When I was in Bali, Indonesia back in April of 2017, my colleague Katie put me in touch with the Director of Sales and Marketing for Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve located in Ubud, in the southeastern part of the country.
After I had been in Ubud for a few weeks, I took the chance to spend an afternoon at Mandapa with Vincent. Personally, I fully enjoy site tours. They are a great way for me as an advisor to learn more about the hotel, meet the people that I’ll be working with when I send clients there, and maybe even experience the hotel or the restaurant.
Site tours are also awesome for determining which hotel is ideal for my clients. Some hotels are not great for families, some are perfect for groups, etc. It is my job to KNOW what hotel is going to be perfect for you – my client – and which hotel you are going to just hate. Site tours are perfect for discovering that.
Ubud, Bali
The map above shows where Indonesia is on a world map. It is easily accessible from anywhere in the world. Denpasar International Airport has direct flights from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Bangkok (Thailand), Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Hong Kong, and Dubai.
Denpasar is about an hour or two from Ubud – very traffic-dependent! I can arrange private transfers straight to Mandapa, tours around Bali, and more. A popular itinerary is to combine Mandapa, in the jungle, with one of the luxury resorts on the coast.
Ubud is a popular destination for wellness activities. Many of the luxury hotels in the area are very yoga and health food focused, as is the town in general. People are familiar with Ubud because it is the town that Elizabeth Gilbert spent time in during her three month sojourn in Indonesia in Eat, Pray, Love.
Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve
Mandapa is located in North Ubud, about ten minutes from the town centre. It is hardly noticeable from the street, where scooters and cars fly past. However, go down the narrow lane to the main gate, and there is a very distinct difference. It is instantly quieter and more serene.
I gave my name at the gate and the guards let me in. At the bottom of the hill in the enclose drive, staff waited for guests. There were golf carts, black cars, and scooters. I gave my name once again and was escorted into the lobby. There is a small check in desk with an attendant, but otherwise, the lobby is spacious and open. Vincent was in a meeting, and I was early, so I sat and waited. The view from the entry was beautiful, but nothing compared to what I saw later.
Mandapa replicates a traditional Balinese village, complete with its own temple (family owned and still practising) and rice terraces. From the entrance, I could see much of the property and the river that winds its way along the canyon below the resort.
A tour of Mandapa’s villas
There are only 60 rooms at Mandapa; there are 35 suites and 25 villas. These range from 100 square metre suites to a 2,000 square metre three-bedroom villa. All of the villas have their own private pool and entrance, while the suites have private terraces. Every room comes with a 24-hour butler, or Patih, who attends to whatever you need. That could be arranging dinner along the river, reservations somewhere in town, or simply a reservation for a massage at the spa.
All of the rooms are below the airy entrance; Vincent drove us on a golf cart to access everything. The lower you go, the larger and more private the villas become. Both the riverside and rice terrace villas have one bedroom with a separate seating area and private pool entrance. The two larger villas (two and three bedroom) face the Ayung River and are totally secluded. These would be great for a large family or group of couples.
Every room has local touches. Traditional Balinese artwork adorns the walls, and many of the tapestries on the bed and pillows are locally handcrafted.
Mandapa is a plastic-free property. Instead of plastic, there are glass or wooden elements. The entire property is reminiscent of a traditional Balinese house, where outdoor-indoor living is very interchangeable.
The Spa at Mandapa
The second place on my tour was the spa. This secluded space hosts a wide variety of spa treatments, from massages to facials and rituals. Every service begins with a traditional Balinese welcoming foot ritual. There are three signature rituals that take inspiration from local heritage, spiritual culture, and local ingredients. In addition to the traditional western spa services, there are Balinese healing touch therapies, reiki and astrology treatments, and Balinese blessing rituals.
The spa at Mandapa also has yoga and meditation sessions. It’s possible to reserve a private yoga session, but Mandapa also offers complimentary sunrise and sunset yoga sessions in the yoga pavilion.
Dining at Mandapa
Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, has several different dining options. The first is the elegant, riverside Kubu. Kubu is only open for dinner. Near the pool are three other restaurants. Sawah Terrace is open all day, and serves traditional Balinese meals. The pool bar serves lunch and detoxifying juices; light snacks are available during the day if a large meal doesn’t tempt you. Finally, the Library Bar is a delightful spot to enjoy lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, or cocktails.
During my visit, Vincent and I had a delicious lunch at Sawah Terrace. Our table overlooked the river; during the meal various rafting groups passed to the delight of several other diners.
We started with two juices and some appetisers – all of which were delicious. To be quite honest, Vincent picked everything out! I did request the Balinese bebek duck for my main course, as I hadn’t tried it yet. This absolutely scrumptious duck comes wrapped in a banana leaf. When you cut into it, the juices and team leak out and it is divine.
For dessert, we picked the mango sushi and the Balinese chocolate cheesecake, both of which were to die for. We ended our meal with espresso, the Italian way.
Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve
Ritz-Carlton Reserves are known for their uncommon luxury in the far remote corners of the world. They are where impeccable, custom service meets exotic destinations. Where indulgence meets unexpected adventure. That is the hallmark of the Ritz-Carlton Reserve.
Virtuoso clients (MY clients ;)) receive upgrades on arrival subject to availability, complimentary wifi, daily breakfast for two, and $100 resort credit. Not only that, I have personal relationships with many of the hotels, so I reach out directly to my contacts to ensure that my clients are getting the service they expect.
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