless you're a vegan / vegetarian - then consider not coming at all!), and the hotel properties TRULY enable you to relax and 'disconnect' from the trials and tribulations of 'back home'. Furthermore, upon checking out, I approached the General Manager with some feedback in line with the above, and he mentioned that a 'containing full of goods from Bali' was en route to Pipa in order to update the last remaining 'old rooms' in the room. I look forward to re-visiting once the rooms have been finally updated (April 2020 estimate). However, I do hope Fernando, the GM can do a better job as it pertains to delivering true five star service / treatment at the price point being charged at this hotel. Lastly, it's unclear if they plan on adding additional 'family services' to draw more family with younger kids - a small kids play center / babysitting services would make a MASSIVE positive difference.

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