The 7 Best Hotels
in Ubud
Ubud is Bali's cultural hinterland — rice terraces, painters' studios, temple festivals, and an increasingly crowded main road — and the place the island's wellness economy first set down roots. Central Ubud has become touristy to the point of gridlock, which means the best stays are slightly out, in villages like Sayan, Kedewatan, or Tegallalang, where the jungle and river valleys still dominate the view.
The hotel category to know about is the private pool villa — Ubud's signature format, where you sleep in a small standalone building with your own plunge pool and river-valley view. COMO, Viceroy, Kayon and a handful of others do this at luxury scale. A second layer of smaller boutique hotels closer to central Ubud gives you walking access to the market and the Monkey Forest. We've picked across both, weighted slightly toward the valley villas since they're the whole reason to come.
The Kayon Jungle Resort
An adults-only jungle resort famous for its three-tiered infinity pool cascading down the valley — probably the single most photographed pool in Bali. Villas are private, design-driven, and most come with their own plunge pool. Service is the quiet standout: Balinese hospitality applied with international training.
- Three-tiered infinity pool overlooking the valley jungle
- Adults-only policy keeps the property calm
- Free high tea daily and several complimentary daily activities
- Twenty-minute shuttle to central Ubud
COMO Uma Ubud
The COMO group's long-running wellness-forward property — morning yoga with Budi (the most-praised instructor on the island), a world-class Shambhala spa, and rooms that read as understated compared to Bali's more theatrical resorts. The calm, the breakfasts, and the genuine wellness programming are what bring guests back.
- Daily yoga classes with Budi, widely regarded as one of Bali's best
- COMO Shambhala spa with treatments on a private riverside pavilion
- Health-forward breakfast included with juice and smoothie stations
- Fifteen-minute shuttle to central Ubud
Ibah
Owned by the Ubud royal family and built at the junction of the Wos and Campuhan rivers — a rare property that's both close enough to walk into town and genuinely immersed in nature. Mossy stone walls, antique Balinese carvings, and the kind of service where staff remember your preferences by day two.
- Stone-walled compound at the junction of two rivers
- Direct access to the Campuhan Ridge Walk trail
- Ten-minute walk to central Ubud restaurants and market
- Themed dinner nights and on-site cooking classes
MATHIS Retreat Ubud
A calmer, mid-range alternative to the big valley villas — pool overlooking rice fields, strong breakfast service, and rooms with proper baths and large showers. It's ten minutes from Sayan and the COMO/Viceroy corridor, far enough to feel quiet without being remote.
- Pool with panoramic rice-field views
- Generous breakfast with fresh-pressed juices and Indonesian options
- Rooms with proper tubs and rainshowers
- Shuttle to central Ubud and the Campuhan Ridge Walk
11 on Kajeng
A small boutique literally in the centre of Ubud, on Kajeng Street, but set back from the main road enough to feel like a garden retreat. Each villa is individually designed, with the kind of details — good linens, proper bathrooms, thoughtful art — that repeat guests appreciate. A rare Ubud property where you can walk everywhere.
- Ten minutes on foot from the centre of Ubud, but genuinely quiet
- Individually designed villas with garden-facing balconies
- Walk-in pool access from a private courtyard
- Close to the rice-field walk trail — accessible directly from the property
Sunshine Vintage House
Nick's hostel — small, social, family-feeling, and repeatedly rated as one of the best-run hostels in all of Bali. Banana pancakes every morning are the most-mentioned breakfast in the city. Nick helps with rafting, hikes, and scooters at good prices. The antithesis of a party hostel.
- Banana pancake breakfast every morning
- Owner-run; Nick handles tours, scooters, and local advice
- Two minutes from the Yoga Barn — Ubud's main yoga centre
- Private rooms available as an upgrade from the dorms
Aura Dormitory House Ubud
A very small four-room budget guesthouse that punches up with spotless rooms, great AC, and the kind of silent, peaceful atmosphere that's become hard to find in central Ubud. Free pancake breakfast with tea or coffee. Ideal if you want a budget base without hostel chaos.
- Only four rooms — two or four beds each, always peaceful
- Strong AC, hot water, and hotel-grade bedding at hostel prices
- Pancake breakfast with tea or coffee included
- Five-minute walk to Peliatan temples and the main Ubud road
How we chose these hotels
All picks run above 4.5★ with meaningful review counts, and we specifically filtered for properties with consistent recent reviews (Ubud has some beautiful hotels that have declined in maintenance since the pandemic — those aren't here). Valley properties include shuttle service to central Ubud, which is essential given traffic.
We excluded a handful of famous villa resorts whose recent reviews describe serious issues — mould, broken facilities, or non-functional pools. We also passed on the large cluster of new-build yoga retreats south of Ubud, which are fine as retreats but not as hotels.
When to visit Ubud
May to September is dry season and peak — clear mornings, afternoon clouds, comfortable temperatures. July and August can be crowded. October to April is wet season with daily afternoon rain and dramatic light over the valleys; cheaper, greener, but with a risk of multi-day rain. January is the wettest month.
See our full Ubud destination guide for more on rice terraces, temples, and yoga retreat options.