I've stayed in a variety of places in Bali. First, I really like Ubud over Kuta and other areas, mostly for the culture and arts and wonderful restaurants (Lamak, Mozaic, TeraZo, Casa Luna).

Komaneka has the benefit of being right in town, but I wasn't real taken with the place.

A private rental is wonderful. I've rented a rather large one that you would probably not want for just two people, but people I trust here have rented Villa Uma and speak highly of it.

Alam Jiwa really is an outstanding bargain in a beautiful setting. You definitely feel you're in Bali. Alam Santhi I wasn't nearly as taken with although the pool there is a bit nicer. Both are on the other side of Monkey Forest, but they will drop you off and pick you up from anywhere in Ubud up until 10 p.m. It's also a fairly nice walk through a path alongside Monkey Forest to the hotels. Takes about 15-20 minutes.

Realizing you'll be there three weeks ...the Alams now have a property on one of the gilis. You take the GiliCat over. There's a very small population on the island and good snorkeling/diving. Could be a nice diversion for a few days. You'll find it on the same website as Alam Jiwa.

You asked about hidden gems ...this is definitely hidden, but I've yet to decide if it's a gem. Bambu Indah is a rather unique property that jewelery John Hardy recently opened adjacent to his home in Ubud. It has spectacular views. There are just four cottages and they were brought over from Java. One apparently was the home of a princess, but that doesn't mean they are at all luxurious. They are very rustic as the resort is very "green" as in eco-friendly to the point fish are the pool "filters". There are no signs for the hotel and you pull up and a big wall opens and then shuts behind you. There's no clue as to what lies behind the wall. It's very serene there, but for the money it's a tough call. It seems to be struggling a bit to find its client base right now as it can be tough to decide to rent a wood cabin where the wood isn't fully joined together for the same price as some very luxurious properties. Meals come from Hardy's kitchen next door.