Umah Nanda

The location is great for trekking, and ‘Umah Nanda’ sits on the quieter, peaceful side of Kintamani. We stayed two nights and enjoyed the cozy cottage and its relaxed feel. The staff were friendly, spoke English well, and offered breakfast and food pick-up from nearby restaurants. One evening they lit a campfire, and guests gathered around for warmth and shared stories and culture. That really adds to the charm. The room hygiene could be better. I have severe dust mite allergies, and on my second day I had a reaction that even my medication couldn’t suppress. Our room, 01, also had a noticeable toilet smell, though room 02 didn’t, so it may just be that one room. I’d recommend ‘Umah Nanda’ to anyone staying here for trekking. If you’re allergic to dust or sensitive to smells, I’d contact them beforehand and ask them to deep-clean the room before you arrive.

The owner was kind and caring, and helped warm our food, arrange a scooter, book a Mount Batur sunrise jeep tour, and get a taxi for our return. They also brought us a complimentary fruit platter in the evening. It’s a great villa in a scenic, strategic spot for a Mount Batur sunrise trek or jeep trip. Ask the owner about arrangements. The Mount Batur area has organic farms, and the onion farms bring a lot of flies. Keep the door shut and have a small bug spray handy. It wasn’t a problem for us.

The rooms were good and the location is excellent, especially for getting to the Mount Batur trek. But there was a really bad, strange smell like rotten cabbage, and the flies made us keep the door shut all the time. If you’re fit enough for a moderate trek, don’t hire a guide just because people around the village say it’s compulsory. They don’t mention it anywhere officially. It feels like a group of people are running the business and pressuring everyone to take a guide, even though it isn’t necessary.

The little cabins are cozy and very conveniently placed for the Mount Batur hike. It’s 2.53 km from the top, about an hour and a half of trekking. The owner arranged a great tour guide to take us up. There was no hot water. The owner said there’d been a power outage, but the water still wasn’t warm when the power came back, just as it hadn’t been the night before. With hot water, I’d rate it 5/5.