A Perfectly Peaceful Balinese Escape at Ubud Dedari Villas

Loud, crowded, hot, and humid. That’s how I expected many parts of Southeast Asia to be, and, on my first day in Indonesia, it was already living up to expectations as sweat dripped down my face while I weaved through people hunting desperately for my hostel on a street with no numbers. To be fair, I had kicked off this leg of the trip in Kuta, Bali, which is known mostly for being a drunken backpacker party spot, not exactly the atmosphere I was looking for.

Ahh, but just the solution I needed.

Those preconceptions were quickly whisked away when I arrived in and settled into the small island of Gili Trawangan the next day, the topic for a future post. Returning to Bali after, I gradually began to embrace the road traffic and crowded tourist spots as part of the culture. Nonetheless, a quiet sanctuary was just what I was looking for to prepare myself for the next few months in Asia, and I certainly found it at Ubud Dedari Villas.

Looking for more tips for your Bali visit? Check out my Bali travel guide!

My friend Arielle, who joined me from Sydney for the Easter weekend, and I were greeted with a refreshing welcome drink and cool washcloth and then shown to our room. Leaving the reception area, we approached the pool area as the sun had almost set, a true sight for sore eyes. An infinity pool hung over an unending rainforest, and lounge chairs, lanterns, and leafy landscaping completed the oasis. I was in love.

Hanging out at the pool the following morning

Our room had our jaws dropping: spacious and beautifully designed, with a massive stone bathroom and a wide balcony overlooking the rainforest. Also in store were useful amenities like ear plugs and electric adapters, as well as a surprisingly inexpensive mini bar. Efficient air conditioning was a huge plus. Best of all, since Bali’s water can’t be drunk from the tap, the hotel provides a water dispenser in the room. Can’t take free water for granted anymore!

Our lovely room

While the hotel doesn’t have its own restaurant, it does offer room service at a very reasonable rate. As my friend pointed out, this was perhaps even better, as it made us feel like we really had the place to ourselves. We enjoyed our room service on our private balcony, taking in the peaceful sounds of nature as we ate. For breakfast the following morning, we enjoyed room service again, but this time we had it delivered to the pool as we took a morning dip and relaxed in comfortable lounge chairs for a few hours.

Banana pancakes by the pool

What’s a swim in 2016 without a good pool selfie or ten?

Ubud Dedari Villas are about a ten minute drive from the center of Ubud, and they offer a complimentary shuttle service several times a day, so guests can be away from the hustle and bustle with the city still easily accessible. We began by exploring the palace at the city center and followed it up with lunch at a recommended restaurant called Ibu Oka, where we tried babi guling, suckling pig, which Bali is known for. We checked out Ubud’s markets and some of their shops, had some boba (ohh so cheap in Asia!), and finished the night at a really lovely and surprisingly inexpensive garden restaurant with friendly service called Three Monkeys.

Ubud Palace

When we returned to Ubud Dedari Villas, we discovered that they had treated us to a flower arrangement and an assortment of tropical fruit, some of which, like dragonfruit and mangosteen, I hadn’t tried before. I used the hotel’s complimentary wifi to catch up on some work by the pool and then settled into my cozy bed. The following morning, we were off to our next destination, Jimbaran, but not without another swim in our beloved pool. I could have stayed at that pool forever!

A sweet surprise to return to

All in all, our stay at Ubud Dedari Villas was exceptional. The hotel exceeded my already high expectations by providing a beautiful, peaceful getaway with friendly service and comfortable amenities. Ubud itself is a delightful town that tourists must see when visiting Bali, and I’d highly recommend a stay at Ubud Dedari Villas if you’re looking to get away from it all.

Disclaimer: I was a guest of Ubud Dedari Villas, but all opinions are entirely my own, as always.