We stayed at the Kamandalu for 5 days during our honeymoon. We are not the type to stay in at the hotel at all, but the Kamandalu is so fantastic, we spend 1.5 days just exploring the hotel grounds and enjoying everything the amenities. We used the driving service for 4 hours one day, to explore Kintamani (which I would suggest you don't bother with) and the Elephant Caves, the service is more expensive than what you can get from other driving services, but our driver was happy to share local information with us, and made the experience even better. The food at the hotel restaurant is amazing, and the restaurant is a lovely place for a romantic meal. There were some families there, and I would consider the Kamandalu very couple and family friendly. You aren't in the middle of the excitement of Ubud, but the shuttle service was very useful, and left at good times. We used this service almost everyday.

The grounds of this property are lovely, very lush and well maintained with rice terraces included. The main buildings, pools and also our room were pretty tired and therefore this resort is horribly over-priced. The location is a fair hike out of Ubud, with only 5 free shuttles per day. Strategically, no shuttles during meal times!

We ate room service a couple of times, very expensive for just average food. There was a lot a people charging overly inflated prices in Ubud, e.g. minimum taxi fare was $5! I strongly advise getting a driver (we got ours from the tourist information office in town) to take you into the surrounding rice paddy fields etc. which is just so picturesque.

Our room was a garden villa, ample room for a couple and our small child. The sunken bath wasn't much good for bathing a child. The outdoor shower was fantastic, and our garden was really pretty. The room itself was tired, curtains dirty and worn, the mosquito net on the bed was torn in places and dirty.

The breakfast buffet is aimed towards Taiwanese/Koreans so a lot of food didn't appeal to us Aussies. Most staff were friendly and helpful. The guy who did our turn down service showed great attention to detail, tidying up beautifully and always leaving extra towels etc.

Overall an okay stay but I wouldn't recommend this place at the current prices and wouldn't stay again.

This is a lovely hotel for those who appreciate peace and quiet, and who want to be close to the cultural heartbeat of Ubud.

The villas are spacious and well set out. There is a sunken bath and an outdoor shower, which is quite special. Everything is made out in authentic Balinese style. The four poster bed and the day bed in the area outside are magical, and make a great area to relax and read in. The villa (as opposed to just a room) also gives you access to the villa club, with computers, snacks of fruit and crackers and a few soft drinks, and cocktails 6-9pm, which are drinkable.

Beautiful landscaped rice paddies are in the heart of the hotel, as well as the pool in the middle of it all. The setting is really quite gorgeous, and outside you can see some quite special sunsets, the dramatic colours creating a patchwork over the sky. Though, of course, you don't see the sun actually sinking into the ocean, as you do on the coast.

Breakfast is quite basic, definitely not the best hotel buffet, but there is fruit, cereal, sweets, salad, soup, an egg station and a mixture of hot dishes that changes daily, so you won't go short.

The location is quite far out of Ubud. It would be an exhausting 30 min walk in the heat, but there is a complementary shuttle that goes 5 times daily, or you can hire a hotel car for about $6 to go to Ubud whenever you need.

The downsides are the location being quite far out and the bad food. I ordered a Caesar salad by the pool as well as a marinated chicken sandwich and was presented with a big plate of lettuce (anchovies? bacon? parmesan? where are you guys? ) and a few chunks of greasy chicken marinated in its own misery between slices of bread. Hmmm, not impressed!

Also, there is the fact that the hotel is quite old. The TVs are aged dinosaurs and the phone in the room wasn't working. However, that's not really the forte of the result, and it wouldn't make sense to judge it on technology.

Ubud itself has got a relaxed hippy-trippy vibe, with lots of art galleries, quirky shops and in close proximity to the silver making region, Chelo. You'll see lots of backpackers in bandanas and lots of traditional markets (bargain, bargain, bargain!) and organic food places for your hummus fix.

Overall, I enjoyed the stay in the hotel but would definitely suggest it's for those who enjoy lush greenery and peace. Don't come here expecting to see lots of activities or fabulous restaurants. There is a place for that, and its called Seminyak. Take a few good books and enjoy your own company, or a wonderful time with your partner. I personally couldn't take the quiet for longer than 3 days, but others are different and if you are the calm, reflective type, this resort is for you.

Stayed in an Ubud Chalet which was a bit of a let down. The room was very basic with worn down carpet and no balcony or terrace. The bathroom partially made up for it with a gorgeous stone bathtub and outdoor shower. The resort grounds have lots of nice touches and the place really is stunning - even more so at night. The breakfast buffet was tasty and fresh and there is a nice pool area. It is a fair distance from the Ubud centre and unless you plan to eat at the resort everyday, you do need to make use of the free shuttle service. It runs something like 6 times a day. We did walk on one occasion and it took about half an hour. Otherwise, there are plenty of people in the town centre who are ready and willing to drive you around. Staff are friendly and helpful. Overall, would recommend, but maybe try a room other than the Ubud Chalet.