The best Ubud resorts with jungle views and jaw dropping swimming pools are secluded hotels set amidst lush tropical gardens, rice terraces and rainforest with sweeping valley vistas. There’s a resort for every traveller, from budget boutique to ultra luxurious, and Ubud Food Festival, Bali Arts Festival and a new art market provide reasons to book right now.
The Indonesian island of Bali is well and truly open now – visas on arrival are available to travellers from 72 countries and PCR tests are no longer required – and Bali lovers have begun to trickle back to bask on its wide beaches, surf its superb waves, sip cocktails while sunset watching on its sands, and dine in its outstanding restaurants – which is why you need to get back to Bali soon to beat the crowds.
A few more reasons to book a Bali trip now: the month-long Bali Arts Festival just launched after a two-year hiatus and will run until 10 July with free arts events across the island, and the enormous Sukawati Traditional Art Market has reopened with a third big brand-spanking new building on the road to beautiful Ubud, Bali’s artistic and cultural heart.
The best news for Asian food lovers and culinary travellers is that the Ubud Food Festival is also returning after a two-year break and will take place from 24 to 26 June in Ubud, with some 70 events, including cooking demos, tastings, workshops, and discussion panels. And, of course, there’s another reason: Bali needs you.
While the Indonesian island began to welcome international tourists back in September last year, following the first stage of easing restrictions, Bali’s tourism industry was hard hit by the pandemic and is still recovering. In response, Bali launched a new and more sustainable tourism strategy – in the past, the focus was on cheap package holidays – and is now encouraging travellers to stay longer (and spend more!) and really immerse yourselves in the place and its culture.
The best Ubud resorts provide a range of engaging experiences to help you do just that, however, if you’re not yet ready to make new friends, Ubud is a fantastic destination for travellers keen to continue social distancing as much as possible, with many of the Ubud hotels and resorts below offering secluded accommodation with private pools and balconies, spacious terraces and gardens, and plenty of airy open spaces.
Bonus: fresh mountain air, forest sounds, lush gardens and rice terraces for hikes and strolls, and breezy dining and drinking spots. Plus there’s a resort for every budget, from affordable to ultra-luxurious, though keep in mind that it is high season now and prices are at a premium. Later in the year, rates will have dropped by half in some cases. Also check Luxury Escapes, a travel site specialising in luxury for less, with deals sometimes up to 50% off.
We’ve included a mix of Ubud resorts, hotels, villas, and a guesthouse in the heart of Ubud and in surrounding villages. Properties not in town offer transport to Ubud, from free shuttle buses to private vehicle with driver and car rentals.
Before I tell you about our picks of the best Ubud resorts with jungle views and jaw dropping swimming pools I have a favour to ask. Grantourismo is reader-funded. If you’ve used our guides and found them helpful, please consider supporting Grantourismo by using our links to book accommodation, rent a car or campervan or motorhome, buy travel insurance, or book a tour on Klook or Get Your Guide. We may earn a small commission but you won’t pay extra.
Best Ubud Resorts for Jungle Views and Jaw Dropping Swimming Pools
These are our picks of the best Ubud resorts with jungle views and jaw dropping swimming pools, beginning with the most luxurious Ubud resorts worth a splurge right down to the best value budget boutique hotels in Ubud.
Alila Ubud
Boasting one of the most awarded resort swimming pools in the world, located high on a lush hilltop above the Ayung River, the luxurious Alila Ubud is our pick of the best Ubud resorts with jungle views and jaw dropping swimming pools.
Designed by the internationally acclaimed Kerry Hill Architects and inspired by a traditional Balinese hillside village, Alila Ubud’s thatched-roof timber Valley Villas perch on stilts overlooking the forest canopy, while the Pool Villas are hidden behind high stone walls with courtyard garden pools. Four poster beds feature throws and cushions made from Balinese textiles, while the wooden furniture is hand-crafted locally.
The property is also one of the most sustainable Bali hotels. Green initiatives to minimise environmental impact include the use of local produce, reduction of waste and packaging, and eco-friendly amenities, and the resort gives back to local communities through employment, economic opportunities, and community projects.
The award-winning Plantation restaurant is a member of Slow Food Bali, offering delicious farm-to-table cuisine, including authentic Balinese food prepared with produce harvested from the resort’s organic garden and sourced from local suppliers. And it’s stunning, with high ceilings and lofty coconut pillars supporting a traditional alang-alang roof.
Don’t miss the multi-course Rijstafel (‘rice table’ in Dutch) to share, with dishes such as Tongkol Sambal Matah, grilled local tuna with shallots, torch ginger and lemongrass, and Rendang Sapi, braised beef rump in Sumatran paste, coconut milk, potato, and fried shallots.
A bonus for experiential travellers: plenty of engaging and immersive experiences to be had, including a session with a Balinese healer; a melukat blessing with a Pedanda priest in a Brahmin village; Balinese art, architecture and temple tours; and rice terrace hikes and countryside treks.
The 5-hour Balinese organic culinary masterclass begins with a trip to the market to shop for ingredients and learn about Balinese spices, flavours and techniques, followed by a cooking class in the breezy kitchen by the organic garden. Other activities include tai chi and yoga classes in the garden and Balinese dance classes for the kids, and there are free shuttle services into Ubud, including in the evening to restaurants and bars.
Book Alila Ubud online with our booking partner Booking.com
Capella Ubud
Nestled amidst lush rainforest and rice terraces 7kms from Ubud, the luxurious 5-star Capella Ubud is our pick of the best Ubud resorts with jungle views and jaw dropping swimming pools if money is no object.
Perhaps the most lavish glamping accommodation in Southeast Asia, Capella Ubud is also one of the quirkiest of luxury tented camps with 22 individually-styled and whimsically-decorated one-bedroom tents and a two-bedroom lodge.
Only a few years old, Capella Ubud was designed by flamboyant Bangkok-based starchitect Bill Bensley, creator of some of the region’s most imaginatively designed lodgings. Inspired by Bali’s early adventurers and explorers, the décor features claw-foot bath-tubs, vintage suitcases and Indonesian antiques.
The Rainforest Tents have vistas over the surrounding forest, the River Tents look over the Wos river (and so close you’ll be lulled to sleep by the sound of the water), while the Keliki Valley Tents boast panoramic valley views; all best taken in from the outdoor decks and saltwater swimming pools.
By day, your personal assistant can arrange Bali excursions and spa treatments, while after dark you can savour gastronomic meals at one of the inventive restaurants, enjoy an interactive Asian street food barbecue, or listen to local storytellers around the camp fire.
Book Capella Ubud online with our booking partner Booking.com
Hanging Gardens of Bali Payangan
If the idea of a luxury 5-star resort set in a tranquil rainforest appeals but you’re not so taken by the quirky design of Capella Ubud, then the Hanging Gardens of Bali Payangan might be for you and it’s another of the best Ubud resorts with jungle views and jaw dropping swimming pools.
The 44 villas either overlook lush forest canopy, look through dense vegetation, or look onto the Ayung River, with its cascading waterfalls. All have private infinity pools and timber decks, although the resort’s main double-tiered swimming pool, frequently voted one of the world’s best pools, is absolutely breathtaking and worth a dip or three.
Here the luxury is understated and the spacious breezy villas decorated in a modern Balinese style with traditional elements, such as rattan furniture, hand-carved wooden bed-heads and Balinese textiles.
There are more lush valley vistas from the spa and restaurants, including the airy Three Elements restaurant, as well as forest views to be savoured on the romantic Jungle Dining experiences that can be arranged with a private chef and gourmet picnic lunch by the river or lantern-lit dinner or barbecue cooked outdoors in a secluded location.
The chef offers market tours and Balinese cooking classes and resort guides lead cycling tours and leisurely walks through valleys of rice terraces. The Hanging Gardens of Bali Payangan is 10kms from Ubud and you can hire a rental car from the resort or use their free shuttle services into Ubud.
Book Hanging Gardens of Bali Payangan online with our booking partner Booking.com
The Royal Pita Maha
One of Ubud’s oldest resorts and one of its most opulent, The Royal Pita Maha is another of the best Ubud resorts with jungle views and jaw dropping swimming pools. Set on 18-hectares, the property boasts unrivalled valley vistas, villas with generously-sized deep-green infinity pools, and there’s access to the Ayung River and waterfalls, and the resort has its own coconut groves and rice field.
There are a range of private villas that sprawl down the hillside, all set within private Balinese compounds with natural stone pools, sun terraces, and gob-smacking views of the lush rainforest, rice terraces and Ayung River.
The Royal Pool Villas are the most lavish, set behind high walls in a traditional village-style compound, with tropical gardens, separate living and sleeping quarters, and enormous bathrooms.
Sumptuously decorated with stone bas reliefs on the walls, fresh flower arrangements, and white linen table cloths, the elevated restaurants offer Indonesian and international cuisines, and breathtaking valley views. There’s a more casual riverside garden restaurant and romantic private dining options in spectacular settings, dramatically illuminated at night.
Activities including arts and craft classes from learning the art of making offerings to traditional painting techniques, and wood carving and stone-carving, along with cooking classes, and outside excursions, though it’s very hard to leave.
Book The Royal Pita Maha online with our booking partner Booking.com
COMO Shambhala Estate
A 20-minute drive from the heart of Ubud, COMO Shambhala Estate offers more jungle views and jaw dropping swimming pools for luxury travellers who like to use their holidays to get healthy rather than indulge in gourmet meals.
The individually styled lodgings at this idyllically located spa resort are spread across a number of freestanding Residences, each of which has its own stunning swimming pool, sun beds, and breezy pavilions with spacious lounge and dining areas.
Although each room, suite and residence is different to the next, with styles varying from contemporary to traditional, most have polished timber floors, four poster beds, airy spaces that open to the elements, and balconies, verandas or terraces overlooking the lush tree-tops, tropical gardens or swimming pool.
It’s helpful to have some ‘wellness goals’ when you check in, as the resort offers bespoke programmes for each guest focused on the body, mind and spirit, crafted in consultation with resident experts. Guests have access to doctors, dieticians, an ayurvedic specialist, acupuncturist, and yoga and pilates instructors.
Along with on-site activities, spa treatments and massages, the hotel can organise excursions – Kintamani and Mount Batur is a 45-minute drive from the resort – along with treks, bike rides, rafting, canyoning, and cultural tours. Located in Begawan village, there’s a complimentary daily shuttle service to/from the Museum Puri Lukisan in Ubud.
Book COMO Shambhala Estate online with our booking partner Booking.com
Como Uma Ubud
If you’re a fan of the Como brand, but prefer a more modern style of resort and would like to be within walking distance of the centre of Ubud, then book a stay at the hillside Como Uma Ubud instead.
You can still expect a high standard of luxury at the Como Uma Ubud, however, these lovely light-filled lodgings, which are home to 46 rooms, suites and villas, are more contemporary and minimalist in style with whitewashed walls, clean lines and cool tiled floors. Lush gardens and courtyards hidden behind high walls provide privacy and there are plunge pools and timber decks off rooms and suites, and more sizable swimming pools and terraces in the villas.
Shaded by enormous banyan trees and towering coconut palms, the resort overlooks the Tjampuhan Valley and River Oos, and the hotel’s main pool – a generous 25 metres in length – is set in frangipani filled gardens, with gorgeous green tiles and plenty of sunbeds to go around.
There are two restaurants: Kemiri (‘candlenut’ in Bahasa) offers Indonesian food, with both classical and contemporary takes on local dishes, as well as the brand’s signature healthy COMO Shambhala Cuisine, while Uma Cucina is an Italian restaurant and bar serving handmade pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and Italian gelato.
Complimentary yoga classes are offered in an open-air pavilion high in the valley with views of the river below and guests can also experience the purification ceremony at Sebatu temple, do rice paddy treks and bike tours, visit the Bedugal highlands, and enjoy a rice field walk and market tour in Keliki village.
Book Como Uma Ubud online with our booking partner Booking.com
Bisma Eight Ubud
Just a 10-minute stroll into the centre of Ubud, and a short walk to Ubud Monkey Forest, the stylish contemporary Bisma Eight boutique hotel is one of the best Ubud resorts with jungle views of the more centrally located accommodation.
But you’ll need to book a Forest Suite to savour those vistas from your room. Located at the western end of the property near the spectacular infinity pool, which also looks over the tropical rainforest, each of the 18 Forest Suites have treetop views from their breezy balconies or terraces, bedrooms and living areas.
The Forest Suites also have a Japanese soaking tub in the bathroom, but no outdoor plunge pools, however, they’re spacious lodgings with big comfy sofas, polished floorboards, and table and chairs on the balcony. The other suites are located in the main hotel building and look onto bamboo gardens and courtyards.
If you’re keen on a private pool, consider the nearby Bisma Eight Villas, 500 metres away, which have beautiful lap pools in courtyard gardens. They’re absolutely stunning with spacious living, kitchen and dining areas that are handsomely decorated with stylish furnishings. There are also lovely room amenities such as linen robes, parasols, jute bags and pandanus slippers. But no jungle views.
Back at the hotel, there are two restaurants – Copper Kitchen and Bar serves Indonesian food and Embers offers Mediterranean fare, with produce harvested from their organic farm and local suppliers – and a coffee shop, the Library Café, and casual poolside eatery and bar, the Pavilion, which boasts spectacular treetop views.
Book Bisma Eight Ubud online with our booking partner Booking.com
Pertiwi Bisma 2
If it weren’t for its compact size, the stunning infinity pool overlooking the rainforest at 3-star Pertiwi Bisma 2 would rival any of the pools of the luxury resorts in this guide – including that of its neighbours, Bisma Eight and Goya Boutique Resort – making it one of the best Ubud resorts with jungle views and swimming pools in the budget boutique category. In the off-season, you’ll find rooms for as low as US$36 a night here.
For forest views from your room, you’ll need to book a Garden Villa with Valley View. Traditional in style, the two-storey wooden houses have covered wide verandas with table and chairs that look onto the manicured lawns, infinity pool and lush treetops beyond.
The other rooms and suites are plainer in style and located in whitewashed modern buildings, and have a narrow terrace or balcony that looks onto a path and greenery. A second swimming pool is tucked between the buildings and there’s a small spa offering traditional massages and aromatherapy.
There’s a restaurant at the front of the hotel by reception where breakfast is served, although the centre of Ubud and its many cafés, restaurants and bars is just a 10-minute stroll away. The hotel can organise tours, excursions and transfers.
Book Pertiwi Bisma 2 online with our booking partner Booking.com
Alam Terrace Cottages
There are no jungle views at Alam Terrace Cottages (nor any cottages!), however, the lush tropical garden at this friendly guesthouse is certainly jungle-like with plenty of banana trees and lofty coconut palms shading a lovely blue-tiled pool.
Most of the rooms have pool views from their balconies – the ground-floor pool-side rooms have pool views from the beds – and are similarly decorated in a simple style although the Deluxe Rooms have four poster beds.
The rooms on the higher floors are lighter and brighter with treetop views and table and chairs on their balconies, however, you’ll have to lean over the rail to see the pool.
You can’t complain in low season, however, when rooms here go for as little as US$25 a night. All rooms have flat screen TVs, tea and coffee making facilities, and small fridges.
Breakfast is served in a simple but charming little restaurant off the reception area, however, there are plenty of cafés and restaurants a short stroll away and the centre of Ubud is a ten-minute walk from the guesthouse.
Book Alam Terrace Cottages online with our booking partner Booking.com
Images are used with the permission of Luxury Escapes.
Do let us know if you check into any of our picks of the best Ubud resorts with jungle views and jaw dropping infinity pools as we’d love to hear about your experience.
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