Taman Harum Cottages

Ubud will always be my favourite place in Bali - the cultural heart of the island. Intricate and ornate sculptures and carvings of Balinese Gods and Deities are displayed in almost all of the houses and places especially here in Ubud. So when we finally decided to go to Bali for our Xmas holidays we didn’t hesitate to and looked for a spot in Ubud right away. Since were a family of 9 people we need a room which can accommodate 4 people and luckily we found Taman Harum Cottages located in the heart of Ubud. We booked 2 bedroom Garden Villa for 490 SGD for 2 nights nothing could get better than this a very affordable price in a pristine, scenic, relaxing and culturally rich environment. And glad we did because we not only loved our stay here but we also love their in house restaurant - Warung Thor - the best Nasi and Mee Gorengs in town and everything they offer is good and delicious at a very affordable price!!! (separate review). Check-in was at 2 PM but when we arrived around 12 noon that day, the hotel is fully booked so we couldn’t check in early. Nevertheless, they still tried to accommodate us by giving us 1 villa for an early check-in at 1:30 PM which we truly appreciate and very grateful especially for the young kids in tow. Supposedly, we will have 2 Garden villas side by side but because of some room issue they gave us a Deluxe villa located in front of the pool which we really, really appreciate. The property is truly Balinese in architecture, design and landscaping. It has a Zen, Natury, Peaceful and Relaxing vibes perfect for those who wanted this quiet, laidback environment away from the hustle and bustle of other more tourist traps. I loved the Greeneries, the Garden with tons of luscious plants and flowers. And all over the facility, there are Sculptures dedicated to Hinduism and Buddhism religion and culture like Lord Buddha, Lord Ganesh and several Deities and Characters in Balinese Religion and Culture made of Volcanic rock, which were really aesthetic and divine. We also loved the big driveway and parking lot fo the resort. The lobby is open air designed in Balinese aesthetics and furniture made of wood and volcanic rocks which were really intricate and ornate. They also have several facilities like Billiards, Outdoor dining areas, and the Elegant Pool right at the center of the property. The latter is our most favourite activity in the resort. The classic Royal blue pools with both for adults and kids are clean, relaxing and rejuvenating. Given our Deluxe villa is just across the pool, its like our own private pool with easy access for us. The water temperature surprisingly stays at normal temperature despite the occasional showers and colder nights at Ubud. Sun loungers both with cover and open surround the pool. Balinese sculptures of volcanic rocks adorn the surroundings giving the pool a more intimate, classic, cultural aesthetic vibes of Bali, where its famous for!!! We swam literally daily in the pool and we took our lovely photos and videos here as well to remember!!! Behind the lobby is the cobbled stones pathway that will lead to your villas, and our first one the Garden villa is just a minute walk and it has 2 floors with a King bed with living room and sofa at the first floor and a Double bed with balcony on the 2F. There is a master bath on the lower floor with tub and a common toilet/shower on the 2F. We loved the villa’s interior design - patterned on Balinese aesthetics in Ochre/Earthly/White tones and classic finishing especially the ceiling fan. The ambience is very homey and cozy. Beds and Pillows are comfy/clean/smooth and relaxing!!! I loved the White hammock style concept on top of the King bed. Airconditioning on both floors work fine and easy to manage/use. The toilets have good water pressure and water heating. The tub is easy to fill and drain. They offer bidet on their toilets which is s plus. The towels are clean and they have full on containers for shampoo/body wash and hand wash. Lighting around the room is perfect - warm and conducive. They offer complimentary bottled waters/tea/coffee and kettle on their mini-bar/ref area. The only thing they need to improve is WIFI - a bit slow and some of our electronics devices could not connect. The power outlets are also minimal but they do provide extension cords. Take note of the power socket type in Indonesia so you’re ready when you arrive. They have 2 flat screen TVs on both floors and they offer lots of cable and local channels. As mentioned above, we were give a Deluxe villa in front of the pool side by side. Unlike the Garden villa, this one doesn’t have 2nd floor. It does have front patio same like the Garden villa, but it has a coffee table outside. The villa is so big it could fit a dozen people!!! Since its connecting, we have access to both villas. They are equipped with massively huge King bed and toilets with hot tub. The left villa has a basement style toilet and is indoor with no exhaust. The right villa has an outdoor style toilet and has open air ceiling. Both villas has living room with sofas, flat screen TVs with lots of local and cable channels, huge wardrobe with safety box. A mini-bar with complimentary bottled water/coffee/tea and Kettle. WIFI is free but only on some devices and is slow when everyone is using it. Lighting is cozy and warm and there are limited power outlets so can borrow power extension from the reception. King bed and pillows are comfy, clean and relaxing. Just like the Garden villa, we loved the aesthetics and design of the interior - really classic Balinese arts and culture and these 2 have Red/Brown/Gold and Black tones with a touch or White!!! Water pressure and heating is ok on the toilets and the tub is easy to fill/drain. Toilet has bidet also which is a big plus for us. Just make sure to close your doors especially at night because its an open air villa concept so insects have gotten inside sometimes. If the Garden villa has the bed King bed, this one has the best view outside. If you let your curtains open and just stair at the windows from your bed, you could see the luscious Garden outside and when it rains its quite romantic and relaxing indeed!!! One of the best moments of our stay here at Taman Harum!!! For the food we took at the hotel - please refer to our review of Warung Thor, the best restaurant in Bali!!! They also provide shuttle services from the hotel to Ubud center - just check with the reception. Suksma Taman Harum for giving us a Very Balinese Christmas stay here at the Islands of Gods, heavenly place called Bali!!! Kudos to your staff as well who made our stay comfortable and assisted us in everything we need. If you are a family or group and plan to stay in Ubud, then look no further Taman Harum is the place to be with the best food and garden concept villas it offers - you’re in for the most relaxing, memorable and wonderful stay here in Bali!!! See you soon!!! Suksma!!! :=)