This was published 14 years ago
Ubud Hanging Gardens resort, Bali: The 450 steps to tranquillity
Verdant valley ... Ubud Hanging Gardens; each room has its own infinity pool.
Ute Junker feasts and floats in a lush hanging garden high above Ubud.
If you want to stay at Ubud's most atmospheric hotel, you'll have to head out of town. After a drive of about 20 minutes, take a turn-off and you'll come to an abrupt stop in front of an open-air hotel lobby perched in a most unlikely place: teetering at the top of a steep, densely forested valley.
It's only as you walk to the far end of the lobby that you'll see the rest of the resort, which is scattered down a slope that plunges 250 metres to the valley floor, where a tree-protected river babbles peacefully.
Ubud Hanging Gardens resort lives up to its name. The 38 villas are hidden among seven hectares of greenery - nestled amid clumps of towering bamboo and shaded by soaring palms and vines heavy with passion flower. The resort seems to blend effortlessly into the surrounding forest but it takes a team of nine gardeners - and some elaborate terracing - to keep the whole thing working.
The steep slope might make life difficult for the gardeners but not for the guests. Although we are told there are 450 steps from the top of the slope to the bottom of the valley, we never have to take more than half a dozen ourselves, thanks to a series of inclinators that traverses the resort.
It is, however, worth taking at least one walk through the grounds to admire the gorgeous plants - 150 species ranging from brightly coloured torch ginger and heliconia to delicate orchids and richly scented jasmine and Queen of the Night.
Once you are ensconced in your tree-fringed villa, it's tempting to stay holed up. Each villa has a large infinity pool; not one but two massive tubs in which to soak (one indoor, one outdoor); and a spacious deck complete with mammoth day bed. The views over the valley are extraordinary.
As I float on my back in my pool, a crashing in the trees nearby disturbs me. A monkey is clambering through the branches. As I straighten, it starts at the movement and darts away. I make a note to keep the sliding doors of my room closed.
The thought of room service is tempting but we make the effort and head up to the resort's restaurant, Beduur, for dinner. This turns out to be a smart decision.
The open-air dining room has a magnificent view over the valley - particularly of the open-air Hindu temple on the valley wall directly opposite the resort. During the evening, spotlights illuminate the temple's magnificent three-tiered courtyards, which cascade down the slope.
We're distracted from the exquisite sight by the arrival of the food. Ubud Hanging Gardens has one of Bali's best chefs, the melodically named Renaud Le Rasle. Le Rasle combines classic techniques with unexpected combinations of European and Asian flavours that go way beyond standard fusion fare. Dishes such as sake-marinated foie gras terrine served with fig tamarind chutney and a toasted Chinese five-spice baguette offer a dazzling kaleidoscope of flavours and textures.
The food looks as good as it tastes. Le Rasle creates elaborate presentations using crockery that he designs himself - his salmon tartar, for instance, is served like a Cornetto, rolled into a cone and placed in an elegantly designed glass cone-holder that looks like a piece of modern sculpture.
As well as an eye for beauty, Le Rasle has a sweet tooth, judging by a mouth-watering dessert menu that features dishes such as coconut panna cotta accompanied by roasted pineapple flavoured with lime leaves, passionfruit sorbet and a Sichuan pepper tuile or a chocolate-lime macaroon served with chilli-chocolate ganache and tofu-chocolate ice-cream - yes, tofu-chocolate ice-cream. Astonishingly, it tastes as rich and creamy as the dairy version.
The next morning, we decide to work off last night's dinner. We consider taking a yoga class in the spa down by the river - where we will enjoy a sensational Balinese massage later in the day - but instead, I opt to do some laps in the hotel's pool. This is another smart decision. The ovoid pool is a magnificent piece of engineering and the most extraordinary swimming experience you may ever have. Cantilevered from the slope and with an infinity edge, the pool seems to float among the treetops, with branches brushing its edge as you swim past.
I'm thinking that hotels don't get better than this when, at the suggestion of the staff, we sign up for a special treat known as the "Secret Romantic Dinner". We ask several staff what's involved but they giggle and tell us apologetically: "It's a secret."
That evening, I take the inclinator up to the lobby, where we are meeting, and turn to gaze over the valley. That's when I see the Hindu temple - no longer lit by spotlights but rather by hundreds of candles and some magnificent torches. The secret is out.
Sure enough, our escort drives us to the far side of the valley, where we enter the temple and find, in the lowest courtyard, a dining table.
The meal is magnificent - fish in banana leaf, seafood stew and super-fresh satay - but it's the location that makes the experience truly magical: within the flame-lit temple courtyard, acres of forest around us, fireflies darting through the darkness.
After dinner, the adventure continues. We're led through the jungle to a tiny temple by the river, where we receive a Hindu blessing before walking across the river to the hotel's rustic bamboo river terrace. Here, the girls from the spa are waiting to give us a foot massage. It's the perfect end to a perfect meal.
TRIP NOTES
WHERE Desa Buahan, Desa Payangan, Gianyar, Bali.
HOW MUCH For stays of two nights or more, Ubud Hanging Gardens has packages including daily breakfast and a three-course dinner in Beduur from $US353 ($408) a night. Valid for stays until March 31. Phone 1800 000 395, see orient-express.com.
TOP MARKS Swimming among the treetops is unbeatable but the friendly service also deserves special mention.
BLACK MARK The pool towels need refreshing; they're worn and scratchy.
DON'T MISS A bike trip through the surrounding countryside. Ask the resort to organise it for you.
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