So, it's taken me a few days to get around to it, but here is my review of The Sira - I will post the photos in the following post.

We stayed for five nights from early to mid-February. Initially, we redeemed close to 140k points about 3 months before, but periodic checking led to a final redemption of 96k for 5 nights, which I feel was excellent value for what we got.

Arrival: We landed in on Garuda from Jakarta and were met with the planned transport. We took the premium (not luxury) offering, which was approx 35 USD. It was a perfectly comfortable ride with water and a snack provided. While we had already got SMS cards in CGK, they also provided a wifi router for the 2-hour trip to the hotel - this was configured to the Marriott Bonvoy network so my phone instantly connected. Drive took about 2 hours and we had to take a backroad to the hotel as a tree had fallen in heavy winds, blocking the main road to the hotel. Welcome gift was 1000 points and breakfast included as Titanium. We missed margarita girl by a few hours, who was checking out the same day we arrived.

We were offered the welcome credit package - 8,000,000 IDR buys 10,000,000 IDR in credit. We took it and this worked out well as over the 5 days between F&B and Spa we used it all up. This mean a credible saving on what we'd have paid had we not purchased it. Even though it appeared on the bill as "credits", the corresponding Marriott points for the purchase posted no issues.

Location: It is remote - 2 hours from the airport, but very close (about 10-15 mins from Bangsal port) for those arriving on the fast boat from Bali. There is little to do near or around the hotel, so you'd need a private driver or organized tour to get out and see the Island's attractions. We were interested in seeing the Pink Beach, but two things put us off - the time needed to get to the other side of the island and the fact that the Pink Beach only appears Pink when it's sunny. So, I would suggest if staying to expect a fair chunk of your time to be in the resort itself. It's not a good location to explore nearby towns - the nearest is close to an hour by car.

Staff: the staff were exceptional from the word go. So kind and always willing to help. We were met with a welcome ceremony (a small traditional drink and thing to eat that signifies welcoming us to The Sira community). The manager each day was always present and staff took time to talk with us and offer anything we needed. The hotel was very quiet for 3 of the days and only mildly occupied the other 2. This means staff seemed very keen to go the extra mile and keep themselves busy. I found it a little hard to walk from one side of the hotel to the other without being approached to ask whether I needed help or whether I wanted lunch or dinner. I'd like to give a special shoutout to the breakfast staff, who went above and beyond, quickly learning our preferences (e.g., we're from Mexico and love spicy food) and adjusting the recipes accordingly. The staff provided a proactive turndown service every night, and nothing was too bothersome. They kindly help me check the details of some local dive companies and also helped deliver some items we accidentally left on our last day to the next place we stayed.

Room: The room is huge and quite simply stunning. A welcome package of sweets, biscuits and juices was on the table when we arrived. We booked a regular suite but were upgraded to their Deluxe Ocean facing suite on the 3rd floor (this happened within a few hours of booking). The difference to MG's room above is that our balcony had two patterned dividers on the edge, which we thought was great for when the sun was a bit too intense. The balcony alone was bigger than our room in Shinagawa a couple of weeks ago. The bed was firm but comfortable, and despite some strong wind at night and the quiet noise of waves crashing, the room was largely quiet and the lighting options excellent for turning down light in evening and starting to edge toward sleep. We did get woken up at 4am one morning as - what appeared to be - the tsunami warning siren sounded. It only lasted 5-10 seconds at most and then stopped. Still got the heart pounding, especially as we live in Mexico City and are used to the harrowing "alarma sismica". Staff seemed baffled by it in the morning and couldn't offer an explanation other than perhaps the guy responsible fell asleep and knocked the button. Outside of that, the bathroom was huge and well stocked. Bath was great, which took advantage of being big enough for a couple to use - no jacuzzi jets tho. Water was offered free of charge in the room and even though we appeared to consume more than the (4 complimentary a day it mentioned in welcome email), no charges appeared on the bill. If you're really desperate, the gym has a machine that dispenses cold water.

Food and Drinks: I'm going to give an 8 out of 10 here. Breakfast was A La Carte and I found most the things I ate to be excellent. As mentioned above, the staff went the extra mile to prepare things to our specific interests and needs. I enjoyed the different variety of eggs available and especially enjoyed the acai bowl, and coconut-inspired dishes. Coffee, tea, juices, smoothies, etc., were all included in the breakfast. As with MG's experience above, we were able to select various things and staff even encouraged us to keep trying things. So why 8 out of 10? Their signature eggs benedict is so far from EB that it's a bit of a push to even tie them together by name, but the main issue I had was one lunchtime. I ordered a chicken burger and - no exaggeration - it had approx 40g of chicken, most of which was batter. It was mostly a plate of a large brioche bun and some potato wedges. They did go back and fix it, but the second version wasn't all that much better. Considering the prices of the lunch/dinner are quite elevated by the regional standard, even compared to what our hotel in Bali is charging, I'd expected better for the price. Largely no complaints, especially with our in-room dining, which we found to be excellent all 3 times we did it. You can choose to have it set up in the room or on the balcony. When we left, we got a leaving gift at the table (photo below).

In terms of drinks, we found the menu very limited in terms of choice. Cocktails are double the price of those we have in Westin Bali (approx 300-350k IDR before the 21% that includes service charge and tax , so be prepared if you want to stray away from beer, you're looking at 20-28 USD for a cocktail. I suppose if you live in SFO or NYC, that's the norm. Bottle of Bintang was 90k or so before service and tax, and between 4-6pm the pool bar offered 20% off beer and sangria. I wasn't drinking much, thankfully, as I was out Scuba diving during the days and there is nothing worse than doing that after an evening of drinking.

Gym: Some photos below. I used the gym daily and found it very well equipped. Only saw one other person down there. Oshibori (cold towels are provided and there were some apples to take after training).

Activities: hotel had a list of indoor and outdoor activities. We didn't partake and I don't think anyone really did as the hotel was so quiet. As mentioned, I was out diving the Gili Islands, so had plenty to do. Outside of that was time in the huge pools and reading books I've had on my list for ages while completing NYT puzzles on my tablet.

Pool and Beaches: Pools are enormous and have good temperatures. The beach is lovely and quiet - beware of the shells and broken coral, as mentioned by MG. There were pools for adults and kids (in terms of depth) and covered parts so you can enjoy the pool while avoiding getting cooked by the sun.

Spa: Wife had a facial massage and said it was really good. I didn't take advantage of it myself.

Overall: I'd give the hotel a solid 8.5 out of 10. The staff are great and the room is insanely good. I think what shaves the 1.5 points off the top is the location being remote and that the food is not quite up to the standard of the price point yet and the drinks menu seemed to be overpriced for the offer. Would I stay again? Yes, but not soon. I've got other places on my list to explore and feel that 'get away from it all luxury' is available nearer to travel hubs. I'd definitely recommend Sira if you're arriving on the fast boat from Bali. I'd recommend Sira for a couple who really wants to disconnect from it all or a family looking for good quality family time. Just an additional note there, we observed the staff were brilliant with kids and helping keep them entertained.

Hope this is helpful and will share photos below.