ALILA UBUD BALI
IT’S NOT HARD TO SEE WHY THIS HOTEL HAS BEEN AWARDED COUNTLESS GONGS FOR ‘BEST POOL-WITH-A-VIEW’
Jutting out into the Ayung valley, it sits almost suspended above the canyon. Swim to the edge and you’re met with a captivating panorama of lush jungle (tip: post-float, grab one of the four lesser-used sun beds right on the edge of the valley – the carpet of bright green is magical). The rest of the resort is equally enchanting.
ALILA UBUD BALI Photo Gallery
There’s a modest yet charming restaurant, a good spa and rooms that are comfortable and functional. But the real highlight of staying here is the town of Ubud (the centre of Bali’s hip jungle scene) and it’s just 15 minutes away (by car; you wouldn’t want to walk the length of the driveway to the resort that snakes through paddy fields – it’s long). There’s so much to see, so you’ll understand why backpackers stick around for weeks on end.
We loved the double-decker markets for wood carvings, batik shorts and sarongs (go before 10am when it’s not so hot, and you may even get a ‘morning price’). Then order coffee and macaroons at Caramel Ubud Café.
OUR KIND OF LUXE
Leave time to work your way through the hotel’s impressive cultural menu. The trip to the volcano of Mount Batur and the village and beach tours were top of Brides’ list. GO Western Oriental (westernoriental. com) offers seven nights from £1,545 per person, based on two adults sharing a Superior Room, including breakfast, flights with Singapore Airlines and transfers.
