reception area at Ayung Resort, Bali
This was truly one of the best accommodation experiences I’ve ever had. The Ayung Resort is located approximately 20 minutes out of Ubud town but there are free shuttle buses that take guests into town daily.
Set alongside the Ayung River, the resort is situated on eight hectares of lush tropical rainforest surrounded by picturesque rice paddies.Stone masons and Artisans have spent years carving sculptures out of the rock face providing guests with an insight into Ubud’s past. Adding to this are the decorative marble and wood sculptures adorning the place – in particular the foyer which could easily be mistaken for an art gallery or museum.
Sculpture at Ayung Resort, Ubud
On arrival we were welcomed in true Balinese style with refreshing iced cold drinks, a tasty snack and a rolled up tablet which you dunked into the water provided and it expanded into a refresher towelette. Our passports were then checked and we were taken to our room by buggy.
Welcome drinks on arrival at Ayung Resort Bali
The resort offers a range of accommodation options to choose from. We were staying in a Luxmana room with a balcony overlooking the infinity pool with swim up bar. A huge king bed rested on granite floors and a marble bathroom added to the feel of luxury. A flat screen TV and a fully stocked fridge were also in the room. The fridge was thoughtfully restocked each day with complimentary soft drinks, water and flavoured milks. With little time to waste we made our way to afternoon tea in the dining room (also complimentary). As we sat there in the grand dining room, I felt like I was straight out of a scene from one of those old movies at one of the opulent grand hotels in Asia. I hope my parents and daughters get to experience this one day too.
our verandah overlooking the pool at Ayung Resort Ubud Bali
We then explored the expansive grounds and marvelled at the work that had gone into the place. Soon after we returned to our room there was a knock on the door where we were greeted with an assortment of miniature quiches as a welcome. At this rate, I wouldn’t be needing any dinner tonight.
The resort offers a number of activities such as white water rafting, cooking classes, free yoga each morning, trips into town, the usual spa treatments and special events such as traditional dance shows held in their own amphitheatre.
Ayung Resort Ubud Bali
What makes this place truly stand out as being a cut above the rest is their restaurant and the quality of their food. Breakfast is a la carte with the upstairs dining room providing worthy views of the surrounding rice paddies. We were asked if we would like pastries with our hot breakfast and a basket of selected sweet breads and pastries were delivered to our table which would have been more than sufficient on their own.
Bakery with breakfast at the Ayung Resort Ubud
On the night of our anniversary we came back to our room to find a dessert in the shape of a heart. It seemed they had thought of everything in trying to make our stay as special as possible. Each night a chocolate was placed on our bed which was again a thoughtful gesture.
different chocolates were left on our pillows each night at the Ayung Resort, Bali
In summary: Staying at the Ayung Resort was a wonderful experience and there are not many places where I vow I will be back but this is definitely one of them. The resort, the service, and the food were all impeccable and we are not alone in feeling this way, given the five star rating this place gets on TripAdvisor. It is also surprisingly inexpensive making it excellent value for money. I highly recommend it.