Arkamara Dijiwa Ubud — Hotel in Pulau Bali

Arkimara Resort in Ubud, Bali, is the perfect place to rest and reset. It is a hidden gem that offers a truly exceptional experience. From the moment you step foot onto the resort grounds, you are enveloped in a world of tranquility and beauty that is hard to find elsewhere.

One of the highlights of Arkimara Resort is its fantastic amenities. The resort boasts not one, but two pools—a main pool and a smaller, more intimate pool. Guests are encouraged to start their day with breakfast (we opted for the one that included it), which offers a delightful array of options to suit every palate.

For those looking to unwind and rejuvenate, the resort offers complimentary morning yoga sessions once a week, as well as a variety of other free activities to enjoy throughout your stay. The rooftop bar is the perfect spot to unwind with a refreshing drink while taking in the breathtaking views of the surrounding area.

One of the standout features of Arkimara Resort is its spa, which offers a range of treatments, including couples' massages. The Balinese massage is particularly noteworthy, with many guests, including myself, finding it to be the best they've ever experienced. The staff at the spa are highly skilled that you leave feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.

The resort also offers a daily shuttle service to the City Centre, which is free for all guests to avail. This is a convenient option for those looking to explore the area without the hassle of driving or navigating public transportation. Special shout to Candra who's been such a great shuttle driver throughout! Additionally, the resort offers city tours and car rental services, making it easy to explore the area at your own pace.

The resort itself is surrounded by stunning flora and fauna, offering a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, with large bathrooms that feature luxurious tubs perfect for soaking away the stresses of everyday life. I also had the pleasure of experiencing a flower bath prepared by Tude and his team, which was a truly indulgent treat after a long day of exploring the city.

What truly sets Arkimara Resort apart, however, is its staff. From the moment I arrived, I was greeted with warm smiles and genuine hospitality. Agung Gede, in particular, was a standout member of the team, serving as both a receptionist and tour guide. He went above and beyond to help out a guest, and his recommendations for food and coffee were spot on. Pande, another tour guide, was also a joy to spend time with. His laid-back and cheerful demeanor, coupled with his reliability, made for an unforgettable experience.

Special thanks also to the rest of the reception staff—Vini, Yogik, Dek Adi, Selsi, Dwik, and Narmada—for graciously accommodating my silly requests for food and milk in the middle of the night. Your kindness and hospitality will not be forgotten.

In conclusion, Arkimara Resort is a true paradise that offers a perfect blend of luxury, relaxation, and hospitality. Whether you're looking for a romantic getaway, a family vacation, or simply a place to unwind and recharge, Arkimara Resort has it all. The food in the resort is also amazing, serving Balinese classics. I cannot recommend this resort highly enough and cannot wait to return for another...

We picked Arkamara Dijiwa Ubud, aiming for a luxurious respite from our more adventuresome travel during a month in Indonesia. At quadruple the price of a standard Bali hotel, the allure of advertised free activities, spa treatment, fine food, and luxe surroundings sounded great. We were badly disappointed.

The room was very nice, with good air conditioning. The wifi didn’t work for most of our 3-day stay. The pools seemed unused; one plain and remote, the other quite nice in lush tropical gardens. The hotel is situated in an inconvenient location away from downtown Ubud, but borders a pretty jungle ravine. It is close as the bird flies, but may be 25+ minutes to downtown due to traffic and the circuitous route. The grounds are well-kept. One hotel wing is currently under construction or renovation, with minimal disturbance.

The restaurant was very poor. The prices were much more expensive than comparable options. The food was generally bad, with a couple items (e.g. some sort of fish croquette) verging on inedible. Like elsewhere in Indonesia, alcoholic drinks were poor and overpriced. Strangely, the restaurant was also way too small for the number of hotel rooms, and some of the seating was not fully protected from rain. The chairs were perhaps the most uncomfortable I have ever suffered. We could only laugh.

An excellent restaurant targeting the same audience is Kalyana, at Tejaprana Bisma hotel, with similar jungle ravine views, but more central to Ubud. We taxied there twice for great dinners. Similar quality is also available at the Westin, although even pricier. And of course Ubud is packed with cheap and mid-range restaurants, many of which are good. We sampled several.

We were also disappointed by the scheduled guest offerings at Arkamara Dijiwa Ubud. For example, the ‘free mixology class’ was actually ‘buy a cocktail and sit at the bar so the bartender can tell you how he makes it’. It’s a gin and tonic, duh. After eating at the restaurant, we lost interest in the cooking class. The spa looked nice from the outside, but at $45/hour for a massage, it was both a bargain (compared to US/Europe) and an extravagance (compared to $12/hour elsewhere in Bali). Since we were avoiding the restaurant, we didn’t return from our days in Ubud until long after dinnertime, at which point there was no time to try the spa.

The staff were excellent and tried very hard to be helpful. Pre-trip communication and payment were easy and convenient.

I recommend that you try a different upscale place, perhaps Tejaprana Bisma, or any nice, less expensive...

We really loved staying here for the first 5 days in Ubud.

The small hotel consists of around 10 villas with a small plunge pool and privacy walls. There's a smaller common pool, spa facility and restaurant. If you're looking for relaxation this is a great option.

The hotel is quite hard to find, located at the end of long side road, but Google Maps helped. If you want to rely on taxi or shuttle bus to go to the center of Ubud I think it's too far away, but if you're only going a few times or have a scooter it's no problem at all.

The staff is incredibly nice and considerate. They really made us feel at ease and were always there to help. Of all the places we stayed this time around Bali, they were the best.

You access the villa and right by the entrance are two sun beds. You have a small plunge pool to cool you down while sunbathing. There's a couch to chill in the shade and a kitchenette with a mini bar. There's a small table and two chairs. It's quite nice to sit outside at night. The room itself has a nice big bed, a couch, a small desk and nice big TV in front of the bed so you can chill and watch movies at night. My favorite part of the villa though is the large outdoor bathroom. At first I was nervous about mosquitoes and insects but beside a few geckos there's no problem. The shower is just wonderful.

The restaurant upstairs above the lobby is really nice, but not busy at all. Often we were the only ones there for either breakfast or dinner. If you're ordering juice for the first time, I recommend ordering without added sugar. Dinner offerings are quite good and also available as room service of course.

We stayed in the basic room without view over the forest. However, I almost prefer that since the chairs outside of the villas with a view are next to each other in the open and the view is nothing to speak of to be honest. Similarly with the view from the pool which is the same. It looks nice and I have no complaints but it's just staring into trees.

One thing I wasn't thrilled about was the relatively few spots around the main pool. Not that I needed to spend a lot of time there but I do like swimming which isn't possible in a plunge pool. During our stay, a few annoying people occupied the spots by the pool from morning...