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Old Mar 6, 2022, 7:26 pm
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clubeurope
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: CGK
Posts: 2,375
Returning to Uma

Introduction This wasn't our first time at COMO Uma, as I wrote a review on COMO Uma Ubud last year. I praised the hotel to be 'near perfection' back then, and this stay was no different. Only this time, we booked an Uma Villa compared to the Uma Pool Villa we stayed at back then. Check In Upon our arrival at the hotel, we were greeted by name by the manager of rooms, who apparently recognised us from our previous stay. Check-in was quick and handled professionally, and otherwise it was a leisurely affair, as all we did was sit down and sip on their refreshing citrusy welcome drink. Room Following the swift check-in, we were promptly brought to our Uma Villa. Bear in mind that the hotel is relatively small, and the path to many of the villas involves several stairs due to the hotel's setting on Campuhan Hill. We entered the room to find it exceptionally clean; local Balinese music, which I loved, was playing on one of the two televisions. I thought of the subdued hues and simple interior of the room to be nice and rather luxurious, but not overtly so. I especially adored the layout of the villa, which I found to be very well spaced and logical, along with the villa's terrazzo flooring, which felt very nice to walk on. Uma Villa living roomThe bedroom itself isn't separated from the living room per se (given the lack of a door), but was separated by white sheers. There was also a desk next to the bedroom, something I value very much. A couple of hotel-branded hand sanitisers and masks were also provided in the room. Uma Villa bedroomNext to the bedroom was the bathroom, which also doubles as a walk-in closet. There was a large standalone bathtub, a shower, and double vanities. I'm not a big fan of standalone tubs, so I didn't use it much, but I found the water pressure in the shower to be very good. The amenities were as usual from the brand's signature COMO Shambhala line, whose fresh-minty fragrance I found to be very refreshing.Uma Villa bathroomUma Villa bathroomThe Uma Villas have a small terrace and garden area with a couple of chairs and a daybed, along with an odd outdoor shower (I have no idea what for, since the Villa does not have a pool). The weather this time of year (monsoon season) and the hotel's location on the hill meant that the temperature was never sweltering during our stay. As such, the terrace became a very nice place to sit and unwind. Uma Villa terraceUma Villa daybedFrom the terrace, the villa views down the Campuhan Valley down towards the river Oos, although the greenery does block direct view towards the river. Despite that, the view was still very beautiful. Uma Villa view Service Service was as it was last time we were here—warm, professional, and courteous. Everyone seemed like they took pride in their jobs, and between the reception and restaurants, there was always a manager who checked upon us (and referred to us by names, no less) to see that everything was fine. One thing that I found interesting was the fact that some of the staff were actually from the currently closed COMO Shambhala Estate up north. We were later told that there wasn't a single staff member who lost their jobs due to the pandemic, and instead, staff from Shambhala Estate and Uma Ubud shared shifts at Uma as a temporary measure. This was very nice to know, and I suppose, a very good programme to be done by COMO leadership. Dining We only dined at the hotel for breakfast. The food quality is exceptionally high, and rivals that at high-end Bali resorts like Amankila and Alila Villas Uluwatu. One especially strong point I found was their pastries, which were flaky, soft on the inside, crisp on the outside, and very fragrant. Likewise, the fruit plates and fruit salads were very nice and contained five different fruits, two or three of being rather 'exotic'. Fruit juices were also fresh.Over the course of our stay, we sampled several hot mains, including an eggs white omelette, chicken meatballs, and an off-menu Eggs Royale. Whilst the Eggs Royale wasn't quite the best I had in a Bali hotel, I was very impressed that they were able to whip one up last minute. I also found the chicken meatballs to taste very good, with an intense broth which I liked very much.Overall, food was excellent!Kemiri RestaurantFruit SaladEggs BenedictFruit PlateCroissantsEggs white omeletteChicken meatballs Location The hotel is located on Campuhan Hill, near the old Tjampuhan hotels of Ubud (Pita Maha & Hotel Tjampuhan, both owned by the King of Ubud). Bear in mind that the hotel isn't located in Central Ubud, but between the centre and Sayan, where most high-end hotels are located (Four Seasons, Amandari, Mandapa Reserve, etc.). Right across the street from the hotel is the popular Naughty Nuri's restaurant (which I unfortunately, never found to be very good). There was also a large art gallery next door, although I did not visit it. Pool at Uma Ubud Overall Overall, my verdict of Uma Ubud still remains the same. The hotel is near perfection and is absolutely wonderful in every way. The rooms looked great, the hotel looked beautiful, the service is attentive, the food is delicious... what's not to love? I'd be very happy to recommend this place to anyone who visits Ubud.
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