The Ubari Villa

Curtains of trailing vines spill down the garden walls at The Ubari Villa, framing a curved, jewel-blue pool set into a lawn of stepping stones, boulders and giant tropical leaves. Out on the Sayan side of Ubud, near the river and a short drive from the town centre, this three-bedroom house feels like it has been planted into the jungle rather than built beside it.

Life revolves around a long covered terrace, its timber deck lined with a big outdoor dining table and a lounge of deep armchairs, opening onto living rooms washed in warm colour, with orange cushions, polished floors and high timber ceilings. A thatched bale with a cushioned daybed sits at the edge of the garden for afternoon reading, and the open-plan kitchen and dining room make it easy to linger over breakfast, which is included each morning.

The three bedrooms, named Mahkota, Sawah and Batu, are calm and private, each with its own bathroom, air conditioning and a TV, and one doubles as an executive suite with a desk and lounge corner for anyone who needs to work. Beyond the gate lies everything that makes Ubud special: rice terraces, temples, markets, galleries and some of the island’s best restaurants, all within easy reach.