Amandari resort, Ubud review: Serenity stripped bare

Amandari is essentially a couple of large pavilions housing the most modest reception I've ever seen as well as the small open-air bar, restaurant and newly renovated library. Beyond the pavilions is the green-tiled pool and, until you see it from inside the resort, it's impossible to fully appreciate its bold, organic design. The far edge drops away and you are left with a view of the dense rainforest that covers the opposite slope across the steep Ayung Valley.

There are six green Chinese-style umbrellas beside the pool but with 11 of the resort's 30 thatched-roof suites – located to the left and right of the main entry – having their own pools, the main area is never crowded.

After a warm welcome, we're led through the main pavilion past large ceramic vases filled with intoxicating tuberose down a paved path between lichen-covered stone walls to our light-filled duplex suite.

There are floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors on three sides of the stand-alone suite, a large marble-floored living area with two oversized day beds, a round dining table dominated by an arrangement of tropical fruit, a wood cabinet hiding a bar fridge and stereo, and a large combined bathroom and dressing area with an outdoor sunken bath and two sun lounges.

At the top of a narrow spiral timber staircase is a four-poster queen bed, desk and ensuite.

Once again, the simplicity surprises me. There's none of the typical features usually found in top-class accommodation – be warned, there's no television. And instead of sleek surfaces and sharp angles, there's plenty of timber, glass and open space. The surrounding garden with its fragrant frangipani and eye-catching heliconia provides a private retreat beneath towering palm trees.

My initial reaction is that the interior is dated and cliched. I later discover that Zecha consulted staff and Muller about a redesign and chose not to pursue an extensive overhaul, opting instead to retain the resort's original decor in order to maintain a link with its traditional setting.

There were some minor changes during a three-month closure earlier this year: WiFi cables were installed, cobblestones were replaced with grey herringbone pathways and the library doubled in size.

By our second day, I'm beginning to understand Zecha's decision.

After spending time by the pool watching finches flit about, trekking with Amandari guide Amon through the nearby rainforest, past terraces of sweet potato and rice seedlings to the small village of Bongkasa, and skimming an array of history and architecture books in the library, I feel as though time has slowed.

The serenity at Amandari is a rare experience when you're used to running ragged and it takes a little while to adjust. At night there is the calming pulse of frog song. There's no piped New Age soundtrack in the spa suite, where I receive one of the most soothing massages I've ever had (ask for Dewi). Instead, water falls from the roof on the open-air side of the suite into a large pond to mimic rain and is instantly relaxing.

There's no pretence or glitz here. If you're after authentic peace and quiet, the kind that is initially unnerving until the white noise in your fatigued brain switches off, just two nights at Amandari is enough to restore balance.

There are also the little things. When I request sugar water to add to my ginger tea, it is always there when I order again. As soon as I arrive at the pool, a towel and glass of cold water seem to instantly appear. When my husband forgoes the trek to relax on the day bed and catch up on the Ashes on his iPhone, a backpack arrives so I can carry my toddler son. I find out it belongs to the general manager, Liv Gussing, herself a devotee of walks with her children.

My only gripe is that while the kitchen turns out prompt room service and a solid range of local and Western dishes, the standard isn't as high as you'd expect from the luxury end of the market. But with a free shuttle into Ubud, there's a smorgasbord of dining options only minutes away, though we didn't really venture into town. The pull of Amandari proved too strong.

The writer was a guest of Aman Resorts.

TRIP NOTES

WHERE Kedewatan, Ubud. Phone +62 361 975 333, see amanresorts.com/amandari/home.aspx.

HOW MUCH Accommodation is divided into village, valley and pool suite categories and prices start from $US750 ($870) a night.

TOP MARKS The spectacular setting and knowledgeable staff.

BLACK MARK The standard of food available via room service was inconsistent.

DON'T MISS Sunset in the bar and afternoon performances by the village children.