Where To Stay in Gili Air: My Honest Guide After Living On The Island

Trying to decide where to stay in Gili Air? Accommodation here is honestly not as easy to choose as people think.

Prices in Gili Air have gone up a lot and there are not that many places to choose from, especially if you want somewhere that actually feels worth the money. While living on the island, I stayed in different accommodations and realised pretty quickly that even basic things like hot water are not always guaranteed.

I tried a mix of places, from affordable stays to beachfront villas, and out of all of them my favourite was Santorini. It’s a beachfront villa in the quieter north of Gili Air and being able to walk straight onto the beach gave me that proper island feeling. I also loved the outdoor shower, which made the whole stay feel even more unique.

One thing all the places in this guide have in common though: they all have hot water!

Below, I’ve included a mix of affordable stays and nicer villas depending on your budget and travel style.

Quick Comparison:

Stay	What I Liked Most	Price & Book
Santorini	Beachfront villa style rooms, outdoor shower and quiet north location	From $280 👉 Check rooms
Irmy’s Village	Beautifully designed rooms, lovely owner and quiet side of the island	From $96 👉 See rooms
PinkCoco	Sunset events, beach club vibe and professional staff	$176 to $500 👉 Reserve stay
Puring Bungalows	Pretty room, spacious layout and good WiFi	From $36 👉 View rooms
Mangga Homestay	Budget friendly, central and good for long stays	From $25 👉 See prices

#1 Santorini

If you want to stay somewhere right on the beach, Santorini was my favourite place to stay in Gili Air.

Located in the north of the island, it’s away from the harbour area and has direct access to one of the swimmable beaches in Gili Air, which is not always easy to find on the island.

The rooms are spacious and modern with a villa-style layout rather than a traditional homestay setup. I also found myself spending more time at the accommodation than I normally do because of the location right by the sea.

One detail I unexpectedly loved was the outdoor shower because it gave the whole stay more of that island vibe.

Prices: Around $280 per night including breakfast

#2 Irmy’s Village

Irmy’s Village is one of the most unique places to stay in Gili Air and one I keep recommending to people who want more than just a nice room. It’s located in the north of the island, so the area stays quieter and you generally do not hear the mosques as much compared to other parts of Gili Air.

The owner, Irmy, is originally from Switzerland and moved to Gili Air when the island was still completely unknown. She told me stories about what life was like back then, when there was no electricity and only one phone on the island, and it completely changed how I saw Gili Air.

You can also tell how much care went into creating the place. Irmy selected each detail herself and used locally sourced materials throughout the property. I was obsessed with the bathroom tiles and all the little details in the rooms. She also offers palm reading sessions, which I tried and genuinely loved.

This is not a beachfront stay, but if having an exceptional host matters to you as much as the room itself, I think Irmy’s Village is one of the best places to stay in Gili Air.

Prices: Starting from $96 per night

#3 PinkCoco Gili Air

PinkCoco is probably one of the most iconic hotels in Gili Air. There are also PinkCoco hotels in Gili Trawangan and Uluwatu, but in my opinion the two Gili properties are the most beautiful.

The hotel is bright, playful, and feels more like a boutique resort than a standard island stay. One of the standout features is the large swimming pool, which becomes the centre of the hotel during the day.

The location on the west side of Gili Air is one of the best parts though. The evenings here are some of the most magical on the island.

PinkCoco regularly hosts sunset events right on the beach with live music, including artists playing the saxophone over disco beats, fire shows, and people gathering to watch the sunset together.

Prices: Between $176 and $500 per night (depending on the time of the year) and it includes breakfast too!

#4 Puring Bungalows

Puring Bungalows is a good option if you want something more affordable in Gili Air without giving up comfort. The location is quite central and not too far from the harbour, which is useful when you first arrive and do not want to carry your luggage too far across the island.

The room was spacious and much prettier than I expected for the price. I especially liked the interior design because every detail looked thought-through and more elevated than a typical budget stay. I even had enough space to roll out my yoga mat and do some stretching in the morning, which I really appreciated.

The WiFi also worked surprisingly well, so I ended up sending a few emails from bed before heading out for the day. In the evenings, coming back to a large bathroom and a proper hot shower became one of those small things I looked forward to after spending the day outside.

Prices: Starting from $36 per night

#5 Mangga Homestay

Mangga Homestay is a bit of a classic in Gili Air and one of the places I would recommend looking at first if you are thinking about staying longer than just a few days. Prices start from around $25 per night, which is becoming harder to find on the island.

One of the things I like about Mangga is that some rooms also come with a kitchen, so it works really well if you want to stay longer and not eat out for every meal. The setup is simple but practical and gives you more flexibility compared to booking a standard hotel room.

The location is convenient for reaching cafes, restaurants, and the harbour without being directly next to it.

One thing to know is that the shower pressure is not as strong as some of the other stays in this guide, but it still has hot water, which already puts it ahead of quite a few places in Gili Air.

Prices: Around from $25 per night

Best Villas With Private Pool In Gili Air

Best Areas To Stay On The Island

North Gili Air

Let’s start with the best part. This area is highly recommended if you think you would struggle sleeping hearing the mosque.

I personally got used to it and I’ve always lived near the mosque but if you are a light sleeper, you should book a place right in the north.

There is also a lot less going on in terms of bars and nightlife. I also swim very well in the north, especially the northeast!

Central-East Gili Air

You should stay on the east coast if you want to watch the sunrise as soon as you wake up. This is also the best part for snorkelling. Some areas can be rougher for swimming depending on tides and weather.

There are some bars on the east coast as well as on the west, but they are only by the beach, so if your accommodation is a bit inside you won’t get disturbed. However, in the central part of the island, the calls to prayer from the mosque will be louder. Again, nothing bad with that, you might not even hear it!

Should You Get Breakfast Included?

Really not necessary, there are many places on the island serving a delicious breakfast! My favourite is Blue Sail and it’s right on the beach. Otherwise, Kopi Susu or Il Baretto are also excellent.

Best Laundry Shops On The Island

If you are a minimalist like me and have to wash your clothes every 3 days, you will want to know where to wash your clothes in Gili Air.

My favourite laundry shops are GILI AIR LAUNDRY SERVICE, which is near the harbour and JW Loundry service, which is in the north side of the island.

The price per Kg is just over $1 and the service is fantastic. I got everything washed and ironed.

There is also a pick-up and drop-off laundry service I tried and loved called Gili Air Laundry, you can WA them on +62 878-6549-0091. Same price as I explained earlier, they also do same-day 6-hour delivery for a bit less than $2.

FAQs On Accommodations In Gili Air

Things To Do In Gili Air

Now that you know where to stay, you can start planning what to actually do on the island. From snorkelling with turtles to joining a cool run with locals, there is a lot more to Gili Air than most people expect.

Spoiler alert: I like swimming and going to the local gym barefoot surrounded by cats!

You can read my full guide here

Ciao for now,

Silvia x