Nihi Sumba

Style

Breeze-kissed hideaway

Setting

Unspoilt surfer's retreat

Tucked away on one of Indonesia’s most unexplored islands, Nihi Sumba is a luxury resort with a conscience. Almost entirely preserved from urban development, Sumba’s spectacular landscape is the setting for truly romantic escapes: surf the world-famous breaks, explore the bush on horseback, work on community projects or simply while the days away by your dreamy private pool.

Facilities

Rooms

27 villas.

Checkout

11am. Check-in, 2pm. Both are flexible, subject to availability.

More Details

Rates include all meals (American breakfast, lunch, dinner, afternoon teas and coffees, soft drinks and bottled water from the minibar). A minimum 3 night stay applies for Nihi Sumba.

Also

Unfortunately, Nihi Sumba’s rocky paths make it unsuitable for wheelchair users.

Fitness Center

Free Internet Access

Laundry

On-Site Restaurant

Room Service

Spa

At the Hotel

567 acres of land, private beach with watersports facilities (surf slots available for $150 each), spa, gym, equestrian centre, beach cinema, ping-pong table, pool tables, laundry service, free WiFi throughout. In rooms: Minibar, free bottled water, tea and coffee-making facilities, Nihi Sumba natural toiletries.

Our Favourite Rooms

Right on the cliff edge, Marangga villas have jaw-dropping ocean views and an outdoor bale where guests can sleep overnight. Built in the style of a Sumbanese house, Kanatar Sumba Houses have an upstairs bedroom with a terrace and bathroom among the trees. Crowned by distinctive conical roofs thatched with local Alang Alang grass, all the villas encourage breeze-cooled outdoor living, with private gardens, pergola-shaded bales and sweeping ocean views.

Poolside

Take a dip in Nio Beach Club's pool, or retire to your villa: each has its own freshwater private pool.

Spa

In a sheltered creek framed by pandanus trees, Nihi Sumba’s open-air spa pavilions look out over the beach and crashing waves. In-room spa therapies can also be arranged as you prefer. Worthy of its name, the Sumbanese Dream treatment combines a mineral-rich foot bath, relaxing massage, lavender-scented scrub and aloe-infused body mask. For an out-of-this-world experience, book a babysitter and embark on the Nihi Oka Spa Safari, a journey to a secluded valley where four bamboo-clad couples’ treatment rooms await. Pick one of the home-made aromatic oils and indulge in a stress-busting massage with views of peaceful paddy fields.

Packing Tips

Bring your own riding gear to make the most of Nihi Sumba’s sweet-natured horses. Serious surfers should bring their own boards too, but they’ll need to be shorter than nine feet for the flight.

Also

Staff can organise torch-lit dinners on the beach, treehouse barbecues and in-villa lobster feasts — just give them a day’s notice.

Children

Two under-fives can stay free. Extra beds for six–11 year-olds cost IDR4,058,340 a child, each night; 12–16 year-olds are charged IDR8,116,680 a night. The restaurants have high chairs and a children’s menu. Babysitting is available for an extra charge.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

Perched in a treehouse platform over a rugged stretch of coast, the Nest is a one-of-a-kind spot for leisurely lunches. Ask to have dinner at Nio Beach Club – dressed with flower garlands and pretty hanging lanterns, tables there are impossibly romantic.

Dress Code

Luxe friendship bracelets, fringed shorts and tousled manes.

Hotel Restaurant

Sheltered beneath a spectacular thatched roof, laid-back Ombak is the resort’s gastronomic hub, blessed with sweeping ocean views. Set right on the sand, tables for two are romantically lit with lanterns recalling lobster nets. Chef Bernard Prim makes the most of the garden’s organic produce and the island’s line-caught fish: don’t miss his archipelago menu of Indonesian fare flavoured with lemongrass, sambals and palm sugar. Just steps from the sea, Nio Beach Club serves simply grilled fish, sizzling satay and pizzas fresh from its large clay oven.

Hotel Bar

Open-air Ombak Bar serves fruit-infused daiquiris, rum-addled caipirinhas and an excellent mojito made with home-grown mint. Open in the early evenings, the Boat House bar is an upmarket surfer’s hangout, complete with a bonfire on some nights; both offer fresh-off-the-boat sashimi to nibble on with a sundowner.

Last Orders

Ombak serves breakfast 7am–11am and dinner 7pm–10.30pm. Lunch at Nio Beach Club is noon–3pm, after which light snacks can be ordered at the Boat House until 6pm.

Room Service

Order in-villa meals from 6 am to 10pm from a tempting menu of Indonesian classics (nasi goreng, fried noodles and grilled fish with a fiery chilli sambal) and international favourites such as burgers, grilled tuna salad and comforting chicken soup.

Planes

An hour’s flight east of Bali, Sumba has two airports, served by domestic flights from Denpasar, Jakarta and other Indonesian islands. The closest is Tambolaka airport in West Sumba, a 90-minute drive from the hotel. The resort can arrange return travel from Bali, which includes flights, taxes and service, use of VIP lounges in Bali and Tambolaka, and airport transfers to the hotel from US$500 (plus 21 per cent tax and service charges) for economy class. Private return airport transfers from Tambolaka cost US$470 (plus 21 per cent tax and service charges) for up to four guests; shared transfers cost US$275 (plus 21 per cent tax and service charges) a couple. It's worth nothing that flights from Bali to Sumba are subject to last-minute changes, so booking an overnight stay in Bali is often advised.

Automobiles

The condition of the island’s roads can be unpredictable: leave driving to the professionals. Nihi Sumba can organise a car with a driver and a has a fleet of open-top Land Rovers for off-the-beaten-path exploration.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

Kick off your shoes and spend carefree days exploring Nihi Sumba's winding paths, tropical greenery and organic gardens. With its games, pool tables and beach cinema, Menara is a laid-back hangout for idle afternoons. Stretching over 2.5km, the resort’s private beach is a rugged but pristine crescent of white sands. In summer, its wild, crashing waves have earned it cult status among surfers: only 10 surfers are allowed on its world-famous break at any one time, so you'll need to pre-book a slot with the hotel for a chance to ride ($150 each). A serene hilltop pavilion offers yoga and Pilates classes with breathtaking ocean views. The resort runs daily excursions to explore local villages and spectacular landscapes on foot, mountain bike or horseback – the sort of exertion best rewarded with a lengthy visit to the open-air spa.

With its dramatic waterfalls, tranquil valleys and golden coastlines, Sumba has bags of lost-world appeal. Rooted in tradition and ancient animist practices, local life is colourful and vibrant: visit off-the-beaten-path villages to discover festival rituals, exquisite Ikat weaves and monumental megalithic burial sites. Guided hikes through the valleys take in the national park, sheer cliffs and a miraculously blue lagoon – the perfect spot for jumping off the rocks and devouring a well-deserved picnic. A tour of the Sumba Foundation makes an enlightening day trip: working hand in hand with the local communities, this unique philanthropic setup is responsible for much of the island’s preservation successes.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .