FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - What do you think of Bintan?
View Single Post
Old Mar 15, 2008, 6:18 pm
  #3  
alanw
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: BCN
Programs: BA Gold · A3 Gold · DL Gold · VY apologist
Posts: 8,545
We honeymooned there in May and thought it was terrific. Transfer from Singapore via ferry was pretty much painless, and the Banyan Tree staff met us as we got off the boat. From that moment until we set foot on it again six days later, service was perfect - just the right amount of attention.

We had one of the seaview villas with Jacuzzi, which was lovely. Food ranged from good to excellent; breakfasts were incredible. Spa nice, though nothing special. Both pools at the Banyan Tree were great, and the beach quite nice as well. Note that there is an affiliated resort at the other end of the beach and you have access to their restaurants and facilities.

The staff delivered on a lot of touches while we were there. In addition to the usual rose-petal-strewing and the like which are to be expected, they did some things that were really special: on the first day, the girl who checked us in noticed that we spoke Spanish to each other and summoned a Spanish-speaking driver from the next-door resort. Every single day for the duration of our stay, each time we popped out of the door of our villa, he would pull up and ask where we wanted to go in Spanish. After that first day, he was always in the uniform of Banyan Tree.

They also organized a special romantic dinner on our last night that was especially memorable. They closed the entire beach, set up a tent with a rose-petal-covered bed and about 300 candles in it (the tent, not the bed), and served us a fabulous ricetable there looking out at the sea and stars next to a bonfire.

We were thrilled with our experience. Take note that the resort is great for relaxing...there isn't much to do there except lay about, eat, swim, get massages and facials, play on the beach, etc. For a few days it is wonderful. The rest of the island is nothing special, from what we saw.
alanw is offline