Buahan, A Banyan Tree Escape Hotel

The people made our three-night stay especially memorable. Our escape host Arda looked after us wonderfully, and experience guides Oji and Uya were patient and informative as they taught us about the local village. Monica, Ita, and Sri in the restaurant were attentive and friendly, and the spa therapists were healing. General Manager Poospa has created an authentic local Balinese experience that showed us the island's true essence. The team went above and beyond, checking us in early and keeping us comfortable. We had one of the windiest nights, but they secured the blinds and did what they could to keep the weather from spoiling our stay. This was a blissful, unique, immersive Banyan Tree experience. Banyan Tree is doing something inspiring here, respecting the local community and teaching tourists to experience Bali thoughtfully, while enriching everyone involved. It's eco-friendly and highly sustainable. We're glad we got to experience true Bali at Buahan, and reconnected with ourselves, nature, and the people.

The open bale design was magical, with nature's sounds and views all around us while we stayed in real comfort. The hotel's look is stunning in person, just as the photos suggest. The food was a very happy surprise, from breakfast through the five-course dinner tasting menu. The team even went out of their way to make the dinner vegan. The staff were generous and so attentive that we felt special. Thank you to everyone, especially Sri, Riska, and Bintang.

What stays with us most from our three nights at Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape, is how kind and professional the people were. Their sincere hospitality made this one of our most meaningful and relaxing stays, beyond the mountain scenery and private pool. We truly hope to return. Our butler, Budi, took wonderful care of us. When an unexpected room issue came up, he handled it quickly and professionally, so we felt completely at ease. On our last night, he arranged a romantic surprise in the villa, which meant a lot to us. We also appreciated Difa, Olive, Ita, and Monica, who made us feel welcome and cared for. The hotel is deep in the mountains, peaceful and private. Each spacious villa has its own pool and beautiful mountain views, and we hardly wanted to leave ours. At first we were a little concerned by the open design and lack of traditional windows, but mosquitoes weren't an issue. The mountain air stays naturally cool and fresh, especially at night. There's also a high-tech cooling system above the bed, so anyone sensitive to heat needn't worry, even though we found the weather comfortable already. There's only one restaurant, but the meals never felt repetitive. Breakfast and dinner each had a different menu using fresh local ingredients, and everything was delicious. We looked forward to seeing what was served each day. A special thanks to bartender Arsana, a talented person it was an honor to meet. We enjoyed talking with him and hearing about his creations. Every cocktail felt considered and beautifully made. He even prepared us a delicious warm drink one morning, and we felt lucky to enjoy both his drinks and kindness. There are lots of activities through the day, so we never felt bored. We tried the spa, yoga, cocktail class, and biking. It was so fun and relaxing!

Those afternoons at the cocktail bar were a favorite. We enjoyed chatting with the botanists, the mixologists or magicians, whichever you prefer, and trying their fresh, inventive drinks. If you like mixed drinks, the cocktails are a treat, especially the unusual "challenge the botanist" creations. Too bad my new favorite cocktail bar is 8,000 miles from home, deep in the jungle, but the trek is worth it. My husband and I spent three nights at Buahan in September, and the whole experience helped us slow down and just be. Our host Riadi went above and beyond to care for us, and we enjoyed getting to know him and other staff over the few days. We had slow mornings by our private pool, watching wildlife and the scenery, and made use of the onsite amenities. The three-hour couples spa treatment was relaxing. It took place in one of the private spa bales, an unusual arrangement since there isn't one central spa, but several spa bales. The location, service, and experience came together and left a lasting impression. It felt like a true escape from the norm. The stay was luxurious despite the rustic feel of being in the Balinese jungle without walls. The people and the place made the journey worthwhile.