A budget hotel in Ubud near the Monkey Forest
Lovely grounds surrounded by rice paddies yet convenient to town
Clean rooms with balconies, soaking tubs, air-conditioning, and minibars
Stone-bottom outdoor swimming pool with sunken pool bar
Spa services and a light-filled yoga room
Two on-site restaurants and room service available
Free 24-hour area shuttle/car service to and from town, and nearby sights
Free Wi-Fi
No free breakfast; slow room service
Most rooms do not have TVs; spotty Wi-Fi signal
Considered one of the top budget hotels in Indonesia, the Tegal Sari is a complex of 27 rooms and villas located in Ubud near the Monkey Forest. The lovely tropical grounds are a highlight, and there are great views of the surrounding rice paddies. Rooms are simple but clean and have balconies, soaking tubs, air-conditioning, and minibars. There is a rooftop stone-bottom pool, and the poolside bar ensures cocktails are not far away. The two on-site restaurants and 24-hour room service provide reasonably priced menus, but many terrific Ubud restaurants are just outside the hotel. Spa services are available on-site, and the yoga room is a highlight. Be aware that the paths are rocky, and there are lots of stairs, which might pose a challenge to guests with limited mobility. A free 24-hour car service will take guests to and from town, and nearby sights. The Tegal Sari is popular and frequently sells out, so rooms, which can be reserved only through the hotel, often need to be booked at least six months in advance.
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Scene
Quiet, low-cost, tropical, and tranquil
The Tegal Sari is spread out, with the villas and rooms interspersed throughout the charming, well-kept grounds that are home to several ducks, geese, and fireflies. Guests can wander along the stone pathways, taking in the lily ponds with koi, delightful wooden bridges, and house-shaped lanterns. The vibe is that of a private tropical oasis, with fantastic views of the rice paddies and forest at every turn. The lobby is basically a check-in, check-out desk under a thatched-roof, with a few wooden benches and bucket of umbrellas that guests can borrow. Even though it's routinely sold out, the Tegal Sari never feels overcrowded -- the atmosphere is relaxed and quiet, and the is staff friendly and welcoming.
The complex does get dark at night, and solo travelers might want to request rooms close to the lobby to avoid stumbling around in the dark by themselves.
Location
Located in Ubud near the Monkey Forest
Situated in Ubud, this hotel is surrounded by shops, including the Coco mini-market, and restaurants but is also within walking distance of the famous Monkey Forest. Monkey Forest Road runs along the back of the hotel, and monkeys can often be seen wandering back to the forest in the early morning. The hotel's 24-hour free area shuttle and car service will also take guests to and from the famous Ubud Market, and as far as the Ubud Palace. The closest airport -- the Ngurah Rai International -- is more than an hour away, depending on traffic.
Rooms
No frills but generally clean and bright
The 27 rooms and villas at the Tegal Sari all vary in size and decor. Most are simple, with tile floors, plain walls sans art, and minimalist rattan or wooden furnishings. They are clean and well-maintained, and receive a good deal of natural light through their many windows. The beds have crisp white linens, and daily housekeeping and laundry service are available. Bathrooms have both deep soaking tubs and separate showers. Most rooms have some type of furnished balcony or patio, with views of the nearby rice paddies and Monkey Forest beyond.
Rooms have minibars, tea- and coffee-making facilities, air-conditioning, ceiling fans, and free Wi-Fi, but the signal is a tad spotty. Few of the rooms have TVs; some of the villas or higher-priced rooms come with flat-screen TVs, but receive only local channels. No free in-room water is provided, but bottles are available at the front desk, and guests can fill them from several gallon jugs set up around the property.
Several of the rooms face directly into a construction area, and others into a three-story building, meaning privacy is at a minimum.
As is common in a tropical setting, ants are present, but the hotel works to prevent infestations -- almost all the rooms smell like citronella, which is used to keep the bugs at bay.
The wooden rooms with their high thatched-roof ceilings and four-poster beds with mosquito netting draped from the canopies are the most authentic looking, and seem to be the most popular with guests.
Features
Small rooftop pool, two restaurants, spa services, a yoga room, and lots of extracurricular activities available
The small rooftop stone-bottom pool offers great views of the rice fields, and is a lovely place to relax with a cocktail at the sunken pool bar.
There are two on-site restaurants. The Abian Restaurant is near the lobby, and offers alfresco dining under a thatched roof; the reasonably priced menu features Indonesian, Asian, and European fare. On the opposite end of the complex is the Warung Semesta restaurant, which is bright and airy and more like a cafe -- it gives the feeling of eating in a friend's kitchen.
Spa services and facials are available in the Massage Pavilion. There are single and double treatment rooms, as well as a relaxation area. Hydrotherapy tubs are featured, and psychic readings as well as spiritual healing sessions can also be arranged.
There's a light-filled yoga room, and a weight bench and a couple of dumbbells under a thatched-roof hut.
The Tegal Sari will help guests arrange rice trekking, cooking classes, batik courses, woodcarving, and even kite flying lessons -- these all come with an additional fee.
