Arriving in Bali
My friend Aaron and I had planned this trip for a while. I booked my Turkish Airlines inaugural flight last year. Since then, I had not planned anything until a few months before the trip. As the trip got closer, we started doing some planning.
Initially, we were going to spend 4 nights in Bali at the same property. With my Citi Prestige credit card, I could book virtually any hotels and get 4th night free or 25% off. But, since Aaron was a “virgin” Bali visitor, we decided to split our time in Bali: 2 nights in Ubud and 2 nights at the beach.
Frangipani Flowers
My extended family owns properties in Bali. One of them is the one we were going to stay at in Ubud. To give a little background, Ubud is a small town (not so small) on the island of Bali, Indonesia. It is about an hour and a half drive north from Denpasar depending on the traffic. So for the first two nights, we will be staying in Ubud.
Booking
I contacted the hotel management. Within a day, they got back to me and quoted around $70.00 per night at family and friends rate. The hotel is bookable through online travel agents. The rate is quite reasonable.
Hotel Name: Ubud Dedari Villas
Location: Ubud, Bali
Room Type: Deluxe
Date: July 17-19, 2019
The hotel also provided a shuttle service between Denpasar and Ubud. The rate was reasonable and it was worth the convenience. But this time, it was nice of them to provide a complimentary round trip shuttle service.
Frangipani Flowers
Upon arrival at Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS), we were met by the driver at the arrival hall, after customs and immigration. I noticed that there were so many people picking up passengers. So I would highly suggest you get the driver’s contact information. I believe free Wifi was available throughout the terminal. So either call or send them a text – usually through WhatsApp. It was after 7 PM and the traffic was still heavy. It took about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
The Hotel: Ubud Dedari Villas
Quiet Night at the Property
The hotel is located rather in a secluded area. When I checked in, they had everything ready. We were also offered a welcome drink. The staff were very warm and friendly – everyone in Bali is just so nice!
Welcome Drinks and Cold Towels
The Room: Deluxe
The staff brought our luggage and escorted us to our room. I booked the deluxe room, which is located at the newer building. They also have several villas that are marginally more expensive.
Deluxe Room
As we got into the room, we noticed there was a rose on the bed. They thought we were on honeymoon – we weren’t. But either way, I thought that was cute! The room was spacious.
Deluxe Room Balcony
It has a large balcony overlooking the rain forest. The bathroom was nice too. It had that tropical feel to it. You could also open the bathroom blind and see out in the jungle while soaking.
Bathroom: Bathtub and Shower
The room rate included breakfast. While pretty basic, I thought it was so nice and relaxing to have breakfast on the balcony in the morning. The mist, crowing roosters, the birds – it was magical.
Breakfast with a View
The Pool
The property also has an infinity pool surrounded by frangipani or plumeria trees. It was the best place to just relax, have some beer, and do nothing. The weather could not be better. It was not humid or hot – it was just perfect.
Relaxing at the Infinity Pool
The following day was a little overcast, but that didn’t stop me from lounging at the pool.
Overcast Day
Infinity Pool Overlooking the Rain Forest
The hotel had basic amenities such as room service, laundry, massage, as well as a list of excursions around the area. That’s what we did on the second day. We rented a car and a driver to get around the area. I will cover that in a separate post.
Fruit Bowl: Orange, Star Fruit, and Salak
On the final day, we checked out around noon. The driver took us back to Kuta, where we stayed for the second half of our trip.
Conclusion
We had an amazing time in Ubud. The property we stayed at was wonderful. The staff couldn’t be any nicer and friendlier. The room was nice, clean, and charming. It was what we needed: unplug, relax, and do: nothing.
Rainy Day at the Property
I will not hesitate to stay here again and recommend anyone who wants to visit Bali.
