"It’s hard to believe the sprawling resort is only a 10-minute drive from increasingly tourist-clogged Ubud—once you’re there, it’s as though you’re in private a country estate miles from civilization. The hotel sits near the 9th-century Goa Gajah, or Elephant Cave; as a tribute to this sacred temple, elephant statues line the winding driveway to the open reception area. The resort occupies what was once the family home of Hendra Hadiprana, a serious art collector and one of Indonesia’s preeminent architects. The resort boasts clear influences from its past life, starting with elaborate sculptures in the lobby. A big pond and a long, green-tiled pool (neatly flanked by a phalanx of sun loungers and parasols) nod to Balinese water palaces. The thatched open-air dining pavilion, which overlooks the paddy fields where the menu's rice is harvested, works for low-key lunches and special-occasion dinners alike. The resort's interpretation of Indonesian Rijsttafel, nine rice dishes with spicy sambals, is particularly great. We also loved lounging on triangular cushions and picnicking at the edge of the property's dazzling green-grass field." - Chris Schalkx, Juliet Kinsman
