Villa Pondok Apsari

Nia's in town and Monks up the mountain were our favorite places to eat. Both take some effort to reach and get back from, with a bit of sweating 😂😘. The village also has a few other spots for food and a small market with sweets and cold drinks. Ajik was an amazing, super friendly host. He helped us with so many things and was especially kind to our kids. The breakfast was perfect too. We had the best time at Pondok Apsari, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a more authentic Bali experience.

I ended up staying two extra nights because I really didn't want to leave, and I'll definitely be back. The house sits among the rice fields and is so peaceful and lovely. I enjoyed all the little details. Host Ji was kind and ready to help with anything. He's also a terrific guide, and I recommend his hike past the area's waterfalls. The Dutch owners were lovely too. Such warm hospitality.

Our boys, aged 5 and 8, picked this as their favorite of the six places we stayed in Bali. The view takes in rice fields, the ocean in the distance, and waterfalls, and there are nice people to meet on walks around the neighborhood. The pool is fabulous, and the house is stylish and unusual, open at the sides but still cozy. It feels connected to the landscape. Karien and Ji and his wife were all so helpful and kind. A calm, beautiful spot.

I love Sambangan, and I hope this feedback helps improve the inn. We rented the two-bedroom unit, which is the one this review covers. There is also another room with an ensuite. These are the facts as I experienced them along with my own opinions, and others may see things differently. The location deserves 4-5 stars. It's close to popular waterfalls, set among rice terraces, and the dining and shared areas have a nice view. Service gets 5 stars: Pak Aji and his wife were timely and very good to us. Thank you both. The rooms are where I had problems, so I'd give that part 1 star. I used the upstairs bedroom because my friend needed the ground-floor room. Getting up there means climbing narrow, steep stairs, with no handrail for the first half. That felt dangerous, especially for late-night bathroom trips. Luggage is hard to carry up, and even climbing without anything is difficult. It doesn't seem suitable for older guests or people with knee problems. At night, lots of flying insects came into the upstairs room, which made me uneasy trying to sleep. There is a mosquito net around the bed, but it made things stuffy. I understand the inn is in nature, though perhaps an insect trap or a change to the ventilation could help. The bathroom only has a curtain for a door, with no lock, which made me feel a little unsafe bathing as a woman. Other guests may have a different comfort level, but that's how it felt to me. Also, while the inn has a gate, the building itself has no front door, so once past the gate anyone can enter without another lock. Since I had to leave my luggage downstairs because of the stairs, that worried me. Taking these points together, my rating comes to around 3.3-3.6 stars. Sorry this fuller explanation is late. I waited until I was at a computer to type it more easily. Thanks.