The Sungu Resort & Spa

The Rudana family -- the namesake of the nearby Museum Rudana art museum -- owns this charming little hotel, which is filled with beautiful Balinese paintings and carvings. The look throughout is a lovely rustic take on traditional Balinese style, with lumbung cottages and many thatched roofs dotting the green grounds. The property is full of beautiful plants and gardens, and hidden within those gardens are many sculptures and statues of Hindu deities. The gardens and small temples give the hotel a mystical quality. Staffers from the Museum Rudana and a local interior designer worked together to create the interiors and collect the beautiful antiques and artwork displayed throughout the hotel. The vibe is low-key and relaxed -- perhaps predictable for such a small-scale property -- and guests here are a mix of mostly families and couples, many of them from Europe. 

This boutique property is located on the main strip in the quaint, up-and-coming village of Penestanan, outside of central Ubud. To reach the hotel, you head out of Ubud and up a steep left turn after the Campuhan Bridge. The hotel is a 20-minute walk to the center of town -- it's a pleasant walk, but can be long in the heat -- or guests can ride the free hotel shuttle into town. Several popular restaurants and shops are next to the hotel, including a well-liked health food restaurant called Alchemy, just a minute or two down the road. The village of Pengosekan and the Agung Rai Museum of Art are about a 10-minute drive away. Ngurah Rai International Airport is a bit more than an hour's drive southwest of the hotel, outside of wild Kuta. 

The resort offers a mix of traditional hotel rooms and stand-alone villas. The look across all rooms is a blend of rustic, modern, and traditional, done in soothing shades of brown, white, and cream. Light marble floors are set with dark hardwood furniture, and bamboo makes plenty of appearances -- from the artsy woven headboards in some rooms to panels in the furniture and even the soaring pagoda ceilings. Traditional Balinese art hangs on the walls, and canopy beds are hung with mosquito netting. Rooms also open onto their own garden terrace, and potted plants and flowers throughout the interiors brighten things even more.

All rooms come with air-conditioning, mini-fridges, and electric kettles for tea or coffee. TVs are intentionally excluded from most rooms, though some of the villas do have televisions in the master bedrooms. Wi-Fi is free, but can be spotty. All units are spacious, with entry-level Superior Sungu Rooms starting at 24 square meters (258 square feet), not including the outdoor spaces and bathroom. Two-bedroom villas have even more space and include living areas and gardens with daybeds in many cases. Some have lovely private pools surrounded by Balinese carvings and lounge chairs.

Bathrooms are large in all categories and have outdoor components. They include an abundance of marble counter space, and separate bathtubs and showers -- some bathtubs are chic sunken units. While this is the tropics, we did spot some outdoor shower areas that could use a deep scrub on our visit. 

Despite it's small stature, there are plenty of features at this hotel, many of them well-liked by guests. The Sungu Restaurant serves Indonesian fare for all meals, and Niang Resto serves breakfast all day, as well as lunch and dinner. The jams, breads, and pastries served in the restaurants are all made at the hotel, and breakfast is included with the room rates. As elsewhere in the hotel, local art hangs on the walls in the restaurants, and most of it is for sale. 

The lovely main pool stands out for being almost completely tiled in tan marble. It's surrounded by trees, greenery, and frangipani flowers. Cushioned lounge chairs line the pool deck, and drinks and snacks are served poolside. There's also a second, smaller pool that feels even more private. The Sungu Spa is done in lots of natural materials like stone and wood. It includes a full menu of treatments, a whirlpool, and it's own spa pool as well.

Those looking to stay a bit more active have a good number of choices as well. Activities include painting lessons, free rice paddy trekking tours, music lessons, and classes in palm leaf creations. Guests also receive free passes to visit the Museum Rudana. A free shuttle makes regular trips into Ubud, and Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.