Located several kilometres outside the town of Bajawa, I had crossed Silverin off my list because its advertised prices were too high. Fortunately on my journey from Moni I shared a minibus with an Australian couple who had stayed at Silverin for only Rp. 150,000 per night, much less than the advertised prices. So I decided to try my luck.
Hotel Villa Silverin is on the Ende side of Bajawa, so if you’re coming from Ende you will pass the hotel before you reach the town. The large, colourful villa is right on the main road.
I entered the hotel and saw the unstaffed reception desk. After calling out a few times I walked further in, and it took some effort to find a member of staff. Throughout my stay the reception area was rarely staffed.
I was offered a rate of Rp. 250,000 per night which I bargained down to Rp. 150,000. This got me a room at the back of the hotel. From the shared balcony which ran along the whole level I had a beautiful view across to the mountains and a less beautiful but nonetheless interesting view of goats, pigs and chickens in the field and enclosures below.
The rooms were an unusual design, with the private bathroom upstairs from the bedroom. I quite liked this separation of the bathroom from the main space, especially compared to my previous bathroom in Moni which had no door!
Bajawa is the coldest place I visited in Flores, being a mountain area, and I was very pleased to get hot water at Silverin. But when I tried to have a shower the hot water didn’t work at all. I complained at reception and then had to move to the next-door room, where the hot water worked. It was insufficient for a long shower but was a lot better than cold water!
Being outside the town, the hotel was wonderfully peaceful and I had one of my longest and most restful sleeps in Flores at Silverin. I had brought a lightweight sleeping bag, which I used in addition to the blanket provided by the hotel.
Breakfast was more substantial than at many other hotels in Flores. I got four pieces of toast, with pineapple and strawberry jams, a fried egg and a passion fruit, with tea or coffee, which I ate on the top floor terrace of the hotel looking out at the whole town of Bajawa spread before me in the morning sun.
The hotel location means that it is necessary to take some form of transport into town. Fortunately buses and minibuses (bemo) go past the hotel all day. Across the road from the hotel is Silverin restaurant, which seemed to be open for lunch and dinner though I didn’t eat there, and a new hotel wing, a long-term construction project which will apparently feature deluxe rooms.
I had read awful reviews of many of the hotels in Bajawa and was relieved to stay somewhere nice. You can contact Hotel Villa Silverin by telephone on +62 (0)384 222 3865 or +62 (0)81 339 052456, or just show up like I did and bargain the rate down to something reasonable.