This is what I imagined Bali to be like, I thought to myself as I watched the sunny streets transform into a long shaded drive as we drove down the sheltered pathway leading to the Alam Indah Resorts in the infamous Ubud.
Ubud in itself is considered a retreat for so many – a refuge from the craziness that clutters that streets of Seminyak and Kuta. And though this small town can still feel a bit hectic and touristic, it is possible to find a hideaway like the kind that can be found at Alam Indah Resorts.
Located off the road just behind Monkey Forest Temple, Alam Indah feels a world away from the rest of Ubud.
It does not take long to see that the Alam Indah Resort and Spa offers travelers exactly what they seek: A serene, calm and peaceful resort where footsteps are as light as a feather and voices are as soft as pillows. The loudest things around are the smiles on the faces of any staff you come across, vibrant and bright to match the glowing sun that heats up the town.
And as the afternoon sun beats down on the rest of Ubud, I arrive at the open-air reception area, where I meet the friendly staff and am greeted with a refreshingly exotic juice that goes down smooth, instantly making me two seasons cooler.
Soon after one of the staff helps me with me bags and brings me to my garden view room that bears the name pisang, or banana in Bahasa Indonesian.
Immediately I want to revert to my childhood self and sashay around the room like some kind of princess singing a Disney song. I have instantly gone from backpacker to flash packer, and it feels beautiful and clean.
The room has a traditional design that maintains an air of sleek sophistication. Nothing seems the least bit out of place, and everything looks as if it were put together were careful consideration.
My queen-sized bed is made up of white linens and has a matching white mosquito netting that tucks back just behind the finished bamboo headboard. I never knew that a mozzie net could look so elegant. Just below the pillows rests a small, pink book that I pick up: a collection of Balinese folktales. I smile at the sincerity of it.
Two doors open up to a spacious balcony, where I am greeted by yet another peaceful setting that keeps the giddiness inside me bubbling up like a volcano. A small table sits to the left, and to my right there is a large and comfortable lounge just beckoning for me to retire with a good book in hand.
Just below me is the garden, made up of an adorable little pond and fountain set in the lush green grass and tall flowers that surround it. Just ahead in the distance is just the wooded forest that envelopes the resort.
The bathroom is sparkling and feels open to the elements in a protected way, with a wide window looking out on to the tree tops and thatched roof tops in the surrounds. It sparkles and shines like a new pair of shoes, and I fall in love with the shampoo and conditioner potion bottles that rest at the foot of the bathtub.
Immediately I do not love that the shower head is positioned at a medium-height over the bathtub without any doors to keep the water from make the marble floor slippery, but it is a massive improvement from the bucket showers I was using on the island of Flores.
I retreat to my balcony, where I power up my laptop and have a look at the Alam Indah menu. I read that complimentary tea and coffee is available all day, which I wish had been mentioned when I checked in, and I know that this will be a spot where the magic of my writing happens. There is only one element left to check.
It feels like angels are coming down from the heavens when I see that my room is a hotspot for internet, which is a rarity throughout so much of Indonesia. Though the staff did inform me the resort was wireless, they also asked that I be patient if I could not get full and hi-speed access from my room; however, it seemed like I hit the jackpot. Too many nights in recent weeks had I spent wandering and roaming streets with my laptop in the air trying to find a strong signal so that I could send through just one photo. For a journalist, the wifi at Alam Indah added a big check plus in my book.
As all travelers do, I set off exploring and meandered my way around the grounds of the resort. The reception area does strike me as odd, because I can not quite make out whether it is a restaurant, a simple dining area or an outdoor lobby area. It seems to be a combination of the three, though I can not see the kitchen and am not exactly sure where the food is prepared. Nonetheless, I was not too fussed as I had already decided that I would indulge in room service and enjoy beautiful meals and cups of coffee on my balcony.
I walk down a few stone steps down to the ground level and find the pool and pool deck, which is also built out into the forest. The day is as warm as an oven, and the pool rested gently before me like an oasis. Given how hot the days can be in Ubud, a resort with a pool is something to take into heavy consideration no matter whether you came here for lounging around or for getting out there in the rice fields.
After a short stroll around the property, I return to my room and notice two things I hadn’t before. I fall in love with the room all over again when this time I realize that the design is an open-air design of the traditional rooftop is absolutely charming, and I love the way the thatched roof just sits atop my room letting one space continue on to another.
Yet things are so traditional that I realise there is no room phone, which I can appreciate yet additionally do find to be a small bit of a nuisance when it comes to room service. Perhaps I am still a little too much of a New Yorker at heart, or perhaps the backpacker in me wanted to live as lavishly as possible, but throughout my stay at Alam Indah I did on several occasions wish I could just dial the front desk to order my coffee – even though my room was only just a stone’s throw away from reception.
I ordered my coffee at reception and made my way back to my room. A few minutes later a generous pot of coffee was delivered, along with a slice of cake as part of the afternoon tea service. I poured myself a cup of coffee, laid down on the lounge on my balcony and took out my much-loved journal, about my past weeks of traveling while letting nature be the soundtrack for my afternoon.
Night fell sooner than I had realised, and I once again made my way down to reception to place my dinner order. The menu offered a good variety of dishes from Western dishes to local Indonesian fare like mie gorang to an intriguing eggplant dish made with brown sugar cinnamon and local spices I had yet to come across elsewhere in Indonesia.
My dinner was delivered hot out of the oven in no time, and though it was smaller portions than I would have hoped for I was not expecting a feast given its incredibly reasonable and affordable price. I was also left feeling genuinely satisfied, and not too soon after did I feel like my bed was just calling my name. I fell victim to one of the best night’s sleep I had my entire trip.
Morning woke me with the sun lightly peeking through my windows and my stomach rumbling for the breakfast I had read about the night before: a choice of eggs, muesli, pancakes, assorted breads, fresh fruit – all my heart could dream up of on a plate. I went with a fresh omelette, fresh fruit with muesli, some croissants and fresh bread and another pot of coffee, an amazing spread that I was not so certain I could finish all on my own.
Yet I managed, and I soaked up the last couple hours of serenity on my balcony before venturing out into the wild streets of Ubud, teeming with monkeys running here and there and crowds of tourists looking to find themselves.
Personally, I found myself perfectly happy after a beautiful stay at Alam Indah, wishing I could have just moved in there for the duration of my days in Indonesia.
Alam Indah is the oldest of three Alam properties in Ubud and has served as a retreat for travelers for the past 20 years.
I was a guest of Alam Indah in UBud. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
