Kamandalu Hotel in Ubud, Bali

Essentials
• Location: Jalan Andong, Banjar Nagi, Ubud.
• Hotel website: kamandaluresort.com
• Hotel phone: +62 (0)361 975 825
• Check prices for Kamandalu Ubud

Kamandalu Ubud – Individually-designed villas in a pristine valley, ideal for honeymooners and families.

A short drive from downtown Ubud, this sophisticated resort offers a traditional rural setting. Designed to some extent like a Balinese village, chalets and villas (with up to three bedrooms) face rice fields, lagoons, private gardens, or the valley. The extensive landscaped gardens are sprinkled with palms, gazebos, fountains, and statues, and the infinity pool facing the ravine features an inviting swim-up bar. All accommodations are traditionally designed and come with four-poster beds, plentiful luggage space, and massive bathrooms with outdoor showers and sunken bathtubs, while some also have private pools. Although actively promoting ‘romantic getaways’, it also caters pleasingly well for families, offering a range of activities for the whole clan, and a children’s pool.

See Also

• Bali – Best Hotels
• Bali – Where to Stay
• Bali – Best Family Hotels
• Bali – Best Beaches

Kamandalu Ubud – The Location

• Area: The few facilities along the main road, 200m from the resort, are more for locals than tourists.
• Address: Jalan Andong, Banjar Nagi, Ubud. Along an access lane, 200m from the main road which extends northeast of Ubud, the most popular tourist region in central Bali. About 3 km from central Ubud.
• How to Get There: Best to arrange an airport pickup with the hotel, which is about an hour (40 km) away, depending on traffic. See other options under “Local Transport” below.
• Handy to: Birdwatching at Petulu village.

Kamandalu Ubud – The Basics

• Guests: Most guests are couples of all ages, with special focus on honeymooners. Also caters reasonably well to families.
• Kids Club: One of few resorts to offer activities for children, and ones which are more engaging than at resorts in Kuta/Legian, e.g. classes in Indonesian cooking and Balinese dance, crafts, and arts.
• Views: All accommodations face the gardens, and many also face lovely rice fields. Glimpses of the ravine and distant volcanoes are also possible.
• Private Pools/Jacuzzis: Many villas feature private pools, and some also have jacuzzis.

• Extras: Free shuttle services to downtown Ubud. Yoga classes each morning.
• Parking: Limited free and secure parking spots at the reception, but think long and hard before driving anywhere in Bali.
• How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
• Phone: +62 (0)361 975 825
• Email: sales@kamandaluresort.com
• Website: kamandaluresort.com

Kamandalu Ubud – Amenities

• Pool: One infinity pool with a swim-up bar in the middle. Attractive setting alongside the ravine with superb views. Another is for children.
• Spa: Remarkably, 2 spas, both very sophisticated and welcoming. Chaya Spa – Uses traditional methods and organic products. With sunken bath and yoga classes. • The Forest Spa – Sublime setting amidst the forest. Mostly for massages.
• Fitness Center: Surprisingly, there isn’t one.
• For Families: Cots. Child-minding.
• Activities: Decent selection of free activities offered, including cycling, bird-watching, cooking, yoga, and hiking.
• Other Facilities: Gift shop.

Kamandalu Ubud – Food and Drink

• Restaurants & Bars: Alun-Alun – Meaning ‘Village Square’, this is one of the more romantic places in Ubud. Specializes in 6-course menus. Dress up. And dinner only. • Tipi – Another elegant and intimate setting for dinner only. • Awana Pool Lounge – Alongside the exquisite pool, serving healthy food and drinks. Closes by 6 pm. • Petulu Restaurant – Open for buffet breakfast and à la carte dinner. Mostly Indonesian, serving the famous rijstaffel sharing plates. Award-winning and an extensive wine list. • Aira Café – Overlooking the pool for casual all-day dining.
• Breakfast: Usually included, but check when booking.
• Room Service: Available 24/7.

Kamandalu Ubud – Rooms

• Room Types: Ubud Chalet • Garden Villa • Garden Pool Villa • Valley Pool Villa • Pool Villa (with 2 or 3 bedrooms) • List of all Rooms
• Smoking Rooms: No smoking in the rooms or public areas, but permitted elsewhere.
• Best Room: While some have 2 or 3 bedrooms, the best villas with 1 bedroom are the Valley Pool Villas which feature infinity pools that blend into the forest. Adding to the immense appeal are the abundant floor-to-ceiling windows, garden bathrooms, and very elegant décor.
• For Families: Some villas have 2 or 3 bedrooms, all with separate living areas. Some also feature private pools.

Kamandalu Ubud – Local Transport

• Walking & Cycling: Some pleasant strolls among rice fields are within 200m up the street (away from the main road and past the Viceroy hotel), but too far for anything else on foot. The roads are too steep, narrow, and potholed for cycling. Ask the hotel about bike rentals.
• Public Transport: There is no reliable public transport anywhere in or around Ubud.
• Cars, Motorbikes, & Taxis: Car rental can be arranged at the resort, but driving anywhere in Bali is not recommended. Motorbikes are easy to rent and popular for visiting local attractions without the traffic of southern Bali. Metered taxis from southern Bali can drop passengers off in Ubud but are forbidden to operate here. So the best (and really, only) option for day trips is to charter a car with a driver. This should be organized through the hotel.
• Shuttle Bus: For towns popular with tourists (e.g. Kuta and Lovina), shuttle buses are comfortable and cheap, if a little overcrowded at times. Local operators, including the major island-wide company, Perama, will pick up (but not drop off) guests from hotels, but they probably won’t come out this far, so get a transfer with the hotel to/from Ubud. The Kura-Kura Bus company links Ubud with southern Bali, but schedules are convoluted and routes, confusing.

Kamandalu Ubud – What’s Nearby?

Best Nearby Restaurants & Bars

The only places for tourists are in nearby resorts:
• Andong Teras – At Element by Westin Bali Ubud resort for all-day dining and amazing views. South, down the main road.
• The elegant CasCades faces the ravine, and Apéritif, opened in mid-2018, is one of the world’s finest dining establishments. At Viceroy Bali resort, 350m further up the lane from the Kamandalu.

Otherwise, get a hotel shuttle bus to Ubud and visit these unique places:

• Ibu Oka – Offers almost nothing but babi guling (roast pig), a Balinese specialty. The outlet along Jalan Suweta is more spacious, and guests can peek into the kitchen (animal lovers beware).
• Bebek Bengil Dirty Duck Diner – Local institution specializing in crispy duck. Gorgeous setting. Come for dinner to avoid the day-trippers.
• Murni’s Warung – On 4 levels, facing a river and ravine. Local favorite since 1974 for Indonesian, Thai, and French food. Art shop inside.
• Bridges Bali – Super-swish and award-winning, with an extensive wine list, live music, valley views, and 5-star service.

Nearby Shops

• Basic grocery shop along the access lane, 100m before the resort, and better-stocked minimarts along the main road, 200m away. Otherwise, get a hotel shuttle bus to Monkey Forest or Hanoman roads, or the produce and art markets.

Nearby Attraction

• Petulu – About 2.5 km up the main road (ask for exact directions at the turn-off to the village). For reasons no one understands, hundreds of white herons and egrets have been flocking for decades to trees in this village only. Arriving en masse from about 4 pm daily, it’s a remarkable sight, best enjoyed from a low-key café among the rice fields.

Kamandalu Ubud – The Hotel