Bhanuswari Resort & Spa Review

Our Rating :

Review Date : October 2011

Bali is a travellers delight for accommodation. Plentiful, cheap and meets all needs. In Ubud a town inland from the coast has some of the best accommodation in Bali. You will find many places to stay, in or close to Ubud and the rest in surrounding rural areas.

Bhanuswari is about 10 minutes’ drive south of Ubud in the middle of rice fields, behind the wood carver’s village of Kemenuh. The arrival might shock some as you feel you are entering a village not a resort. If you want peace and quiet Bhanuswari will fit the bill.

This is one of the better value resorts in Ubud where you can expect to pay around $90 a night for reasonable resort style accommodation. Bhanuswari is very much at the cheaper end of the scale and so a good choice if you want a resort but don’t want to pay a fortune. We thought it represented good value.

The main reception and lobby area overlooks the resort and rice fields. As part of the central complex is the restaurant and bar. Beneath are some of the standard rooms.

Spread out below the main building and coming off the central drive way are the superior and deluxe rooms along with the larger private villas. All rooms are very comfortable and well prepared, cleaned and serviced. Rooms have air conditioning, TV and DVD and for the better rooms a large en suite soaking tub with really hot water.

The resort has two swimming pools, not huge but ensures that you can find fairly private places to read and relax.

A small spa offers good value treatments in an indoor/outdoor setting.

Breakfast was simple but adequate. The good value menu for lunch and dinner offers a choice of Western and Asian dishes and very acceptable. Afternoon tea with Balinese sweets and local fruits is an option.

Sunset and sunrise over the rice fields can be enjoyed whilst watching the farmers tend the rice. You are so close that you are very much looking in on village life.

Bhanuswari resort is built around the local paddy fields

Bikes are available and can be rented for exploring the area.

The resort offers complimentary on demand transport to Ubud, a journey of about 10 minutes. The main drop off point being the tourist information centre next to the Palace but they will drop you anywhere in Ubud. Transfers to the airport are easy to arrange using the resort cars that we found very comfortable.

Overall if you are looking for cheap good value resort style accommodation in Ubud then a good choice. If you are expecting grand large and over the top then you will be disappointed. Those exist in Ubud. An issue to consider is the location. Bhanuswari is not in Ubud and to walk in is well over an hour. If you are prepared to use the transport provided then not an issue. If spending a day in the resort it will be quiet and have limited distractions but for many of us, escaping the “rat race” can be a welcome change.