Gili Air

This expensive but charming beach property has a handful of individually done out lumbungs facing one another on a compact block. Rooms are air-con and are oversized within, with fresh water showers and terrace verandas. Each interior is different; the one we were shown had a beaded divider and an oversized teddy bear in it. Memorable. The restaurant picks up the beach flotsam theme and runs with... Read our full review of Villa Casa Mio.

This new option is a lovely looking house just over the path from a pretty stretch of beach. We weren’t able to see inside as it was being rented while we were there, but it looked to be done out in an eclectic, shabby chic style, with an open-air living space and kitchen downstairs, and bedrooms upstairs. This would be a great spot to hang out with friends for a few days or more — there’s a... Read our full review of Kai's Beach House.

Set on the northwest coast of Gili Air, the very popular Matahari Bungalows has a bunch of huts just off the beach with a gaggle of beachfront salas filling out the deal. Rooms are adequate — they are not the best value on the island — but there is plenty of shade and the staff a friendly mob. It’s convenient as it’s set at the end of one of the trans-island roads, making everything else a... Read our full review of Matahari Bungalows.

Walking around from the boat landing, Sunset Homestay is pretty much first budget spot off the rank on the west coast of Gili Air. It offers a handful of bamboo, rattan and wooden bungalows set behind a small warung beside the around island trail. The huts are basic no-frills deals, but are clean, and there are a few salas over on the beach side of things where you can relax. This is a functional... Read our full review of Sunset Homestay.

Kaluku has a bunch of A-frame bungalows in a shaded setting looking out to sea about half-way up the east coast of Gili Air. The bungalows are simple A-frame in style, with slate verandas, and are set in a couple of staggered rows back off the beach. Even in high season the rates seems to be quite negotiable. Guests also have access to the swimming pool next door which sweetens the deal... Read our full review of Kaluku.

European-managed Sejuk Cottages sits a five-minute walk back off the Gili Air’s east coast beach, nestled in a very shady grove. They offer a range of rooms from simple freestanding, fan-cooled bungalows through to pretty elaborate air-con affairs. Facilities include TV and minibar. There is a compact restaurant on site and, more than compensating for the distance from the beach, a swimming pool... Read our full review of Sejuk Cottages.

A little under halfway up the east coast of Gili Air, 50 metres back off the beach and reached by a narrow dirt trail, sits Banana Bungalows. These bright and airy freestanding bungalows were one of the newest spots we looked at and are quite smart affairs — so new in fact the bedheads were still wrapped in plastic. Solid construction, firm mattresses and clean bathrooms make this not too bad a... Read our full review of Banana Bungalows.

This is the only two-storey property we saw on Gili Air (aside from Kai’s), with a collection of three two-storey buildings each with four rooms (two fan-cooled up, two air-con down) and then, like an afterthought, a handful of single-floor chalets in a staggered longhouse-style setup. It feels like there should be a swimming pool on the way and as it stands the whole thing feels a bit exposed.... Read our full review of Juliantos by the Sea.