Samsara Ubud

There’s no question Bali is paradise; it’s only a matter of deciding which part of Bali is your personal heaven. If you don’t need the beach, there’s one contender that rises above the rest. Ubud, in the island’s densely forested interior, is no longer a secret, but it deserves every bit of its fame. And a hotel like Samsara Ubud need not reinvent the wheel in order to inspire; a thoughtfully designed, confidently executed luxury villa resort in an environment like this can’t fail to become a success.

That’s more or less the story here. The 17 villas, designed by local architect Popo Danes, are universally large and luxurious, with plentiful private outdoor space including heated pools and outdoor showers. The construction is modern and the style is classic-contemporary, more elegant than rustic, and soothing to an extraordinary degree.

In that vein, Samsara also features a full-service spa, and an infinity pool that’s nothing short of breathtaking, disappearing, in classic Ubud style, into the lush valley. The restaurant serves Balinese and Indonesian dishes in an environment that looks out into that same wild forest, and the poolside bar keeps it casual with drinks, pizza, and a lighter menu.