Ubud Indonesia – 9 Our Favourite Hostels, Hotels and Resorts

The cultural capital of Bali, Ubud, has accommodation options that are as exotic, extravagant and varied as the travellers who traipse through the heart of the island. From authentic and traditional homestays; cosy guesthouses; romantic, luxurious honey-moon suites; to elaborate and tropical 5-star resorts; Ubud has it all.

The main areas to search for accommodation in Ubud

For travellers wanting to stay in Ubud, there are two options: staying in the more touristy Ubud Village nearby to Monkey Forest, or staying on the outskirts of Ubud which offers guests more seclusion from the crowds. Do your research and determine what works best for you and your travel needs.

The Ubud worldwide fascination is growing by the day, by the hour even. In keeping with its recent popularity is the rapid development of accommodation options in the area. Ubud is a small place, as such, new places keep being built further and further away from Ubud itself.

Knowing this, be sure that the accommodation that you’re booking online is, in fact, in Ubud. A good indication of this is its proximity to the Ubud Palace, which is the traditional centre of the small town. Beyond this small detail that could have a significant bearing on your experience of Ubud, it is otherwise difficult to go wrong. A quick scroll through the hundreds of pages of fantastic accommodations on booking sites is testament to this.

Budget

Khamandhani Ubud Hostel is among the most favoured hostels in Ubud. Primely situated less than a kilometre form the Ubud Monkey Forest, you’re right in the centre of the action. The hostel has some great facilities, including a BBQ for those evenings in with new friends and new food, a fridge in each of the 9 rooms, and Wi-Fi throughout the property. All rooms are air-conditioned and cleaned daily. The staffs are superb and offer additional services for your benefit, like laundry, luggage storage and shuttle services. Rooms range from 95,000 IDR per night for a bed in a four-person dormitory, to 120,000 IDR for your own room with an en suite bathroom.

Bali Backpackers is another contender for the title of great backpacker’s in Bali. The hostel is a bit further away from the town centre than you might like, but the 2 and a half kilometres to the palace and its surrounds is less than five minutes on your own scooter. The hostel provides secluded and comfortable little pod like beds for as little as 60,000 IDR a night! The lobby of the hostel is snazzy and upbeat, nothing short of what you would expect in Ubud.

In Da Lodge is the land of expats, beer, fresh coconuts and loud music. For some, this is spelled h-e-a-v-e-n. Indeed, the backpackers has a lot to offer for the party-seeking, good-time having tourist. Rooms in the hostel are cheap, starting at 40,000 IDR for a bed in a mixed dormitory. You’ll have permanent access to free Wi-Fi, will no doubt spend a few hours in the picturesque pool, and could even take five from the music and explore their library for a book to dive into. The lodge also offers some basic local fare from their restaurant, making it oh so easy to stick around for the day.

A slightly more upmarket option, but still very much on the budget end of things is the Pakis Ubud Hostel. For around 120, 000 IDR a night, you can afford to kick-back in the luxury of your own room. The rooms all come with balconies that look onto the peaceful grounds. The biggest positives for us were the included breakfast and the pool that we spent hours lounging about in. The hostel is well located, just a couple of kilometres from the Ubud Palace.

Mid-Range

When it comes to infinity pools, we’re absolutely sure that Dewa House Bisma has got the best - It is all sorts of magical. Beyond the edge of the pool are the tops of palm trees, standing tall in fields of rice crops. The rooms and their balconies look out over these same fields. Set in the more rural parts of Ubud, the retreat boasts solitude and tranquillity. For the very reasonable price tag of 400,000 IDR, you’ll get an air-conditioned room, free breakfast, and access to the aforementioned heavenly pool. Bookings fill up a while in advance, so you’ll need to book this before your arrival.

An equally tranquil, but far more centrally located spot is Darma Yogi House. The small guesthouse has rooms ordained in earthly colours and wooden furniture. Each of them includes air-conditioning and an en suite bathroom. Private and spacious terraces look out onto the tucked away, Instagram worthy pool. We could have spent our entire lives here if it wasn’t just a few steps way from the bustle of the town. Rooms go for around 350,000 IDR and are worth every single penny.

The Tetirah Boutique Hotel has gone ahead, it seems, and decided to outshine the majority of the local competition. At almost unbelievable rates of 400,000 IDR a night, the rooms look like something out of the Hilton’s repertoire. Your own couch, balcony, super king mattress, bathrobe and even slippers will have you feeling like you’ve hit the jackpot. The elongated swimming pool has pool lounges on either side, which is just another reason to stick around.

Top End

The Maya Ubud Resort is the epitome of upper-class luxury. Step aside Lego-like hotels, your minibar’s and romantic down lighting just cannot compete. Thatched private pool villas are something out of a dream. If you had all the money in the world, and had already taken care of world hunger and such, then this is probably where you would spend your days. A breath-taking view over the valley of rice fields is just the beginning of the magic. The private pool and garden, together with the utmost attention to detail inside the villa, makes for the ultimate location to kick-back and appreciate nature, yourself, and the genius who thought the place up. Really, if you have the money, you must investigate this for yourself. From 2,700,000 IDR to 8,200,000 IDR a night, rooms are don’t come cheap. However, having read each sentence prior to this, this price can be easily justified.

Samhita Garden is pretty much as good as it gets on this earth. The rooms seem to create a unique balance of zen and jungle, of clarity and density. They are expertly furnished with touches of brown and white filling the room with an earthly calm. Comfortable balconies look into and over the expanse of trees where shades of green squish into every nook and cranny of your pupils. Rooms are, of course, not the cheapest. Expect to pay between 700,000 IDR and 5, 000 000 IDR for a night in tranquillity. Should you be able to share the change for a night here, your intermittent swims in your private pool, the incredible views and the attentive staff will make it all seem worthwhile. Spend the money!