Bali is a place for villas. And Komaneka at Tanggayuda in Ubud is one of the best.
We had our stay in July, 2013, for 4 amazing nights.
In fact, I would consider Komaneka at Tanggayuda to be one of the best resorts, villas or hotels in Ubud, Bali.
Room
We took the Premier Valley Pool Villa. At that time, it was a new room as the resort had just been renovated. There were few pictures that could be found online, but the description sounded amazing so we decided to take this upgrade for a truly memorable experience.
When I first stepped into the room, I was completely blown away.
It was so beautiful! And huge. The photos don't do it justice, but the room is very spacious (especially for a couple) and really, really amazing.
To welcome guests they folded towels into beautiful swans, and lay out petals of frangipani flowers and roses. The display was so beautiful I could hardly bear to displace it!
And to be greeted with a bathtub full of meticulously arranged flower petals is heaven in itself!
These gestures really made me feel very touched - imagine the amount of effort they have to put in to make guests feel at home and happy! Extra points for small touches like these - I think it is what tips a holiday experience from a good one into an excellent one.
This is one half of the dressing room area, there is another huge area on the other side, with an identical sink, toiletries and cupboard.
This is what a full side of the dressing area looks like. It was impeccably clean and airy, and so spacious! And only one side! The his and hers sides are fabulous if one partner is finicky, had a lot of things, or even just for couples to have toothbrush battles.
Room Details
The resort also provides gorgeous smelling toiletries (I especially loved the lotion - it smells divine) which you are free to use.
An abundance of towels are there for your perusal.
Bubble bath solution on the right, and bath salts on your left, for the most amazing bath experience.
Nightgowns hanging in the cupboard, smaller-sized for the ladies and larger sized for the men. How thoughtful! But I found that they were a tad bit too sheer to wear, so I didn't.
A full jar of cookies on the coffee table filled with the most delicious cookies, which they make in the resort itself. And they refill it when you eat it! I practically finished the whole jar, I couldn't resist. And I came back after sightseeing one day to find the jar pleasantly full again. Terrible for the diet, but so good for the soul.
A vase of pretty roses on the coffee table as well! I took these pictures on the third day, so they may have wilted a bit but they were still pretty.
Tangerines which you can eat! They refill them too.
And I was even more touched when I saw that they provided little gift boxes - filled with a small bottle of essential oil and a bar of sweet smelling soap. Mine sits on my desk at home and every time I look at it memories of this beautiful place floods back into my mind.
Outdoors
They provide insect repellent for the outside area, when you just want to sit on the patio and get some sun, or relax in the pool.
The garden is private and nicely sheltered by greenery.
The pool area was huge, as you can probably tell from the pictures. And that, I think, is the draw of the Premiere Valley Pool Villa - the pools in the other rooms are probably less than half the size.
Even if you don't swim in the pool, just looking at it is luxurious in itself.
Peaceful view of the pool at night - very romantic and peaceful.
Around the resort
This is the compound at Komaneka which was supposedly at full occupancy (I heard it had around 32 Villas) but we felt like we were the only ones there. We hardly saw another soul, except for the staff members, who were always around to help.
At night, many many candles around the resort are lit, transforming a beautiful resort into a super luxurious, romantic getaway.
Candles are lit along all the footpaths - a very beautiful sight to see.
Service
The best part of our stay was probably the impeccable service the staff provided. From hotel reservations to the sweet turn down service, to room service delivery, everything was perfectly timed and perfectly executed.
From the beginning to the end of our stay, we were treated like royalty. They called us by our first names, and all the staff in the resort seemed to know them, and every time we met one of them while wandering around the resort, they smiled and called us "Ibu" (for me) and "Papak"(for him).
Their command of English was really really good and the staff are obviously well-trained in dealing with guests! Everyone was all smiles all the time. When I asked for directions to certain restaurants, I got them quickly and accurately. When I asked for reservations to be made, it was done instantly. Everything was seamless, and effortless.
There is a turn down service every night here. When you are out exploring the beautiful island of Bali, little elves will sneak in to your room to prepare your bed and lay out your sleeping robes. They let down the curtains and dim the lighting, so when you come back, you can And they leave a cute little bedtime story on your bed as well.
This is what it means to be pampered!
Food
Another amazing thing was the food. We had 4 breakfasts at Komaneka, and all of them were divine. You can choose to have the food delivered to your room, and the staff will come in and set it up for you wherever you want. (We chose to have ours outside, where we could look at the ginormous pool and breathe the fresh air from the greenery.)
4 days, 4 different breakfasts! They have a stunning variety, ranging from western choices to the traditional Indonesian breakfasts. And we have not even tried them all! If you have any special dietary preferences (like gluten-free bread, or any allergies), the staff will do their best to accomodate you.
And guess what? Everything was delicious. I would highly, highly recommend trying the croissants! At first, I was doubtful about the standard of western food to be found in Indonesia, but the croissants were soft, buttery, warm and crispy! It totally blew me away. And I thought I'd eaten the best ones in France itself.
And one day, they decided to give us a surprise cake (a full sized one full of chocolatey goodness) for our anniversary! If that is not impeccable service, I don't know what is! Small touches like these go a long long way in the luxury hotel industry!
And that's not even all! Every afternoon, guests get to enjoy a complimentary tea, with an assortment of pastries.
Even if you don't leave the resort, you are taken care of through and through with this service.
They serve Twinings tea with many flavours to choose from!
And the pastries are made on the spot by the chef - everything is warm, fresh, and absolutely delicious. I grew up eating a lot of kuehs in Singapore, so I would think I have a pretty high standard for kuehs. And these? These surpassed them all.
Nothing was too sweet, or too cloying. Everything was so authentic (the coconut kueh in the above picture was served on a fresh piece of pandan leaf, and you can see the chef frying up a fritter in a big wok at the corner of the restaurant.
And you get to have tea here -
Or at another restaurant located within Komaneka at Tanggayuda itself - overlooking the pool and the lush Ubud forest.
Summary
I would highly recommend this place to everyone looking for a peaceful and relaxing holiday. Others have lamented the location of the resort (it is 15 mins away by car to the main Ubud area), but for me, it is a plus. It is more secluded and hence, quieter, and going out is convenient - there are free regular shuttlebuses to send you out should you ever wish to depart from the beauty of the villa. If not, the resort provides everything you could ever need. It has amazing food, activities like yoga, leaf crafts etc (which I did not try, unfortunately) and divinely beautiful surroundings.
All in all, Komaneka at Tanggayuda is the perfect place to have a vacation. Not only is it romantic, it is super luxurious, with great service and great food. It is truly a 5 star hotel, villa, and resort.
I would pronounce it one of the best hotels in Ubud, Bali.
