If you’ve ever been caught in the gridlocked traffic of Ubud, you know that it can be anything but calm, zen and peaceful these days. Enter Inara Alas Harum, a quiet, serene getaway just a half hour outside of Ubud that’ll not only calm your frazzled nerves, but bring you back to what you came here for.
Location
Inara Alas Harum is located in the quaint village of Bresela just 30-minutes north of Ubud, where upon arrival, you can immediately breathe out a sigh of relief. There are zero shops, boutiques or spas around the resort (and no meandering hoards of tourists), meaning you can fully immerse yourself in the beauty of Bali, the lush green rice fields and the resort’s unique facilities and architecture.
Accommodation
No matter whether you’re in one of their rooms, suites or gorgeous pool villas at Inara Alas Harum, you’re in for an amazing stay. The main building adjacent to the lobby has two floors and a variety of rooms and suites going from 43 to 80 square metres, with plenty of space to sprawl out on your vacation.
Villas start at 110 square metres for the Duplex Pool Villa, ideal for families and groups, while the one, two and three bedroom villas go from 270, 405 to 455 square metres respectively. All come with beautiful views of the rice paddies and lush tropical gardens, and are fitted with a spacious living area with extra seating, plus an open pantry with your own fridge and sink, microwave and dining utensils.
Our one-bedroom pool villa was the perfect setting for a quick Ubud getaway, where you enter via the spacious living area that leads straight to the bedroom facing the rice paddies. There was even a comfy velvet pouf at the foot of the bed to sit on and enjoy the views outside, or the television, if you wish.
The bathroom, located to the left of the bedroom, was huge as well – our favourite feature was the colourful and intricate flower bath prepared just for us upon arrival (message fully customisable), plus the wooden carved window shutters above that opened up fully to reveal the beautiful and somewhat surreal view outdoors.
As for the private pool, it was large enough to wade around in and the perfect spot to cool off and soak up the idyllic views. With two sun loungers and a separate seating area to the right of the pool, we had plenty of options on where to lie around and while away the day.
Dining
There are not one, but two restaurants at Inara Alas Harum – the first one right next to the open-air lobby is Semara Grill, which serves a mean breakfast of Indonesian and Western faves (don’t miss the waffle), plus an all-day dining menu centred around wood-fired and grilled meats.
At the opposite end of the resort, you’ll find Paoman Restaurant, where you’ll be deep among the rice paddy views and enjoy a more localised menu fo Indonesian favourites. The best part is, food can always be delivered to your room, suite or villa and enjoyed in the spacious living and dining areas, so it really feels like your home away from home in Ubud.
LUXE tip: Try the mango tuna salad for a delicious and colourful boost of vitamins, minerals and fibre.
Facilities
Despite being a smaller, boutique property (that feels like a secret retreat), Inara Alas Harum has all the facilities you would expect from a larger hotel group. Besides the main lap pool near the lobby, there was also a stunning infinity pool and jacuzzi further inside the hotel grounds, surrounded by towering palm trees and of course, more rice paddies.
For some much-needed pampering, guests need not leave the property to enjoy traditional Balinese treatments at Tejas Spa Inara. Our knots were kneaded away expertly by the gentle yet firm therapists, and we practically floated out of our treatments in a state of bliss.
More active types can also work up a sweat at the the hotel gym, which is located at the centre of the property and designed with floor-to-ceiling glass windows so you never feel boxed in.
Activities
Whether you’re a first-timer or regular visitor to Bali, there’s something new to discover at Inara Alas Harum.
Activities that the hotel butlers can arrange vary from pic-perfect floating breakfasts and romantic picnics to ATV rides, Dulang painting, cooking classes and countryside walks. Do as much or as little as you feel like, as this is the place to really let all those musts go.
Verdict
There are few places in Bali these days that still truly feel like a hidden gem (a completely overused term, we know), but Inara Alas Harum is definitely one of those places.
With its local ownership and genuine Balinese hospitality, this is a place not many tourists have heard of – and as much as we’d like to keep it that way, we’re letting all you LUXE lovelies in on our little Ubudian secret. Go and enjoy what Bali was meant to be like – quiet, peaceful, idyllic and beautiful – but be sure to only tell those close to ya…
inarahotels.com/alas-harum-resort-bali
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