Hotel Review: Alila Ubud

Overview of Alila Ubud

The Alila Ubud is a small luxury resort, so the hotel itself is upscale and elegant. There are 56 rooms available, which are housed in 14 blocks. Overall, it was designed to look like a Balinese village, and I have to say, it does just that. All the rooms feature panoramic views of the Ayung Valley.

Although this property is big enough that you might not expect staff to remember you by name, I still felt as if I was treated like royalty. While it’s a bit larger than a typical boutique hotel, it feels a lot smaller than it is. You’ll feel relaxed once you walk into the space.

The hotel doesn’t focus on a particular type of traveler, but I would say it’s best for couples and singles who want to enjoy the serenity of a spa resort. It’s a quiet place, so it may not be the best option for partiers or families with younger children. It’s close to the main attractions of Ubud, Bali. However, the location itself is outside the hustle and bustle of the city.

How I Booked the Alila Ubud

Even though I was traveling with my boyfriend, I booked a seven-night stay in a superior room with two twin beds initially for 53,000 World of Hyatt points (the hotel was a Category 1 property at the time). It was the only room type available for a week-long stay, and I knew that I was immediately going to apply one of my Globalist Suite Night Awards (SNA) to upgrade myself to a Valley Villa.

One Suite Night Award is valid to upgrade up to seven nights to a standard suite and is confirmed immediately as long as the suite is available. The Pool Villa at the Alila Ubud is also a standard suite, but it wasn’t available during my dates (and to be honest, I’m glad because the Valley Villa exceeded expectations…more on that later).

This hotel is a Hyatt Category 3 property, which is bookable for 9,000 to 15,000 points per night in standard rooms. Standard suites are also bookable on points for 17,000 to 23,000 points per night.

A standard room at a Category 3 property can be booked with the free night certificate offered by The World of Hyatt Credit Card and The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card. Both of these cards offer a great way to earn Hyatt points as well. Because Category 3 properties can be booked from 9,000 points per night, it may not be the best use of your free night certificates unless it’s going to expire before you have an opportunity to use it at a Category 4 property.

Hyatt is a 1:1 transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards, so you can also earn points needed to book this hotel with the following Chase cards:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Alila Ubud Location

The Alila Ubud Hotel is in Desa, Melinggih Kelod in Ubud. It’s off the beaten path, and it’s considered a spa resort. However, I will say it’s connected to other parts of the city. The hotel offers a shuttle service into downtown Ubud but only at specific times during the day.

It’s also easy to call a Grab taxi to this location and be taken into Ubud town or elsewhere around the region. Prices are reasonable, so you don’t need to be tied to the shuttle schedule.

Best Parts of Alila Ubud

When I first got to the resort, I felt calm and ready to start my stay. Although I’d been traveling for a while, I didn’t really feel like I was part of Bali until I arrived at Alila Ubud. There were many things to enjoy, and here are my top five.

• Seclusion and nature: Alila Ubud is found in the central foothills where we took a winding path full of banana and coconut trees. This is a tranquil sanctuary that sits high over the Ayung River. Therefore, we felt secluded and part of nature. Many people dislike that because they want to be near the local attractions, but this was perfect for me because I like to be away from the beaten path.
• Unique buildings: Because Alila Ubud sits above the riverbanks of the Ayung River, the layout is unique and interesting. Some of the villas and rooms are built on stilts that sit over a ravine, and you’ll either get a garden, terrace or private balcony to immerse yourself in nature.
• Extravagant amenities: Most hotels have the traditional amenities, such as internet and free parking. However, Alila Ubud goes a step further and offers cooking classes that teach you the Balinese cuisine and culture. Although I didn’t partake in those, it’s still interesting and exciting to know they were available.
• Amazing infinity pool: The pool at the Alila Ubud is one of my favorite pools of all-time. It’s part of the reason that I’m glad I wasn’t able to choose the Pool Villa for my Suite Night Award upgrade.
• Wildlife visits: Depending on your preferences, this could be a major pro or a major con, but either way, you’ll have wildlife all around you at the Alila Ubud. We regularly saw monkeys, had frogs and lizards in our room and bathroom, and even once saw a small snake. I love nature so it was great to see all of these creatures, but if it’s not your thing, this resort may not be the best choice for you.

Alila Ubud Drawbacks

It’s important to understand what Alila Ubud is and what it isn’t. I could definitely see people thinking of many drawbacks because this resort doesn’t have what many others do. However, it’s an experience unto itself. You don’t come here to rush to the next adventure. Instead, you must immerse yourself in nature and be happy to do it.

Here are a few issues I found:

• A lot of stairs: The creators of Alila Ubud wanted to focus on nature, so there are no elevators. You’ll need to navigate stairs to get to your villa and elsewhere on the property. However, many of them don’t have rails because they wanted to keep the aesthetically pleasing design. This can be dangerous for the elderly and kids. I would say it’s not a particularly wheelchair-accessible place, so keep that in mind.
• Expensive meals: I rarely eat at the resort or hotel other than the complimentary breakfast. However, since this was so secluded, I did dine a few times instead of calling a Grab to head into town. I’d say the food was amazing, but it was pricey. It’s possible to order takeout via Grab as well, but there are few options nearby.

Getting to Alila Ubud

I came to Alila Ubud from the Grand Hyatt. While I could have rented a vehicle or called a traditional taxi, I decided to hail a ride through Grab. Overall, it was a pleasant experience because I didn’t have to worry about getting lost. It took just under two hours to reach the hotel. It was a beautiful drive to an even more exhilarating place.

If you come to Alila Ubud from the airport, expect to spend 90 minutes to two hours in a car from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.

Check-In

When my boyfriend and I arrived at the resort for check-in, a friendly staff member greeted us. I walked to the service desk, which was large and grand, and provided my name. They looked me up immediately and saw that I was a Hyatt Globalist, reminding me of my complimentary breakfast. We were also offered a delicious welcome drink and refreshing towel while we waited for our check-in to be complete.

The superior room that we had initially booked is 323 square feet and features a standalone shower and private balcony. Alternatively, the 807-square-feet Valley Villa that we were upgraded to via my Suite Night Award comes with a super king-sized bed, a bathtub and a standalone shower.

Overall, my first impression was that this hotel was definitely a nature’s paradise. It was luxurious, allowed me to relax more than any other place and was elegant and tropical at the same time.

The Room at Alila Ubud

The Valley Villa room made me feel like I was on top of the world because it was high above the rainforest trees. Immediately, we walked in and saw the bed, which was positioned to look outside. There was a small television in the corner, which didn’t detract from the beauty and which we didn’t use a single time during our stay.

I felt the vibe was relaxing and welcoming, but it was fairly dark because of the wood flooring and paneling on the walls. However, I believe the designers did that so it wouldn’t detract from the natural beauty outside. And with all the blinds open, it wasn’t too dark during the day.

There was a gorgeous walk-around deck, and the room opened out onto two chairs available at the side.

There was an air conditioner, but it sometimes had a hard time combatting the moist Bali air. Plenty of complimentary bottled water was provided each day, and the room also came with plush bathrobes.

There wasn’t much noise since we were in a building on stilts that was separate from many of the other rooms at the property, but the windows were not soundproofed. Therefore, I did hear the wildlife in the early mornings and at night.

The bathroom was the most unique I’ve ever had. There was a beautiful outdoor tub that was set in a lotus pond. We could see the natural rock formations and enjoy the trickling water. The hotel staff provided candles set in glass dishes.

Although the bathroom doors could be closed, they were made of glass. Since the rock wall was there, no one could peek in, but it was a little strange initially. We also had regular frog visitors in the pond, and once, a small snake.

The bathroom itself was past the outside tub, so we had to walk through the garden to get to it. There were two sinks, and behind separate doors, a toilet and a standalone shower, which was quite spacious.

The Alila Ubud offers KenetMD Signature Collection toiletries, which smelled of lemongrass and eucalyptus.

Food and Drink

I usually don’t dine at the hotels other than my complimentary breakfast because of my Hyatt Globalist status. However, I didn’t want to be calling for a Grab all the time just to go to town and eat because it’s about 20 minutes away.

There are two restaurants at Alila Ubud: Cabana Lounge and Plantation Restaurant. I ate at the Plantation Restaurant for breakfast, which offered hot and cold beverages, as well as brunch cocktails. There were many options, including vegan and lactose-free products.

We enjoyed the dinners we ate at the property as well. Prices were high for Bali, but not too bad for a five-star hotel.

Amenities

Most people go to hotels because of the amenities, and this resort had many of the same ones as others. However, we felt as if we were getting a unique experience because of the natural surroundings.

The property contains an outdoor infinity pool, archery classes, yoga classes, Wi-Fi (albeit a bit spotty sometimes) and walking/bicycle tours. You can rent bicycles to enjoy the grounds more thoroughly, and most of the amenities are focused on getting you outside.

For a relatively small property, the gym was notably well equipped.

There was a spa available, which offered facials, foot baths, massages, manicures, pedicures and more. However, I didn’t use any services while I was there.

Likewise, the room features were excellent and included air conditioning, a coffee/tea maker, bathrobes, a private balcony, room service, an electric kettle and a refrigerator.

Alila Ubud Family Friendliness

Overall, I would say that Alila Ubud could be family-friendly if your children like nature and aren’t too rambunctious. It’s not that big of a property, and there’s only one pool. We saw a lot of couples and families with older children who were at the hotel for a relaxing, quiet time. There are bicycles available for kids, and the restaurants offer children’s meals. However, most of the property focuses on the spa and pool, as well as daily hikes and bicycle tours.

Likewise, it’s a quiet place, and the people staying there want to keep it that way. If your children are loud, you might get a few angry looks.

Final Thoughts on Alila Ubud

Overall, I loved the Alila Ubud because I was able to use my Suite Upgrade Award and stay in the stunning Valley Villa. I loved our daily wildlife encounters and enjoyed being away from the hustle and bustle of the Bali tourist hotspots, so this was perfect for me. However, it did take 20 minutes to get to Ubud, and we often had to wait nearly as long for our Grab driver to pick us up.

While there were some drawbacks, I do feel that it was my favorite place to stay on my Bali trip. Those who dislike nature might have second thoughts, but I highly recommend booking at least two nights here.

Want to explore more Bali hotels? This article is part of a larger Trip Report on Bali hotels, where you can learn about seven different hotels around Bali.