We recently stayed at Capella Ubud and had the best experience. This hotel is definitely one of the most unique hotels I have stayed at and I would recommend it to anyone. Keep reading for my full Capella Ubud review!
Overview
Before booking Capella Ubud, my husband and I did a good amount of research about hotels in the area. I noted the other hotels we considered on my Bali itinerary post, but we ultimately decided on Capella Ubud based off of its location, uniqueness, activities offered, and reviews.
We booked our stay through Amex Travel. Capella Ubud is one of Amex’s Fine Hotels and Resorts, which means we had the following perks while there:
- 12pm check-in, when available
- Room upgrade upon arrival, when available (which we got!)
- Daily breakfast for two
- Credit: US $100 Property credit to be used during stay
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Guaranteed 4pm check-out
We love our Amex Platinum card and the travel perks it comes along with! use my referral link and get 80,000 points when you spend $8k in your first 6 months of membership.
Location
Capella Ubud is hidden deep in the Balinese jungle, so much so that you cannot even tell a massive hotel property even exists from its entrance on the main road. This gives it its private and secluded feel, allowing you to disconnect from the busy streets of Ubud and relax surrounded by the rainforest.
Design
The hotel’s theme is what really sets it apart from other properties, in my opinion. The architecture and design is inspired by the Dutch settlers that came to Bali in the 1800s and is a tribute to the spirit of their adventure, according to Capella Ubud’s website.
Additionally, the lead architect behind the hotel, Bill Bensley, made it a point to integrate the hotel into Bali’s landscape. He achieved this by building the tents into the existing trees and without harming the existing landscape, which is fascinating. more information about Bill bensley’s design process can be found here!
Rooms
No cApella Ubud Review would be complete without an overview of the property’s tents. There are only 23 tents on Capella Ubud’s property, all of which are pretty spread out among the property. You’ll occasionally see other guests walking around the property, but mostly just in the common areas. Because there are not many guests, this also means that the hospitality from the staff is amazing – they know your name, are incredibly friendly, and really pay attention to the details.
If you’re thinking that a tent doesn’t sound luxurious… trust me, I had the same concerns. However, Capella Ubud has done the impossible and made me think that maybe glamping is for me? Our tent was huge – we had a coffee/tea station, cozy seating area, King-sized bed, large beverage cooler, gorgeous copper tub, and more. Outside of our tent, we had two different table/chair arrangements as well as a day bed, private pool, and two pool loungers. Click here to see a video of our tent!
As mentioned in the design section, this hotel is decorated immaculately. Each room is designed with a different fictional person in mind, all of which could have been characters in the Dutch’s settlement of Bali. For example, you’ll see names like “the explorer’s tent” or “the photographer’s tent”. We stayed in the Explorer’s tent and all of the decor was very representative of the theme – see pics below. Also, maybe the coolest thing about the tents are that many of them are only accessible via a rope swing bridge. such a fun touch (and my husband loved bouncing on it as I was walking across it…)!
Amenities
Capella Ubud’s amenities are, of course, top tier. The pool is immaculate and the lounge chairs are incredible. The spa is world class (or so we heard from other guests… we didn’t have time to squeeze a trip in!). and the Gym is so unbelievably cool – I can confirm that working out in a decked out tent is better than any other typical hotel gym.
Perhaps my favorite of the amenities is the Officer’s tent though. This tent is open all day, but hosts a happy hour every evening where guests can mingle, play board games or pool, have a cocktail, and relax before dinner. It was here that My husband and I rediscovered how fun Scrabble actually can be!
Dining
The hotel has two main dining options – Api Jiwa and Mads Lange.
Api Jiwa is a must if you’re staying here – or even if you aren’t. They offer a 10-course omakase style meal that is simply excellent. Every course was amazing and I loved hearing about each one from the chef. highly recommend!
Mads Lange is the restaurant on property that is open for all three meals. To be honest, this is where Capella Ubud misses the mark a bit. The breakfast is honestly pretty good, but its a bit lackluster for dinner. Nothing necessarily bad about it, but just not a remarkable meal! it does have beautiful views though.
Activities
Another key point of my Capella Ubud review is its plethora of activities. I have never been to a hotel that offered so many cool activities – both included in your stay and available at an extra charge.
Included in your stay
The resort program includes several activities that are available at no additional charge. These include things such as yoga, traditional boreh making, Balinese calligraphy, and marshmallows by the campfire. I did yoga one morning and really enjoyed it! the full resort program is available here.
Available at an extra charge
The activities and excursions available at an extra charge are extremely unique and well thought-out. Capella Ubud offers a range of activities from destination excursions to culinary experiences – I promise you’ll be trying to squeeze in as many things as possible! We booked the Lavascape adventure and the Sunset Cocktails in the Sawah and highly recommend both. You can find all of the available activities here.
Lavascape adventure
The lavascape adventure was about an 8 hour excursion, starting at 4:30am with a drive to a sunrise lookout point. Sunrise over Bali’s three biggest volcanoes was breathtaking and something I will never forget! From there, our guide gave us a tour of a nearby Temple before we headed off to Mount Batur’s lavascape. Once here, We sat on the roof of our car as we were driven around the black rocky and sandy landscape surrounding one of Bali’s most famous volcanoes. We then did a quick hike up to a beautiful lookout point over a lake, before we then headed off to that lake for breakfast on the water. It was a magical morning!
Cocktails in the Sawah
Cocktails in the Sawah was an awesome low-key activity to do on site at Capella. We were escorted out to Capella ubud’s sawah, or rice paddy field, where they had set up a platform table and bar for us. Our bartender prepared three different cocktails for us and we enjoyed chatting with him and his accompanying intern!
Have I convinced you yet?
I promise this is a hotel you don’t want to miss! It is everything you could ever want in a luxury accommodation in the heart of Bali. Let me know if you have any questions or comments before you book – happy to help!
Looking for what to do in Ubud?
check out my itinerary post!
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