Bedulu Cliff Estate

Far below the balconies of Bedulu Cliff Estate, the Petanu River slides between mossy boulders, and a long spiral stair winds down through the jungle to a yoga sala perched just above the water. The estate clings to the edge of a river gorge in Bedulu, east of central Ubud, with rice paddies on one side and an unbroken wall of forest on the other.

Two neighbouring villas, one of four bedrooms and one of five, are let together as a single private estate for nine bedrooms in all. Bedroom pavilions are spread through the grounds and linked by walkways over the paddies, so everyone has a quiet corner of their own. Each villa has its own living room and dining space, with deep red sofas, timber floors and open balconies hung over the valley, and two swimming pools sit among lawns and tropical planting.

Mornings start with a stretch in the riverside sala or a treatment in the open-sided spa pavilion, its massage beds facing the treetops. Bedrooms feel like treehouses, with four-poster beds, dark timber and tall windows filled with green, each with its own ensuite and open shower. The ancient Goa Gajah temple is close by, and Ubud’s galleries, markets and restaurants are a short drive away.