RIVERSIDE ROMANCE

In the lush hills of Ubud, genuine Balinese hospitality awaits at The Kayon Resort

THE LOCALE

Perched above a bend in the Petanu River just 10 minutes’ drive north of downtown Ubud, this peaceful retreat in Bali’s central foothills neighbors the village of Kepitu, whose 10thcentury Telaga Waja temple is sought out for purification rituals and fertility blessings.

ROOMS

The Kayon’s 18 rooms and suites are designed in contemporary Balinese style using local stone, bamboo, and whitewashed furniture, with windowside terrazzo bathtubs that overlook the lush surrounds. There are also five 90-square-meter villas set along the river’s edge, each with their own plunge pools and terraces.

FOOD

Kepitu, the main restaurant, is set at the center of the resort with 180-degree views over the surrounding jungle. Built of thatch, ironwood, and bamboo, the romantic open-air pavilion serves light and healthy lunches and a mix of Asian and Western dishes in the evening, highlighted by Balinese cultural dinners every Thursday that feature local delicacies such as lawar kacang (long-bean salad with minced chicken satay) and grilled pork ribs marinated in local herbs and spices. Another treat is afternoon tea on the deck of the ravine-side Canyon Jetty, which looks out to a tumbling waterfall.

FACILITIES

Apart from a stone-lined swimming pool shaped like the resort’s namesake kayon, or tree of life, and a rooftop yoga pavilion, there’s Serayu Spa, where therapies utilize all-natural skincare products from Pevonia Botanica. Try the Ratih Kamajaya, a three-hour treatment combining Balinese massage, a coconut body scrub, and a flowerinfused milk bath.