The Robinson House

Sand underfoot from the moment you arrive: The Robinson House is a barefoot beach home on Gili Meno, the smallest and quietest of the three Gili Islands off Lombok. You reach it by boat, and there are no cars on the island, so days move at the pace of a bicycle or a stroll along the shore. A garden of sand, casuarina trees and frangipani runs from the house straight down to a white beach and calm, clear water.

The house is a collection of thatched buildings with woven bamboo walls, warm clay-toned plaster and handmade textiles in rich reds and ochres. The main pavilion holds a relaxed living room with deep cushioned daybeds and a window seat looking out to sea, a dining table for eight and a kitchen with a bar counter and stools. Around it, hammocks are slung between the trees, and a private pool with a shallow ledge for children is lined with cushioned loungers beneath a paper parasol.

Bedrooms are spread between the main house and garden bungalows with their own terraces, each with draped mosquito nets, an en-suite bathroom and an outdoor shower. Breakfast is included, and a small local team looks after housekeeping, the garden and security. Snorkelling starts right off the beach, kayaks and bicycles can be arranged, and at dusk the sky over the strait often turns gold behind Lombok’s mountains.