15 May 2009

Mansion Resort House and Spa at Ubud

After 8 nights in the relatively hovel-like conditions of Suka Beach Inn at Kuta, we moved right to the opposite end of the spectrum with our next hotel. Liz, very kindly, bought me for my birthday a stay at the Mansion Resort House and Spa in Ubud, central Bali. The hotel and location were really stunning, set in lush tropical gardens in the hills a couple of miles outside of Ubud.

The timing of our stay also coincided with our 1st wedding anniversary, allowing us to celebrate in a bit of style. Thanks to my Mom and Dad, who sent us some money, we were also able to go out for a slap-up meal on the evening of our anniversary. We ate too much food, drank a little too much wine and ended up dancing drunkenly round the hotel to a bit of Barry White!

The hotel was so nice and relaxing that it proved to be quite an effort to make ourselves leave to explore the sights of Ubud. Instead we spent most of our time lounging around the hotel's pools and gardens, making the most of having a bit of luxury.

Ubud town is famous for being a bit of an artists enclave and the atmosphere is a little like a land locked St Ives, only without the seagulls and pasties. When we finally managed to drag ourselves away from the hotel we spent our time exploring the numerous galleries around town. The strangest/most interesting being the Blanco Renaissance Museum. Antonio Blanco is often described as the Dali of Bali and, from what we could work out from his museum, specialised in painting naked women holding fruit with vases between their knees. Make of that what you will! The museum was set in a beautiful building and grounds filled with tropical birds.

Ubud is also a former royal capital and has lots of temples and palaces to explore.

The only incident that marred our stay in Ubud was a foot mangling endured by Liz. The pavements there, like the majority of those in Southeast Asia, are like something out of a war zone, all broken and cratered. Liz stepped on a wonky metal grid which kicked up and ripped off the nail and tore a chunk out of the big toe of her right foot. Ouch! At least it made me stop wingeing about my ribs (for a day or two).

1 comment:

  1. Sounds like what we were all doing a year ago at your wedding - eating too much, drinking far too much and dancing drunkenly in a hotel to Barry White! We were thinking of you both on your special day and also had a bit of a jig to Barry in your honour(dance that is - know how your mucky minds work!!!)

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