This bamboo cottage is a secluded eco retreat down a quiet foot path nestled in the rice fields and only a five minute walk to central Ubud. Open air basket weave bedroom with mini loft, modern elegant bathroom and outdoor living area make this a truly unique Bali experience.
The space
This is a woven house made almost entirely of bamboo. It is open air and as close to living in nature as you get. Our main lodge is down a private footpath only accessible to cottage guests. if you choose to join us for dinner, a swim or for socializing with other guests you are welcome to enjoy this common space with a pool and a swing. :) The room comfortably fits two people but we allow p to four to book but this means adding extra beds so please be aware that the space was designed for two or if you have a child the sleeping loft is a good option.
Guest access
We have a complete menu and full service to the cottage is just a phone call away. We offer a complete menu including bar and you are welcome to join us and socialize or we can prepare dinner served with candlelight and all accessories for a formal dining experience under the stars.
Breakfast is not included in your stay but it is delicious and we suggest you order it.
We also have a fireside experience on-site if you want to experience a camp-style meal that you can cook yourself on the fire as well as a prepared and serviced campfire. This is not included in the price of the stay so please request it in advance.
The property is surrounded by rice fields with many opportunities for hiking. We also have a funky little bamboo spa down the path, we think you will enjoy it.
Other things to note
This is a unique place and is not for everyone. It is eco tropical living at its best but with that comes nature in all its glory. Things to note: There is no air-conditioning although because of the location there is a constant cool breeze and you may even enjoy the quilt we provide at night. This cottage is a woven basket with a living bamboo and traditional grass roof leaving it totally open and in nature. There is no door or walls. Some people have asked about security. It is very secluded and very safe. there is a cabinet you can lock up valuables in if you like. We have staff available to assist you and ensure you have what you need at all times. You will be very well cared for.
Sleeping in nature is something most of us don't do as we sleep in sealed rooms. It can be transformative to sleep in a natural setting, open to the cool night air, listening to the crickets and chirping geckos, the sounds of the nearby rushing stream with the fireflies glittering in the night. Don't let the unusual openness of the space deter you, this is an experience you won't soon forget. but there will be a bit of rain in the bathroom and ants may sometimes get in so if you saw us on Netflix and only like the idea of camping but never have, please ask yourself if this is really the place for you. We are designed for the adventurous nature-oriented traveler in mind. If you prefer sealed-up aircon rooms please consider if you are really up for this. Additionally, we ask you to book this space at your own risk. there is a path with a steep decline as well as other features that will require you to look after yourself.
Bali 101:
Welcome to Bali, no this is not like where you are coming from. To hopefully enhance your experience we want to provide you with a bit of cultural context. People often feel disappointed when they try to make Bali what they are familiar with. We hope by describing a few scenarios that this helps as Bali has things about it that may be very different than you are used to.
1. “There is a lizard staring at me from the ceiling who pooped on the floor and there are ants crawling along the wall in the bathroom” The outdoors will come inside. Crickets, spiders, and certainly a resident gecko and wasps will all join you in your living space. No matter how fancy the villa there is no keeping them out. Given that all of our bathrooms are open air this is something to embrace as part of the experience and not be afraid as they are all harmless.
2. “I can hear roosters and dogs and the temple and even the occasional pig being sacrificed at midnight, oh and the crickets are too loud to sleep.” Yes indeed, all true. When I think of Bali I think of roosters, they are very proud of their fighting cocks and spend a great deal of time with them, often keeping them quite close to living spaces so your neighbor may very well have one. our neighbor certainly has both and his dog barks a lot and has attempted to scare away many a guest but don't be afraid he is harmless. The temple is a charming sound that echo thru the night and adds the to atmosphere but it can be less charming when they begin to sacrifice pigs at midnight. Peaceful Bali? Well its all a matter of perspective bali is here to be itself not just to be a peaceful place for you to relax, enjoy these new and unique sounds as part of the atmosphere and don't expect it to be a photo, it is a real living place.
3. “An old lady with a machete and no shirt on just wandered into my living room” Balinese have a very different relationship to personal privacy than we do. It is not uncommon for neighbors or rice-field farms to wander into your space and personal property. because they are curious about you or simply because they want to borrow your sugar. They may not even ask as they would imagine you would do exactly the same. This can be very startling at first and takes some getting used to. You are welcome to ask them to leave but do keep in mind they are more than likely not there to harm you just used to sharing personal space.
4. “There are naked people in the stream by the house” it wasn’t very many years ago that all Balinese women were topless as their normal daily attire. Now only the traditional old women still maintain this style of dress but it is still very common to see people publicly bathing in ricefield streams naked. You may even see this from your front porch. Don’t be alarmed this normal here and they will not even feel embarrassed if you wave
5. “The guy tried to over charge me” there is a very different relationship to money here. Think of it as a tug of war with a rope in the middle, it’s not that they are trying to steal from you or cheat you or have anything against you at all they are just pulling on the rope to get as much money as they can, if you don’t tug back then they won. Don’t get angry or feel the need to have hurt feelings just negotiate calmly to lower the price to something fairer. Negotiate everything in every situation, you will use these skills later when you need to ask for a raise with your boss. ;)
6. “everything is damp” yes this is the tropics and especially during the rainy season everything can feel a bit damp and can mildew quickly even within a day. If your clothes need fresh laundering after being in a suitcase or if the sheets need to be changed for this reason just let us know and we will assist you.
We hope these scenarios help you to be prepared if you face them and feel free to let us know should you need additional help navigating in this new environment. Also please be aware that this is a house with two cats who live there, we very much want to host people who are cat friendly as the cats are very much running the resort and we want you to be able to include them in your stay.
