Nestled in remote Payangan, Anantara Ubud offers a rare balance of luxury, sustainability, and adventure. Photo / Anantara Ubud
Nestled in remote Payangan, Anantara Ubud offers a rare balance of luxury, sustainability, and adventure. Photo / Anantara Ubud
The Anantara hotel in Ubud is a brand-new luxury resort in an undiscovered corner of rural Bali. It offers something that’s increasingly rare on this Indonesian island: an authentic travel experience away from the crowds, writes Jo Kessel
Location: Surrounded by lush green rice paddies and remote Balinese jungle in the island’s undiscovered central province of Payangan. The nearest tourist hub is the town of Ubud (40 minutes by car), a mecca for lovers of art, food, and wellness.
Style: An 85-room resort where lavish suites and villas cling to a sheer ravine. Its open cubic design brings the jungle view into all areas of the hotel.
Perfect for: Honeymooners, couples and families (including multi-gen) seeking an adventure holiday with a dash of spirituality and R&R.
Pool views at the Anantara hotel in Ubud, Bali. Photo / Anantara Ubud
First impressions: Arrival is a sensory treat. The atrium has a gargantuan self-playing gong and views of Bali’s tallest mountain, the 3031m active volcano Mt Agung, from outside. Every guest is welcomed with a Balinese-style bracelet and rice blessing.
Rooms: Rooms are oversized and are classified as either suites or villas (one and two bed). Each has a balcony with an extraordinary jungle view that you will remember not just for how it looks, but for how it sounds – both the dawn and sunset chorus are magical.
Villas also come with plunge infinity pools, though be warned, they’re not heated. Beds are sumptuous and glossy teak furnishings are evocative of the region, ditto the playful handcrafted monkey lamp. There’s a kettle, tea selection and coffee machine and, if you ask, they’ll deliver fresh milk to your room.
Top tips: take care not to inadvertently click the ‘Do Not Disturb’ button (it resembles a light switch) if you want your room to be cleaned. No need to pack insect repellent - they provide a plug-in and sprays to keep bugs at bay.
Anantara Ubud has two infinity pools, one of which is adults-only. Photo / Anantara Ubud
Bathroom: Bathrooms are so stylish they look like they’ve been lifted from an Elle Decoration centre spread. Giant tubs are a standout feature, and most come with a jungle view. There are also copper his and hers sinks plus a separate shower and WC.
Toiletries come in refillable stone dispensers and are Anantara’s own brand (made in Java) which include jasmine and frangipani lotion and lemongrass shower gel. A selection of soft floaty robes and sarongs are provided for guest use.
Food and drink: Breakfast is included and served on a showstopper terrace outside the main Kirana restaurant. Guests automatically receive fruit, pastries and an amuse bouche; everything else is a la carte.
On the menu for lunch and dinner is a mix of local and international dishes. Cuisine is made with love and the Indonesian dishes nasi goreng and bebek betutu (slow cooked duck in spices) are particularly tasty. For a fine dining treat, book the $120 five-course degustation menu at the hotel’s Amerta restaurant.
As for drinks, the hotel’s bars have an extensive menu, including cocktails made with fresh ingredients. Ubud’s your best bet if you fancy eating elsewhere.
Anantara Ubud’s design ensures jungle views from every room, with balconies showcasing sunrise and sunsets. Photo / Anantara Ubud
Facilities: The hotel has free, easy-to-use Wi-Fi and a schedule of changing daily activities, which might include a guided walk or yoga class. There are two large infinity pools (one’s adult-only) as well as a gym, sauna, steam room and spa – the ‘Balinese Mepijet’ offers the perfect blend of massage and reflexology. Also included are age-banded kids’ clubs. There is parking, but if you’re without a car the hotel offers free daily transfers to Ubud.
In the neighbourhood: The hotel is surrounded by remote rural villages and rice fields, with a 5km circular walking trail starting from just opposite its entrance. There are also excursions/experiences available (fee payable) which explore the neighbourhood, including a jeep safari and ‘Water Purification’ ceremony.
Nearby activities include a jeep safari and a unique Water Purification ceremony.
Photo / Anantara Ubud
Family friendly: There’s a kids club open 10am-6pm for youngsters aged 4-12 as well as a teen club. Facilities include an outdoor table tennis table, air hockey, table football and a Play Station/TV hangout zone. Budding musicians will enjoy the selection of Balinese musical instruments available to try. Babysitting is bookable for a fee.
Accessibility: All areas of the resort are wheelchair accessible and the hotel has one tailor-made accessible suite. There’s also a funicular - they call it an inclinator – for ease of travel up and down the sheer ravine.
Sustainability: The resort uses tapioca straws, has a no single-use plastic policy and guests are provided with an unlimited supply of drinking water in sealed glass bottles. They are heavy, however, so you might wish to bring your own lighter bottle to transfer it into.
The Anantara also has a ‘Dollar for Deets’ sustainability programme and has partnered with the local non-profit Begawan Foundation to help bring back the island’s critically endangered Bali starling. Guests can donate as well as catch sight of these birds at the organisation’s organic farm where a new chichi farm-to-table restaurant (Begawan Biji) has just opened in the middle of the rice fields.
Price: Rooms start from $800 a night on a B&B basis
