On this trip we didn't book any transfers, so had to organise for a very large car to take the 6 of us plus bags to Ubud. We found a guy called Eric Claftoen (081 2360 40417) just out the front of the Febris and booked his extra large bus/car for 250000Rp. Which we thought was great considering how many of us there were, how many bags, and I think a normal cab from the airport was 170000Rp to Ubud. Gede was also another great driver near by 081338629598.
We had booked the private Jamsine Villas at the D'Omah hotel in Ubud. Our driver didn't know where this was but I knew it wasn't far from Murnis Warung so we stopped there and made dinner reservations and got them to direct our driver to our hotel which as it turns out was just up the next bend and very close by on Penestanan Kelod. The D'Omah is in a battleaxe position from the road so it doesn't look all that luxurious as you drive in but once you walk into the hotel the gardens and water features are lovely. I am pretty sure that we were the only guests at the hotel when we arrived although a few more guests arrived during our stay. Now after we booked this hotel I found a really nasty report on trip advisor about it which worried me but I shouldn't have been, these guests stayed here one night and left. We absolutely loved this hotel. With the number of cupboards etc in our rooms makes me think that maybe these were actual residential villas that have been turned into a hotel. And I can see that the staff are still working to fix things up so maybe it had been derelict for a while before establishing the hotel. They were in the process of redoing the restaurant which didn't bother us as you could still order room service and there are so many great places to eat in Ubud anyway.
We had the whole back corner of the complex to ourselves and our villa had a bottom room complete with dressing and bathroom, separate kitchen with extra large fridge, enormous outside lounge area with 2 full size sofas, two armchairs and a daybed, upstairs had another super large canopy bed with another change room and bathroom with a balcony with more furniture and day bed. Then we had our own private pool and gazebo. We ordered breakfast and it was served on our private gazebo and the breakfast was AWESOME. There were DVD players in both rooms. The staff couldn't do enough for you.
Eating
We ate at Murnis Warung the first night, which I always enjoy but my sister ordered a steak which she didn't think much of. There were a few resident house cats at the hotel (heavily pregnant) who enjoyed her leftovers.
We also ate at Café Wayan on Monkey Forrest Road for two nights. We all loved our meals here. My daughter ordered the lemon chicken and for the rest of the trip kept looking for that same item at other places because she loved it so much. My sister had the carbonara and said it was wonderful. We also bought some cakes to take back to the hotel for cake and coffee that night. Their cakes are so yummy.
Ponduk Ponduk is across the road from Zen Spa on jalan Hanoman, near where it meets Monkey Forrest Road. We had a great early dinner here one night after a spa treatment.
Ibu Rai charming restaurant on Monkey Forrest road, food beautifully presented here.
Shopping
Bought a few playsuits at Ubud market for 30000Rp although I sometimes find Ubud market harder to bargain at as they must have so many tour buses coming through. Also bought some sweet sandals for 25000Rp.
Headed to Jalan Raya Andong to visit a few shops I love there. Was disappointed to find Giatri Pottery had closed down, but we bought a few bits in Kertis Woodcarver next door which has loads of prepackaged items (flowers, coasters, pencils, carvings) a bit like Geneva. I spotted an antique looking lady carving upstairs but was disappointed to find wood borer holes in her base, so always pays to look carefully at any wood items you want. We made our way further up the road by taxi to Mahartha Handicraft (0361) 977483 which sells metal items at a fraction of the price you can buy at the Ubud market or in Legian. They mainly specialise in painted items. On this trip I bought some hanging fish candle holders 25000Rp, character photo frame holders 10000Rp, decorative hangers 30 000rp, some mouse sculptures 20 000Rp, xmas tree candle holder 30 000Rp.
Found another great shop just near the monkey forrest called Amnesia and bought some more metal pieces that I hadn't seen anywhere else before, some elephant hooks, frangipani and hibiscus hangers etc. Lady there was lovely and was practicing my Indonesian with her during the transaction.
If you turn left from our hotel instead of heading towards Ubud market you come to Bintang supermarket which is a great supermarket and has some takeaway delivery menus at the front of their store in case you want to order into your hotel.
SPAS
My sister really wanted to pamper herself so we had several treatments during our stay.
Zen Spa we had a Spice Bath and Mandi lular (flower bath) here 160000Rp always lovely.
Verona Spa, only had time to have an hour massage treatment here before dinner at Café Wayan. We had a new double room looking over a rice field, was lovely. 100 000Rp.
Botanica Spa is a bit further out (past Ananda Cottages) but does have pick up service (0361) 976 739 and is good to book in advance. This place was lovely, I had a Mandi Lulur with flower bath and my room (number 7) had an enormous oval stone bath overlooking a stream. Was divine.
Driver
The hotel were so great as they drove us wherever and whenever we wanted even though it was outside of normal shuttle hours, but we had a great driver who drove us home most trips especially from Café Wayan his name was Gus Man 0817346218 and email gusmanbajra@yahoo.co.id. Can highly recommend him.