Kajeng no. 13, Ubud, Indonesia
Central Ubud location near shops and restaurants
Bright rooms with sleek marble bathrooms
Breakfast of fruit and eggs included in room rates
Lovely outdoor pool surrounded by greenery
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Area tours and airport transfers available on request
Musty smells in rooms
Rooms lack TVs and coffee- and tea-making facilities
Padma Ubud Retreat is a two-and-a-half-pearl bed-and-breakfast in the northern part of the center of Ubud, right by the city's famous Saraswati Temple and a short walk from tons of shops and restaurants. The 12 guest rooms are simple and bright and all have terraces or balconies plus sleek bathrooms. We noticed some musty odors in rooms. There's little in the way of amenities at this property, though breakfast is included in the room rates and includes lots of fresh tropical fruit along with made-to-order eggs. There's also a lovely outdoor swimming pool flanked with lush foliage. Travelers shopping around may want to also consider a stay at Ubud Bungalow, located right in the center of town.
Scene
Small, budget bed-and-breakfast with open-air lobby and lovely outdoor pool area
Padma Ubud Retreat is a bed-and-breakfast that attracts budget travelers with its low rates. It's spread across a main building and a smaller building, and the owner lives right nearby. Guests enter via a lovely pathway flanked with Hindu and Buddhist statuary and lots of tropical foliage, passing into an open-air lobby (really more of a check-in area) with a small reception desk and a binder full of brochures advertising area attractions. The only other real common area here is the pool, a gorgeous blue oval surrounded by tropical foliage and a handful of statues.
Location
Central location right by Ubud's Saraswati Temple, near shops and restaurants
Padma Ubud Retreat is located on a small road off a main artery in the northern part of central Ubud, in an area densely packed with restaurants and shops. This inland town known for its numerous artists and spas, thriving New Age expat community, yoga studios, and health food restaurants. The Saraswati Temple is just around the corner and the main market takes just a few minutes to reach on foot. The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary is about 20 minutes on foot or eight minutes by car, while the Yoga Barn and the Agung Rai Museum of Art are just a few minutes further south. Getting to Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport takes around an hour by car. The journey to Denpasar city center takes about 45 minutes, traffic permitting.
Rooms
Bright, simple rooms with sleek bathrooms, but no TVs or coffee- and tea-making facilities
Padma offers two types of room: entry-level Superior Rooms and nicer Padma Rooms, both of which have air-conditioning. Decor is simple and bright, with off-white walls and coordinating polished marble floors, and high ceilings with recessed lighting. Wood beds, night tables, and wardrobes are paired with wooden lamps and bright floral art prints on the walls. Rooms don't come with TVs, coffee- and tea-making facilities, or minibars.
Bathrooms are sleek, with gray industrial-style marble, vessel sinks atop slab-style granite countertops, and lovely walk-in showers with pebbles at their bases.
Rooms also have furnished balconies or terraces with views out over the pool or onto the surrounding tropical foliage. Note that during our visit there were some musty smells in the rooms (seemingly stemming from lack of ventilation).
Features
Free fresh breakfast served to rooms, plus lovely outdoor pool surrounded by greenery
Features at this bed-and-breakfast are straightforward. While there's no restaurant, there is a free room service breakfast with fruits and eggs plus tea or coffee, served on guests' patios or balconies. There's also a swimming pool that's just big enough to swim laps, flanked by padded lounge chairs and surrounded by luscious tropical foliage. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. The hotel can also arrange area tours and airport transfers on request for an additional fee.