There are just not enough words to describe how beautiful Bali – the Island of the gods- really is, all those perfect postcard pictures just don’t do justice to the striking, magnificent views of crystal clear blue waters, tropical jungles and sublime sunsets.
But Bali is known for so much more than its picturesque beauty, the essence of the atmosphere has something so authentic which is difficult to describe. The mysterious yet peaceful vibe and inviting ambiance has drawn travelers from all over the world and has left even the most seasoned traveler in wonderment of the adventure. Part of this wonderful experience has to do largely with the Balinese people and their warm and welcoming character.
This kindness and hospitability was evident upon being welcomed by the staff to Komaneka at Bisma, a resort located in the midst of a little valley of rice fields, enclosed by the ever enchanting tropical forests surrounding the town of Ubud, with its budding art scene and miscellany of cultural heritage. Even though the resort is quite large, it still retains a high sense of personal character and warmth through its unique interior design. Later upon meeting half of the lovely couple who owns the chain of Komaneka hotels, we learned that they hand pick all of the art work displayed throughout the lobby and lounges personally, having started their business endeavors by opening an art gallery supporting local artists from Ubud.
Private Pool Villa
After being driven by a golf cart to our villa with private infinity pool, we were completely baffled by how spacious, luxurious and elegant the villa was, feeling like Hollywood celebrities! Besides the breathtaking view of the jungle from the infinity pool, the sense of seclusion while being out in the open natural environment is so romantic. Privacy is guaranteed due to the clever positioning of all the villas, we felt like we were the only two people in the world, taken over by a state of total tranquility while reclined on the loungers of our private terrace. Besides another covered lounging area, the fully equipped outdoor kitchen and bar was located on the right side of the terrace, with the dining table positioned alongside the pool. Inside, the spacious bedroom offered a gorgeous king size canopy bed, behind which the big windows above the headboard can be closed with traditional wooden shutters. Another inside lounge area with widescreen television and desk leads us to the next room which serves as a dressing room, with each side obviously designated as the ‘his’ and ‘hers’ dressing area with each their own sink, mirror, desk and large wardrobe. The bathroom, with entrance to the terrace, offered a lovely free-standing clawfoot bathtub with romantic dangling candle lanterns and the spacious rain shower featured a glass door that opened to another separate outdoor shower in the private garden at the back of the villa.
The guest services and amenities at Komaneka at Bisma are excellent! After waking up and walking over to the restaurant for breakfast in the morning, the view looking out over the main pool and jungle from the restaurants’ terrace is quite amazing. We were pleasantly surprised with the extensive breakfast menu they offered, specifically divided into categories of –Western, -Asian, -Indonesian and Balinese cuisine. We got completely hooked on the traditional Indonesian breakfast dish “Bubur Ayam” after trying it here, which is a hot rice porridge with herbs and with (or without for vegetarians) chicken. After the hostess told us it was also possible to just order breakfast by phone and have it brought to the villa, we did this for the rest of our stay and enjoyed the convenience of having our breakfast set up beautifully at the pool table every morning. Furthermore, housekeeping provides services twice a day making the villa ‘day ready’ by setting up all the lounge covers and umbrellas on the terrace in the morning, while tidying these up in the evening when they draw all curtains and set up the canopy bed in the evening. We loved the cute details such as traditional ‘his’ and ‘hers’ pajama’s laid out on the bed along with a nighttime story, which was usually about Balinese history, culture or a traditional Indonesian fairytale.
