My imagination come to life

At 6.00 am, a turtle dove suddenly begins cooing outside my door, followed by a gecko tut-tutting from the corner of the ceiling. The first rays of sunlight are peeking from under my curtains. Flinging them back, I lay in bed and watch the colours change across the horizon – purples, reds, and yellows transitioning into a stark blue-blue sky, the jungle forest below glistening with the morning dew.

First impressions

My suite is exactly what I’d visualised. A traditional double, wooden door entrance opens to a small courtyard with outdoor seating surrounded by tropical gardens. Here you get the first glimpse of the pool and the rainforest beyond.

Opening floor-to-ceiling sliding doors, directly in front of you is a canopied, four-poster bed, adorned with sumptuous pillows and decorated with a small flower basket. Above you, a traditional Bali pyramid ceiling, with an electric fan at its centre. To the left a long couch and to the right more floor-to-ceiling sliding doors out to the private pool and a deep stone bath.

Behind the bed is an open bathroom complete with double basins, a separate toilet and a waterfall shower. Toiletries are provided in stone containers, cupboards are covered in traditional flax matting, and the lighting and vanity wooden frontispieces are carved with traditional Balinese vignettes.

Fresh fruit and tea/coffee await me on a small wooden desk, alongside three large books – a guest directory, a room service menu, and a spa menu. A personalised letter welcomes me and lists the resort’s daily guest activities. Nothing disappoints.

Take a tour: Suite Pool Villa Tour | Sankara Suites and Villas | Ubud, Bali

Serene surroundings

All over this small resort, lush tropical vegetation fights for space amongst traditional stone carvings and mosaic paved walkways. Little waterfalls and pools cool the air,  adding a gentle, trickling soundtrack to the morning birdsong.

Balinese culture is represented everywhere, from the towering ceilings in the restaurant to the marigold offerings on each of the stone steps, constantly reminding you of our connection to nature and the divine.

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I’ll spend seven days and eight nights relaxing amongst these beautiful surroundings. I hope that they remind me that I’ve earnt this short moment in time, this small place of serenity, and to enjoy it, to still my mind, to rest my body, and to take a welcome reprieve at the end of a busy year.