The Hotel I checked into COMO Uma Ubud on my birthday trip to Bali pre-Covid, with this being the first COMO property I have stayed in. There are three COMO properties in Bali, with one in the up-and-coming hipster district of Canggu and the other two in Ubud. COMO Uma Ubud is located within a five minutes drive from Ubud city centre and is a cosy 46 rooms, suites and villas property. My first impression of the property is the warm hospitality and service of the staff from the moment I checked in.

The property is designed like a traditional Indonesian village and there is lush greenery all around the resort.

The Villa With three nights in mind, I reserved the Garden Pool Villa which is a sprawling area size of 193sq m. I checked into villa 16 and the layout of the villa is split into two main parts, the main room and private pool to left while the bathroom is to the right. The semi-open middle area is a small courtyard with a small pond and koi fishes.

For one, the air-conditioned bathroom is very spacious with two basins for ease of washing up. It comes with a bathtub overlooking the courtyard, a spacious wardrobe which can fit two cabin size luggage bags, and a rainforest shower space which can fit even five people at one go.

The sleeping area has a clean, white look which I would probably describe as homely rather than luxurious. The mosquito net around the bed is the most important design here, and you will need this. In terms of accessories in the room, there is a Bose docking station and a 55” TV, which I didn’t even use at all.

This villa also comes with a small private pool and two sun deck chairs. Due to the location of the property, you will only get bits of the morning and noon sun in this private pool, which is really more of a dipping pool.

The Facilities For serious swimming, there is a 25m public pool and a small gym for fitness junkies.

One strong aspect of COMO hotels is the experiences offered to guests and there are a couple of daily activities which guests can sign up for here, be it complimentary or paid activities. Some of the complimentary activities on site are the daily walking tour around the local village and rice field, and daily yoga sessions. Otherwise, there is the option of other activities like white water rafting. I joined the morning walk around the village which is a leisure one hour walk with a guide.

I managed to try a Deep Tissue Massage at the COMO Shambhala Retreat where I thought that the prices are fairly reasonable. A 75 minutes massage cost me under IDR1 million and I had a pretty good massage during my visit.

Yogis will delight at the yoga pavilion in this property which overlooks the Tjampuhan valley.

The Restaurants The all-day dining restaurant where breakfast is served is Kemiri, complemented by Uma Cucina which is an Italian restaurant within the hotel property as well. I had meals at both concepts, with Uma Cucina being quite disappointing if you are looking for authentic Italian dishes. I was not impressed with the pizza or pasta I had at Uma Cucina.

Breakfast at Kemiri is not too bad, as you get to choose ala carte options from a menu, complemented by a small buffet spread which has healthy juices, bread and local snacks.

Rants One practical concern of the villa I stayed in is the inconvenience of getting to the bathroom at night as you will need to go through two doors. As you are also “embracing” nature, do not be alarmed to spot mosquitoes and other insects around the room. There is also nothing much to explore within walking distance of the property, which is not a big concern if your intent is to stay disconnected from the world by just staying and relaxing in the resort – which is what I did.

Overall Experience There has been a growing number of luxury resorts in Ubud in recent years such as the likes of Capella and Hoshinoya. COMO Uma Ubud feels like a boutique size resort as compared to these brands and is worth staying if you are more into the wellness aspect of a trip. I can sense that the staff here tried their best to provide good service, which I appreciate especially when there is always a conscious attempt to address me by my first name. It may not be the most luxurious resort in Ubud, but one not to be overlooked.

COMO Uma Ubud
Jl. Raya Sanggingan, Banjar Lungsiakan, Kedewatan, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia

For more information, check out the COMO Uma Ubud Website.

Ranted by The Ranter