The Sanchaya

We have just completed a truly wonderful stay at The Sanchaya. While there are already countless glowing reviews celebrating the experience here (which we wholeheartedly agree with , our stay resonated with us in three particularly distinct ways. (a) Exceptional people. Over time, we have found that there are two highly reliable indicators of a truly exceptional hospitality experience. (i) Excellent visibility and involvement of senior management. Oftentimes, leadership visibility can feel ceremonial or curated. At The Sanchaya, however, the senior management team is not only genuinely present, but remarkably hands-on engaging with guests, and carrying themselves with a humility that feels increasingly rare in modern hospitality. (ii) The second indicator is staff longevity, particularly among guest-facing teams. Long-serving staff members often reflect a workplace people genuinely enjoy being part of — and that pride inevitably translates into the guest experience. At The Sanchaya, this manifests itself unequivocally. (b) The genuine human connection. Some of the most memorable moments from our stay were not grand gestures, but meaningful conversations with the team, about Bintan, about daily life, about aspirations and challenges. There is an authenticity to the interactions here that feels refreshingly unperformative. What impressed us most was the discretion of the service. The team seems to know every resident personally, yet never in an overly theatrical “we know who you are” manner that some hotels tend to overplay. One small but telling example: when we momentarily forgot our room number, the staff quietly whispered it to us. It was subtle, intuitive, and deeply elegant. (c) The hardware itself. The overall design language, atmosphere, and amenities resonated with us. It has personality, intimacy, and soul. If we were to be exceptionally, almost unfairly, picky purely because we genuinely love this place and want to see it reach even greater heights, there are perhaps two areas that could be further reimagined. (i) a deeper investment into the spa and wellness facilities. Enhancements such as hydrotherapy amenities, steam rooms, cold plunges, or more contemporary wellness treatments could truly differentiate The Sanchaya within Bintan and unlock its immense potential as a genuine wellness destination. (ii) finer alignment of amenities with the property’s positioning. These are admittedly microscopic observations that do not materially detract from the stay, but details such as use of artificial flowers rather than fresh floral arrangements, thinner towels and toilet paper, or slightly weak shower water pressure feel marginally misaligned with the otherwise exceptionally refined experience the property delivers. From a hospitality standpoint, we genuinely believe The Sanchaya deserves recognition well beyond what it has already earned. In spirit, service, and emotional resonance, this is unquestionably a property with a 3-Key experience. The only element where I might argue an additional key remains elusive is the location itself. While the beachfront setting is serene and beautiful, it is perhaps not among the most breathtaking beaches one may encounter. Yet somehow, through the people, the warmth, and the soul of the place, The Sanchaya transcends its physical setting entirely. And that, perhaps, is the rarest luxury of all.

From the moment you step into the Sanchaya lounge at the ferry terminal, you are made to feel special! We were greeted by a staff member who checked us in to the hotel whilst we were in the lounge. They also collected our luggage whilst we enjoyed a drink, relaxing, listening to chilled music. What a fantastic start! We were taken to the hotel, which is a short drive away and upon arrival, Greg (the manager) and two other members of staff were waiting for us. We were then taken on a tour of the grounds which are absolutely stunning! Every staff member we came across seemed to know our names, which we found so personal and like they really cared. Our room was massive! The bed was very comfortable and there were lots of lovely complimentary touches such as snacks and soft drinks etc. Food was outstanding and the chef even made the effort to come and talk to us on a few occasions and offered to do an Indonesian three course meal for us one evening, which we enjoyed very much. All the staff made an effort to talk to us. I can’t remember all The names but Josua really stood out. All of the restaurant staff gave us outstanding service, not forgetting housekeeping who were also fantastic! Reading through previous negative reviews, it saddens me that they are from people who haven’t stayed at the hotel and just wanted to use the restaurant. Maybe stay at the hotel before you leave negative reviews! We’ve stayed in many five star hotels including Raffles Singapore and the Sanchaya is by far the best! Thank you to Greg and all of your amazing team.

Wonderful stay with wonderful experience within serene natural surrounding and charming setting. Particularly the attentive par excellence service from all staff ensuring my preferences were met. Special appreciation to Chef Sandi and Chef Yunike have curated bespoke menu for my dietary requirement for each day during my stay.

An extraordinary venue filled with beauty, ambience and old world charm. Fabulous staff members and lots of activities for my teenage children. Food is superb and the breakfasts are to die for. The manager Greg Williams and his team have the expertise to ensure we had a perfect stay. Love, love, love. We will be back!

We tried to book a table at the Tasanee grill for my husbands 50th birthday online. But had no answer from the hotel 24 hours. Since we were staying at the hotel next door, we just tried to get into the restaurant for dinner, but the security refused to let us in, even though the restaurant looked completely empty and we had wanted to make a reservation online. He claimed that the restaurant was fully booked. So we just left to the next restaurant.