Pondok Mertha House Ubud

Wayan and her family made me feel so cared for. Each morning there was fresh hot water for tea and a homemade breakfast I could order, served on my private balcony. It was a traditional homestay with a lovely family atmosphere, and they even invited me to a special ceremony at their temple. I learned a lot from them about Balinese culture and traditions, and I'm grateful for my time here.

I was hoping for somewhere comfortable and homey in Bali after backpacking around Indonesia, but I didn't want to stay here. The toilet leaked and the bed creaked whenever I moved. The view also wasn't like the photos. Instead of a garden, there was a walkway built right onto the balcony. Staff apologized for the inconvenience but didn't seem willing to refund my money. The entrance hall felt like a scooter garage, not a welcoming or comfortable place. I definitely wouldn't recommend it.

We left and found somewhere else because we didn't want to spend another night there. After seeing the room, we asked to cancel, but the host wouldn't refund our money. The bed sheets were dirty, and the bed made awful noises. There was only a wall in front of the balcony, so there wasn't really a view, and the entrance hall looked like a garage packed with scooters. It made for a really bad first day in Bali. Don't book this place.

Getting to the guest house takes a little effort: the sign isn't clear, and it's about 300 meters down a narrow lane beside Laughing Buddha Bar, with the place at the lane's end on the left. The entrance area downstairs, where the family lives, isn't appealing, and there are several flights of stairs to climb. For IDR 250K a night, though, we got a clean, airy room in central Ubud, an eight-minute walk from Ubud Palace and 10-15 minutes from Sacred Monkey Forest. A queen bed fit two adults comfortably. We used the fan at its strongest setting; AC was available for another IDR 50K. The shower was clean, with hot water and good pressure. Morning sun came into the room, and the balcony looked over a rice field. Breakfast there was delicious coconut pancakes, an omelette, and coffee. For that price, it's worth considering if you just want a place in the heart of Ubud to sleep and take a hot shower.