803yuliyak
Google
I emailed Naya management 6 months prior to my arrival because I was hoping to stay there for a month. I really liked the pictures of the place, the fact that they said their pool was ozonated VS chlorinated, and I liked their menu because I have a sensitive stomach and food choices are as important to me as room choices. They did offer me a better price for a longer stay and asked to pay a half of the money as a deposit. I was also asked to agree that I would pay the rest of the sum upon arrival. I did pay 50% of the price and agreed to pay the rest upon arrival. At the time, I was told to choose a room and I booked Shakti Shala as it looked amazing on the pictures. I made plans for Ubud for a month, I had business meetings to attend and it was my last place to stay after a 3 months long travels in Bali. So, in my mind, this was a lush, quit place to rest, contemplate, and integrate my first time in Bali experience.|In January 2023, I arrived to Naya late in the evening from Lovina and went to sleep right away. I was very tired after a long trip. When I woke up next morning...my bed, my luggage, my backpack were full of giant ants. When I looked around the room, it was pretty clear that it was their home, not mine. There was also a very interesting white fungus growing on the floor that looked like snow flakes. Now, add to that a subtle but constant smell of mattress/pillows/bedding being unclean, not fresh. Right, not so exciting!!|After talking to the manager and showing him why I was not going to pay the rest of the money and staying here until the end of the month, I also learned that the kitchen was not working and I had to order food a day beforehand to be able to eat. The kitchen is an outdoor facility and looked abandoned, dirty, overrun by ants and what not. Blenders and cutlery were outside too and I couldn't imagine eating there...Also...do you ever know what you want to eat tomorrow???| A Balinese girl who worked at Naya told me that there are two cafes near by - one opened at 10am and the other at 11am. Fortunately, there was a store near by where I could buy fruits and that was my breakfast as I get up at 6am for my yoga/meditation practice. |From the manager, I also learned that the pool was ozonated before Covid closure, but now it is chlorinated. |The cleaning lady who came to fix my place the next morning said that they only knew about my arrival a day before. She said the cleaning crew received a "last minute booking" notice! So, I guess, a last minute cleaning! |They were also renovating the part of the retreat and there was a constant traffic of local builders coming and going right by my entrance door. I certainly didn't appreciate them smoking and spitting all the time. Definitely not something you would imagine when choosing a yoga retreat center. |So, I spent only half of my time at Naya and was soooo happy to leave!!! I saw other people staying there too, but not many. I was amazed to even see any guests with 150$/night price tag?? Perhaps, their accommodation was better than mine, I hope so. I never talked to anyone as I didn't really have anything cheerful to say.|I managed my stay in my room somewhat okay by sweeping the floor three times/day to let the ants out and clean the fungus which grew overnight. I also burned incenses to have a better aroma in the room. At first, I did my best to communicate to the manager and the cleaning staff what I needed, but then I got tired of this. Their cleaning was very general, not detailed and all the outlets/corners were full of ants and some kind of weird debris. |My washroom was an open air one and faced the busy and a very narrow road full of pedestrians and scooters. Constant honking was a part of my Naya experience.|I spent most of the time away, only coming back in the evening to sleep.|I understand that Bali is recovering after Covid and many retreat places including Naya have been empty for two years and not taken care of for many reasons. BUT PLEASE be HONEST and reflect these changes on your web site. You are only quick to take money and lock people into agreements! Sad.|The location of Naya is good and yes, it is green and interesting. I can see how before Covid the place was vibrant and healthy. However, it is not the reality now and it is clear that there is a lack of communication between the booking agent, manager, cleaning staff, and owners. |I hope my review helps and contributes to Naya's faster recovery. I also hope that the web site is updated and the information about the retreat is accurate. Thank you!
