Bali has a stellar reputation in the budget luxury travel arena and I unashamedly wanted a taste of it. My appreciation for the £8-per-night guesthouse is unwavering but I’m definitely harbouring a not-so-secret soft spot for the finer things.
With free reign to choose somewhere to stay for a treat, my final choice came in at a mere £43 a night. A hefty price tag for backpackers but a fraction of the price that you’d expect to pay in Europe, Australia or the USA.
Just a few streets from Monkey Forest Road in the heart of Ubud lay The Moksha, a tranquil oasis of calm backing onto lush rice paddies. The villa-style hotel welcomed us with a refreshing, ice cold drink before showing us to our room.
Smoothly sliding open the wooden doors with barely a sound, the light and spacious room that awaited was stunning. Beautiful Indonesian landscapes covered the walls and the fluffy, clean pillows beckoned invitingly. The bathroom was just as exciting. Forget the threat of cockroaches we usually faced; The Moksha came with a rainfall shower, spacious counter area and even a bath!
We immediately ruined the pristine space by dumping our hefty backpacks on the floor while I began covering the sofa in my belongings in search of my swimwear. Yep, just a few steps away from our balcony (conveniently shaded in vines for privacy and ambiance), lay the pool.
Our visit to Ubud coincided with the humid rainy season so it felt incredible to step outside our room and cool off. Gazing up at the blue sky from the water, I realised that I could definitely live this way. Forget backpacking, just take me to the nearest infinity pool please.
One of the biggest luxuries during our stay was breakfast. Money saving tactics usually have us dining on cheap noodles or waiting until lunchtime for a blowout. But not this time!
At 9am each day, a knock on our door told us that breakfast was waiting on our private balcony area. We could roll out of bed and sit straight down to cereal, banana pancakes and a variety of freshly squeezed juices.
I mean honestly, how can you make a bowl of cornflakes look so good? It was simple food yet the indulgence of having it delivered straight to our door made us feel ridiculously pampered. Unfortunately, Peppa Pig started blaring out from the room next door which somewhat ruined the illusion. But hey, compared to our usual rooster wake-up call every 10 minutes from 5am, it was a dream.
Straight after breakfast, it was back to the pool to alternate between swimming and reading. Although there seemed to be other people staying in most rooms, it was never busy which only added to the luxurious feeling.
Spending just two days at The Moksha was a short but memorable highlight of our backpacking adventures. From the friendly staff to the gorgeous surroundings, our time there gave something a little special to our time in Bali. Actually, I’d like to go back now please. Anyone?
If you like what you see, check out The Moksha Ubud on Booking.com
Coming soon: highlights from Indonesia! If you’re a foodie or have a soft spot for turtles, stay tuned…
Laura x
Read more about Indonesia:
Snorkelling Hotspots in Bali: Amed and Gili Air
Disclosure: This page uses affiliate links. If you make a booking through one of these links, I may receive a small % of commission at no additional cost to you.
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