Our Stay At Alila Ubud

Alila Ubud is on the outskirts of Ubud, set amongst rice fields and jungle valleys. A beautiful 5 star hotel, with a memorable pool, unique experiences and plenty of monkey spotting moments. One of the things I loved learning about Alila Ubud was that the majority of its staff are from the Payangan village it is located in, as they have a big emphasis on community.

Alila Ubud: Our First Impressions

The first thing I noticed about Alila Ubud was that it was literally in the rice fields! You drive down a long road through the rice fields just to get to it. The design and look were traditional Balinese yet quite minimalistic.

Location, Location, Location

Alila Ubud was about a 25 minute drive from Ubud village, or at least it was during our stay due to roadwork (usually it is quicker). At first I was a little concerned as to how far away it was, but then I realised that perhaps that was a real bonus. By staying away from the town centre, it forced us to slow down. We could still easily visit Ubud with the free shuttle service, but we also got to enjoy the surrounding traditional village, rice fields and facilities of the hotel.

The Room

The style of the room was traditional Balinese but perhaps more minimalistic. It had tall ceilings that made the room feel more spacious, a balcony to relax with day bed and table and chairs, and it passed one of the most important hotel room checks… it had a great shower!

Beyond The Room

This was our second stay at an Alila property in Bali, and the one thing that really stands out is their experiences. The activities they offer are ones that actually sound interesting and fun, and unique to the culture and environment around them.

We did the Bayad Valley Trek, which was a short hour and a half trek through rice fields, visiting a local compound (traditional Balinese home), and temple. We met a little puppy in the rice fields who must have been only 8 weeks old, and yet again, I fell over in the rice fields. I’m really starting to feel at one with them.

During our stay, on Friday nights the Plantation Restaurant turned into their Spice Market Restaurant. This started with traditional Balinese music and dances from the children in the village, followed by a buffet dinner of traditional Balinese food, bringing a traditional Balinese market experience right to you.

The other big standout was the pool. The pool is surrounded by jungle and valley views. Our tip, get up early in the morning to watch all the fog from the valley float around it.

The Details

Hotel: Alila Ubud

Room Type: Superior Room

Location: Desa Melinggih Kelod, Payangan, Gianyar, Bali

Have any questions about Alila Ubud or Bali? Let us know in the comments below…

Our stay at Alila Ubud was courtesy of Agoda and Alila Ubud, but our experience and what we share with you is 100% Mandy + Chris