09 Dec2015
Gajah Biru Bungalows – accommodation close to Ubud Bali
When I was doing a 10-day raw vegan chef training and detox course just outside of Ubud, Bali, I tried to stay as close as possible to our course location. And Gajah Biru Bungalows are situated just a short minute walk away from the main Penestanan road, and also from our training in the rice fields, so they seemed like a perfect fit.
I was honestly amazed by the bungalows way more than I expected. I only wish I had more free time to enjoy the peacefulness of the tropical surroundings. But at least, I found some time twice during my 6-day stay to go for a swim in the pool, and visit the spa.
What I enjoyed about my Gajah Biru Bungalows stay:
- location – just a minute walk from the Penestanan road (super close to my favorite raw vegan restaurant Alchemy) or a 5-minute motorbike ride to the main Ubud street
- so peaceful and calm surroundings – I arrived here to find that some peace and quiet before and during the difficult training was exactly what I needed. Each morning and night it was so easy to meditate here just listening to the sounds of nature, birds and insects.
- free wifi – most of the time it worked perfectly even though on my first night I had to wait for some time and get out of the room to sit on the veranda to get a good connection. On the other days the wifi was for sure better than in many other places in Bali (maybe you’ve heard that a fast wifi in Bali is very rare!) I did not work much while there but needed to upload some photos, so wifi came in handy.
- service – all the staff members were incredibly nice and sweet, always smiling and waving at me each time they saw me pass by. I really felt as if we knew each other for ages even though I really didn’t even have time to talk to them at all. I hope to change that in the future if I ever go back. Gajah Biru is definitely the place where the famous Balinese hospitality will get under your skin.
- White Bamboo Spa – I had a 90-minute Balinese Boreh treatment right on my first day when waiting for my room to get ready (I arrived before check-in time.) The spa therapist was the sweetest lady ever, we talked a lot during the treatment. She was asking me some things about my life and work and even made me laugh saying I had the same skin colour as she did. First, I got a massage with natural oil and then body scrub with Boreh spices. The local farmers created this combination to releave the muscle and joint pain and stimulate the blood circulation after working long hours in the rice fields. Although I did not work in the fields, the body mask smelled like heaven to me and it did make me feel fresh afterwards.
- each bungalow had unlimited water in a ceramic water tank – thumbs up for no plastic tanks!
- free toiletries – not just the basic ones, but I also appreciated a razor as I needed a new one at that very moment. The shampoo, conditioner and shower gel are in bigger ceramic bottles (eco-friendly saving the plastic.)
- really spacious bungalows – so many people could squeeze into my bungalow! It felt like having a whole villa to myself. My bed was huge and it made me feel like a Queen when sleeping in the middle of the bungalow.
- outdoor bathtub – my bathroom in the room 101 called Sage was partly indoor (connected to my room with a wall and doors) and partly outdoor (there was no wall next to the bathtub so I was taking showers looking outside to my little private garden admiring the evergreen tropical plants.)
- private ponds with fish around the bungalows – each morning after I woke up I would spend 5 minutes simply observing the fish swimming there. It really calmed me down.
- each room comes with free mosquito repellent to put on your skin and also that one you fire up so the smell keeps the mosquitoes away – could not appreciate it more when trying to work online at late nights in the veranda.
- there’s 2 swimming pools (one free to use for anyone and the second one might be private when the bungalow is occupied, but I believe on the other days you can use it, too.) The main pool never seemed to be crowded so I could swim my laps easily when I found time for that.
- so much attention to details – flowers, tropical plants, many statues (some very cute or funny)
Please find out more about Gajah Biru bungalows on their website.
