Hotel Villa-Ubud

The resort started out as a simple private residence, but after numerous visits by family and friends, the owner began to add more buildings and villas. Rows of spiky cacti flank the hotel's elaborate Balinese temple-style entrance, which comes complete with a seated Buddha statue and an ornately carved wooden door. Inside is a series of beautiful stepped terraces with manicured lawns scored with stone paths and lined with colorful flowers, hedges, and tropical plants. Traditional buildings with coconut tree pillars and alang-alang (Indonesian grass) woven roofs sit beside European-style buildings with wrought-iron railings and terra-cotta tile roofing.  Although the resort is surrounded by paddy fields on one side and a river on the other, the general tranquility is occasionally by interrupted by distant traffic noise. 

The hotel is located in an isolated spot surrounded by rice fields and local villages, a 15-minute drive from Ubud, Bali's arts and culture capital and a major hub for spas. While there's little within walking distance of the resort, the ancient Gunung Kawi and Tirta Empul temples are a 10 to 20 minute drive away. Bali's main Ngurah Rai International Airport is just over an hour's drive, while the Denpasar city center takes around 45 minutes. The resort has an air-conditioned shuttle that transports guests to Ubud free of charge and airport transfers can be arranged in advance, for a fee.  

The resort has nine spacious rooms and one suite, all of which feature Balinese decor and wonderfully elaborate carved wood furnishings. Rooms feature either marble or polished dark-wood flooring and wooden writing desks. In-room amenities include free (though not very fast) Wi-Fi and 32-inch flat-screen TVs, although they only get local channels. DVD players also come as standard and the hotel has a free movie library. Bathrooms are big and have large glass-topped vanities, hairdryers, and shower/tub combos or walk-in showers with rainfall showerheads. Most rooms extend to furnished balconies or terraces with pool or garden views. Their jungle setting also means the occasion bug has been known to make its way inside. Rooms by the road can pick up a little traffic noise, while poolside rooms feel a little less private than others. 

The hotel's large freeform swimming pool is lined with circular armchairs and tables and chairs for poolside dining, but it lacks lounge chairs. The open-air spa area is also poolside, with several massage tables and a hot tub. There's also a dedicated pavilion-style platform for outdoor yoga or Pilates. The on-site restaurant is situated on an elevated vantage point with pleasant views and serves a menu of Pan-Asian and Balinese cooking. Cooking classes can also be arranged and there's a frequent free shuttle service into Ubud for those wanting to eat in town (though the last return journey is a bit early for late-night dining). Spotty Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.