I would skip Kuta. You could take that whole strip of bars/massage parlours/ stores selling Chinese-factory-made "keepsakes" and interchange it with any other of a dozen greasy backpacker beaches without ever being the wiser.

Ubud has its own soul and it's beautiful. But closer to Kuta (a little North) Seminyak has a different vibe with decent coffee shops and restaurants. Rent a scooter and head South down to the Nusa Dua, Cliff Beach or the Green Bowl (if a few hundred stairs doesn't frighten you) and the ever-hilarious monkey temple is in that area too.

Just saying, don't limit yourself to the HardRock experience that is Kuta and think you're seeing Bali.