Maya Ubud Resort & Spa – Bali – Hotel Review
Maya Ubud Resort & Spa is a luxurious five-star resort situated in Ubud, Bali. The resort spans across 10 hectares of beautiful landscape and is nestled in-between lush tropical rainforest, a scenic river valley and green rice terraces. Maya Ubud offers luxurious amenities just a few minutes outside the city center. In this hotel review, I will provide you with an overview of the resort’s highlights, our personal experiences as well as the many activities Maya Ubud is offering its guests.
DISCLAIMER: WE WERE HOSTED ON A PRESS TRIP AT THIS HOTEL, WHICH DOES NOT INFLUENCE MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS AND REVIEW ABOUT THIS HOTEL. ALL EXPRESSED OPINIONS ARE MY OWN. THIS BLOG POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. I MAY RECEIVE A SMALL COMMISSION FOR PURCHASES/BOOKINGS MADE THROUGH THESE LINKS, AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU.
The Location
Maya Ubud Resort & Spa is situated in Ubud, which is also known as Bali’s cultural and spiritual center in the heart of the island. The small town is primarily famous for its temples, traditional wood carvings, art and the lush nature and rice terraces surrounding the area. Thus, Ubud is the perfect place to connect with nature and Bali’s culture. Coming from the international airport in Denpasar, you can easily reach the resort after a 1-hour drive (36 km).
The Transfer & Check-in
From Ngurah Rai international airport in Denpasar, Bali, you can take a shuttle transfer organized by the resort to get to Maya Ubud (which comes at an additional cost if it’s not included in your direct booking package). Other options would be to take a taxi or rental car. We traveled by scooter since we only went to Ubud for a short weekend trip this time. In case you arrive by car or scooter, the resort has free parking facilities at the property.
The check-in process at the resort was done quickly and hassle-free and we received a delicious welcome drink. We were also given some additional information about the hotel premises as they are spread over around 10 hectares.
After check-in, one of the staff members brought us to our villa with a golf cart. In the room, the resort provides more information about its services and experiences in a scannable E-Concierge QR code and in a leaflet informing about the weekly activities.
The Property & Amenities
Maya Ubud Resort & Spa is the perfect place for a vacation if you want to enjoy the tranquility and natural landscape Bali has to offer. From rainforests to river valleys to rice terraces and palm trees – the resort has it all. Staying at Maya Ubud, you can completely immerse yourself in nature while at the same time enjoying all the amenities of a luxury resort.
All rooms, villas, and resort facilities combine modern design with Balinese cultural influences. The reception area with its pointed thatched roof is an eye-catcher and offers a lot of space and seating options. It is also the central area of the entire property and leads to all other facilities.
The resort features one restaurant, a bar and a café with beautiful views of the lush jungle forest and river valley.
In addition, Maya Ubud features a large complex for sports enthusiasts. The resort offers a tennis court, a one-hole golf course, a fitness center and a yoga pavilion.
Further down the Petanu River valley, you will find the Spa at Maya with multiple single and double spa pavilions, which you can reach using an elevator and stairs. You can also wander along the forest trails on the property.
Moreover, the resort has three pools – the Infinity Forest Pool close to the main building, the Infinity Riverside Pool next to the Spa at Maya and the kid’s pool. Unfortunately, the Infinity Forest Pool was under renovation when we were there.
Ultimately, Maya Ubud has a Gallery Boutique and a lounge, including a library. The resort is also a possible wedding or meeting venue.
The Rooms
Maya Ubud Resort & Spa offers 108 rooms. The 48 suites are located in the main building, while the 60 villas stretch out across the entire resort grounds. Guests can choose from five different room categories: Impressive Forest Suites, Impressive Forest Corner Suites, Heavenly Jacuzzi Villas, Heavenly Pool Villas and Heavenly Two Bedroom Pool Villas. WiFi is complimentary throughout the resort and in the suites and villas.
We stayed in a Heavenly Pool Villa and absolutely loved the villa and the private garden and pool area. Let me tell you more about the room:
Heavenly Pool Villa
The Heavenly Pool Villas are perfect if you want to have a private pool, large space and privacy. The enormous villa measures an incredible 360 square meters. It features a bed-/ living room, a bathroom, and an outdoor garden area with lounge chairs and a beautiful pool.
In the bed- and living area, you will find a comfortable 2m x 2m king bed, a sofa with a chair and table, and a working desk. There is also a wardrobe and some shelf space for your luggage. A coffee machine and a Bluetooth speaker dock were nice additional features.
The compact bathroom features an indoor shower, a bathtub overlooking the garden and a vanity.
My favorite part of the villa was the beautiful, lush garden area with its large private pool. It’s the perfect spot to relax and take a dip in the refreshing water in true seclusion. We truly loved it!
The Restaurants & Bars
Maya Ubud Resort & Spa has three dining outlets and also offers in-villa dining experiences.
Mayasari is the resort’s all-day dining restaurant next to the infinity pool in the main building. You can have buffet-style and a la carte breakfast as well as dinner with wonderful forest valley views. You can also enjoy themed evenings with live music, cultural activities and traditional dance performances. For breakfast, we had a la carte breakfast on one morning and a buffet breakfast on the other. Both breakfast experiences did not disappoint! We loved their great selection of dishes. We also ordered room service for dinner on our first evening and the food had the same excellent quality as eating in the restaurant.
Above the restaurant is the Tree Bar, an open-air pavilion overlooking the entire valley from above. The bar serves international food options for lunch and dinner, light snacks and a selection of drinks, including beer, wine and handcrafted cocktails. Here you can also enjoy the complimentary daily afternoon tea between 4 and 5 pm while soaking in the incredible views.
Located by the Infinity Riverside Pool and the spa, you can find the River Café. The café is situated right above the pool and allows you to gaze at the river and the rainforest wall at the end of Maya Ubud’s boundaries. Fresh, organic and locally sourced ingredients are used to create fresh juices, salads, sandwiches and hot stone specialties. Unfortunately, the café was closed while we were at the resort but we would love to check it out next time.
The Staff
While staying at Maya Ubud Resort & Spa, the staff was terrific. From the reception team to the restaurant team to the cleaning staff, the whole team showed us what Balinese hospitality is all about – big smiles and making you feel welcome. In addition, the staff at the restaurant and the bar was very attentive and quick to take orders. Additional requests were also handled effortlessly and to our complete satisfaction. Also, the teams of the spa and the fitness area were very kind and helpful when we had a spa treatment and a Tai Chi class.
What could be improved is the way the security staff at the gate approaches the arriving guests. The first impression already counts, and, therefore, the security staff being the first point of contact when entering the resort should also leave a positive impression on the guests. Moreover, it would have been nice if someone had helped us to carry our luggage after arriving in the driveway in front of the reception area which we would normally expect from a luxury hotel. But other than these two minor remarks, the staff of Maya Ubud was excellent.
Activities
Maya Ubud Resort & Spa offers many activities and experiences that make your stay even more memorable. Most of them are in-house activities.
A floating journey for breakfast or lunch is the perfect experience if you stay in a Heavenly Pool Villa. We enjoyed a floating lunch in the privacy of our private pool and it was absolutely amazing. There were so many delicious food options that we didn’t know where to start, but we loved every bite of it.
You can also join one of Maya Ubud’s cooking classes, including a tour through the Spice and Herb garden. If you fancy a picnic with your loved one, you can enjoy a picnic basket prepared by the culinary team and savor sweet and savory snacks in the setting of your choice. Talking about dining with your loved one: you can also have a romantic dinner under the stars on a private platform at Maya Ubud.
Another dining experience you can try is the private in-villa grill. We can highly recommend this experience! With candles flickering and the stars above us, one of the chefs prepared a multi-course grilled dinner in our garden. You can choose between a Vegetable Feast, a Balinese Bakar, a Seafood Grill and a Carnivore BBQ. Meanwhile, a private butler took care of us by serving and explaining the dishes and drinks. If you stay at Maya Ubud, this is one of the experiences you must try – the food was out of this world and the setting was truly magical and romantic. The in-villa grill was undoubtedly one of the highlights of our stay.
Next to the unique dining experiences, you can also join Maya Ubud’s weekly activities. I loved that the resort offers various complimentary activities. You can explore the Maya forest trails, walk through the nearby rice paddies, join a village trekking tour or cycle around the countryside with the free resort bikes. You can also participate in yoga classes, meditation sessions and Pilates practices. We had a private Tai Chi session at the yoga pavillon. It was our first time trying Tai Chi. Our teacher explained a lot about the practice and taught us all the basics. We always love experiencing new things and this was really fun.
You can further arrange a photo session with a photographer if you want to have some professional pictures taken at the resort as a unique memory.
Spa & Wellness
For us, Ubud is the best place in Bali to relax your mind, body and soul. You should definitely make an appointment at the Spa at Maya Ubud, which features multiple single and double treatment pavilions. You can choose from various massages, entire packages, as well as body re-charge, facial and rejuvenation treatments.
We had a 75-minute soothing Maya Massage during our stay, which includes a flower bath in a breathtaking setting and a relaxing full-body massage with aromatherapy oils. When we arrived at the spa reception, we were welcomed with a cup of fresh ginger tea and could individually choose the oil for our massage. The entire experience was wonderful and exceeded our expectations.
The One Unique Thing
Although all five-star resorts have a spa area, only a few can compete with the One Unique Thing of this resort: the unparalleled location and setting of the Spa at Maya Ubud. The entire spa complex resides at the outmost boundary of the property. It is nestled into the scenic landscape overlooking the river valley and lush rainforest. The stunning views and the relaxing sounds of nature make the whole spa experience even more unforgettable because you can immerse yourself in it with all your senses. For us, it’s the most beautiful spa in Bali that we’ve visited so far.
Conclusion
Maya Ubud Resort & Spa is a five-star luxury resort tucked away in the most beautiful and relaxing nature setting. The resort really stands out with its 10 hectares of lush environment while at the same time offering all amenities you need for spending a luxurious vacation. I absolutely loved the Balinese charm, the private dining options, the outstanding spa and the unique experiences Maya Ubud has to offer, especially the daily complimentary activities for your mind and body. The resort is the perfect choice for couples, honeymooners, friends and families looking for a luxurious and holistic nature escape experience. I can highly recommend staying at Maya Ubud and we cannot wait to return to this beautiful resort.
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