Villa Liang Ubud

“Liang” means happy in Balinese, and it is hard to feel anything else here. Ringed by rice fields, banana trees and swaying coconut palms, Villa Liang is a peaceful hideaway on the edge of Ubud, only about five minutes’ drive from the town centre and a ten-minute walk from the main road, yet it feels a world away from the traffic and crowds.

The home is built in the local style, with rock, marble, timber and soaring alang-alang thatched roofs that keep the rooms bright and naturally cool. A single open-plan pavilion holds everything the group needs: a long built-in sofa piled with cushions, an eight-seat dining table and a well-equipped kitchen, all decorated with paintings and traditional Balinese carvings. Outside, gentle steps lead into the pool, loungers line its edge, and a grass-roofed gazebo with a daybed offers shade beside a small lawn.

The three bedrooms are named after local birds, each with handmade teak furniture, a writing desk, a draped four-poster bed and an ensuite bathroom; the master suite adds a bathtub and its own terrace seating area. Breakfast is included every morning, and a chef, massages and airport transfers can be arranged. The Royal Palace, Ubud Market, the Campuhan Ridge Walk and the Monkey Forest are all close by.