Staying somewhere with a little character transforms a hotel from a place to sleep at night to an experience in itself.
Along with sustainability credentials, a little bit of character is one of the main things I look for when choosing a place to stay.
And Tabo Cottages certainly doesn’t fall short for either.
Situated on the scenic island of Samosir, in the middle of Lake Toba, Tabo Cottages isn’t overshadowed by its dramatic surroundings.
Far from it, it makes a powerful impression before you even arrive.
it’s impossible not to get goosebumps as the Tuk Tuk ferry pulls up to the resort’s private dock and the distinctive building style of the Batak people comes into sight.
Thankfully, first impressions aren’t at all deceiving at Tabo Cottages. In fact, they only give a taste of what’s to come once you step inside!
Tabo Cottages: At a glance
LOCATION | Tabo Cottages is on the edge of the town of Tuk Tuk, one of several popular villages on Samosir Island, in the North Sumatra region of Indonesia.
CLOSEST AIRPORT | Sisingamangaraja XII International Airport (approx. 3 hours) for flights from Jakarta. If not, you will need to fly to Medan’s Kualanamu International Airport (approx. 4.5 hours).
PRICE | A deluxe room at Tabo Cottages starts at 650,000 IDR (around $41 USD) for one night in low season. The premium suites are available for 1,350,000 IDR ($86) in low season or 1,800,000 ($115) in peak season, which is on Indonesian public holidays, long weekends and summer holidays (July/August).
HIGHLIGHTS: The unique Batak style buildings, incredible buffet breakfast with an entire vegetarian section, the on-site coffee shop with traditional and experimental drinks, the bakery and outdoor pool with a prime view of Lake Toba are all worth mentioning. The customer service and attentiveness of all of the super friendly staff was also faultless and made me feel very at home during my stay.
CONS: While it’s totally worth it, Lake Toba isn’t the easiest place to get to. Laundry was also a little more expensive here, with the hotel charging per item rather than per weight (as is common across Indonesia).
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Why stay at Tabo Cottages
Unlike most hotels in Indonesia, you won’t find Tabo Cottages on any mass booking sites such as Booking.com or Agoda.
With its reputation as one of the best hotels in Lake Toba, Tabo Cottages prefers to take a more personal approach and can only be booked by contacting the property directly.
From the second I arrived at Tabo Cottages, it was clear that the hotel’s owner maintains this personal and hands-on approach throughout the resort.
During my short wait for check-in, Annette caught up with no fewer than three of her guests as she made her way through to the hotel’s open-plan restaurant.
Annette’s personal touch flows through every corner of Tabo Cottages, from the room design to the on-site bakery where it all began.
The story of Tabo Cottages
When Annette visited Lake Toba in 1993 she fell so in love that she spontaneously decided to stay.
The following year, she opened Tabo as a vegetarian restaurant and German bakery.
As she told me one morning with a smile, the business – like many great ideas – originally started from her “own need”.
And it seems it was a need shared by many because the breads and baked goods were in high demand among locals, travellers and fellow expats on Samosir Island.
It was only another three years later that Annette entered the hotel space, saving several local Batak houses from decay by transforming them into the high end rooms they are today.
Over the years, more cottages have been added and there are now a total of 30 rooms in various styles as well all the amenities guests could need.
About Lake Toba
North Sumatra may just be the most underrated place I’ve travelled – not just in Indonesia, but in all of Asia.
First, I was surprised by how few tourists were also jungle trekking in Bukit Lawang.
And then, once I arrived at Lake Toba, I simply couldn’t believe that nobody ever really talks about it.
As the world’s largest crater lake – created from a supervolanco eruption that almost drove humankind to extinction! – its size alone is impressive.
But add in the dramatic steep hills, lush green vegetation and the expansive blue lake that glistens in the Sumatran sun, and it really does look like something from a movie.
Perhaps it’s because, until recently, Lake Toba was a destination that mostly appealed to adventurous backpackers.
Or perhaps it’s because getting to Samosir Island requires a drive to the lakeside village of Parapet and a 30-minute ferry ride on top of a flight to Medan, the nearest big city.
Whatever the reason, I wouldn’t be surprised if this relatively unknown spot one day joins places such as Komodo Island and Rinjani as one of the most popular tourist destinations in Indonesia.
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What to expect from a stay at Tabo Cottages
Some hotels are set in stunning locations. Others are a work of art in and of themselves.
Tabo Cottages is one of those rarer hotels that happens to be both and it’s not hard to see why it’s one of the most popular hotels on Samosir.
While most guests only stay for a couple of nights, I would recommend planning at least 3-5 nights here if your North Sumatra itinerary allows it.
Not only will it make the long journey even more worth it – more on that later – but it will allow you to truly relax and enjoy the full Lake Toba experience.
Rooms at Tabo Cottages
There are four types of rooms to choose from at Tabo, all with a private bathroom, free wi-fi and breakfast included.
The one I stayed in, a Deluxe, is the most affordable option but in no way feels basic.
The room was spacious and well-equipped, the bed was extremely comfortable and the shower was one of the best I had in all of Indonesia.
It also had a cute little balcony, perfect for unwinding after a day or exploring or soaking up the atmosphere in my own semi-private space.
If you want to splash a little more, the Junior Suites come with air conditioning (rather than a fan) and balconies that directly overlook the lake or mountains.
The Toba Suite is the premium choice and perfect for a special occasions. It can also be connected to a 3-bedroom family room for larger groups.
And then there are the Batak Villas. If I were to stay at Tabo Cottages again – and I really hope I do! – then this would be my choice of room.
The Batak Villas are the converted traditional houses that changed Tabo from a restaurant and bakery to a full-on resort.
Hotel Facilities
One of the things I loved most about Tabo Cottages is that you have everything you need right on-site – even if you stay for more than just a few nights.
Food & Dining
The main restaurant is large and spacious, with both indoor and outdoor seating.
It has an extensive menu that’s available all day, every day, except for themed nights.
The night of my arrival was an all-you-can-eat buffet night and, while I decided to have something small from the regular menu, it looked incredible.
Live music on both Saturday and Sunday night was a fun added touch, with two very different performances from local talent.
In the mornings, a breakfast buffet with both Indonesian and American-style options was available, including a dedicated vegetarian section. Coffee and tea are also included.
Something I really loved about Tabo was that a free water station was available 24 hours a day, meaning I could refill my water bottle and didn’t need to use a single plastic bottle during my stay.
Coffee Roastery & Cafe
Since Indonesia is one of the top coffee producing countries in the world, you never need to worry about getting a good cup here.
In fact, many places even roast their own beans – and Tabo Cottages is no exception. You can even buy their beans to take home with you!
The restaurant at Tabo has its own dedicated coffee bar, which I turned into a temporary co-working spot during my downtime.
My favourite seat? A cosy mezzanine level with Japanese-style floor cushion seating.
German Bakery
As I mentioned earlier, the on-site bakery existed several years before the business turned into a hotel, and it’s still fully operational today.
I’m sure I don’t need to tell you how good it is to wake up to the smell of baked goods!
Every morning, there are several breads to enjoy at the breakfast buffet and the rotating selection of cakes makes for the perfect afternoon pick-me-up.
It’s also possible to buy entire loaves of bread, including rye, flaxseed and more.
Leisure
Even if you have lots of plans to explore Samosir island, make sure you leave at least a day or two to enjoy the resort.
The outdoor swimming pool looks out over the Toba lake, and even has a private area at the water’s edge where you can take a dip.
Even if you don’t swim, the loungers are surrounded by the beautiful scenery of the lake and its hilly backdrop on one side and the hotel’s expansive garden on the other.
If you want to truly unwind, the on-site spa offers a number of body and facial treatments.
It’s a little bit tucked away and hard to find, and the space seems underutilised, but it’s well worth booking a treatment or two.
After all, Lake Toba may just be one of the most relaxing places in Indonesia.
I had an aloe vera facial and a foot massage to relieve some of the post-hike aches, and both were great value.
Extras
If you want to get out of Tabo Cottages and explore the wider Lake Toba area without navigating public buses, the hotel offers a number of tours.
These include a coffee tour, food tour, bicycle tour and more. You can find an up-to-date list of what’s available on the Tabo website.
I took a Discovery Tour and spent half a day exploring local waterfalls, trails and hot springs, enjoying some stunning lake views from various viewpoints and meeting the friendly locals.
Getting to Tabo Cottages
Given its location, it probably comes as no surprise that Lake Toba isn’t the easiest place to get to.
Like many places in Indonesia, it requires a little bit of pre-planning and patience due to both the road conditions and the laidback Sumatran approach to just about everything.
I visited as part of a tour organised by Discover Sumatra and they took care of all the logistics.
I highly recommend doing the same if you want to make your Sumatra trip as stress-free as possible, especially because it’s a relatively affordable place to enjoy a little luxury.
However, if you prefer to go down the more adventurous route and organise everything yourself, you have a couple of options to get to the town of Parapat, which is where the ferry to Tuk Tuk – the town where Tabo Cottages is – departs from.
Getting to Parapat
The easiest and most comfortable of these is a private car, which will cost somewhere between 800,000-1,200,000 IDR ($50-80) depending on what deal you agree.
This car will take you directly to the harbour in your own private, air-conditioned vehicle at whatever time you request. By taking this option, you may also be able to stop at some of the spots along the way.
The alternative is to take the “tourist bus” which is essentially a shared car. This should cost around 70,000-100,000 IDR ($4.50-6.50) one way.
In my (albeit limited) experience of these, they seem to make up the fees and change route as they like, but you will get to your destination eventually.
That said, what could have been a 4.5 hour drive from Parapat back to the city of Medan ended up taking close to 12 hours, and I was relieved that I booked an overnight airport hotel before flying out.
Whichever option you choose, both can also be organised by a company like Discover Sumatra.
The cost will likely be the same thanks to their connections on the ground, so I’d highly recommend booking in advance.
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Parapat to Tuk Tuk
Once you arrive at Parapat’s waterfront area, there is a small desk where you need to sign in. Tell them you are going to Tuk Tuk and they will point you to the correct ferry.
You can’t book the ferry in advance, so make sure you have enough cash (25,000 IDR) to pay at the kiosk and arrive in time for the last ferry at 18h30.
There is a rough ferry schedule but, as a local told me, the ferries are privately owned and will only leave once there are enough passengers to make the trip financially viable (usually around 14 people).
I waited an hour for the small ferry to depart, and it took a further 30-40 minutes to reach Tabo Cottages.
Come prepared for the ride and the scenic crossing will give you the perfect welcome to Lake Toba – especially if you find yourself there at sunset, like I did.
Sustainability at Tabo Cottages
As a traveller who cares about ecotourism and my impact on the environment, no hotel can tick all my boxes without a clear commitment to these values.
At Tabo Cottages, it was easy to see that the extensive sustainability program comes from the heart, rather than any not-so-wholesome motive.
Thoughtful touches, such as a 24-hour water refill station and refillable in-shower toiletries, means the hotel is practically plastic-free.
Takeaway lunches are provided in recyclable paper packaging, the 24/7 hot water is heated by solar power and there are reusable bags that guests can take to do their shopping.
On top of this, Annette and the entire team at Tabo work very closely with local people to offer organic produce on-site and promote community tourism.
