We spent 7 nights here.
The staff were very friendly and helpful, wonderful people.
We stayed at Beji 1 and found our villa required a renovation.
The air conditioning was excellent.
Bathroom was very "used" with very low water pressure (difficult for women to rinse hair).
Bed was excellent.
Very scenic spot looking down towards the river. Beautiful gardens.
Very noisy due to main road running next to the resort.

You know a place is special when we name it one of our all-time favorite places to stay... even after we were robbed a complete night’s rest thanks to a couple of rodents who made love, and an awful lotta noise, inside the rattan headboard just above our bed!

Yes, from the moment we set eyes on it, we fell in love with the Hotel Tjampuhan. Just picture this equation: Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room + Mr. Rourke’s Fantasy Island compound / Hindu iconography X lush jungle hill that leads down to flowing river! Sound too good to be true? It’s not.

Originally constructed as the guest residences for friends of Ubud’s Royal family, the elaborate property debuted in 1928. It would soon attract a host of Dutch colonists, primarily artists and writers, who hoped to invoke the same magic already exemplified by Ubud’s talented village communities.

By 1934, Hotel Tjampuhan was already home to Rudolf Bonnet and Walter Spies, both prominent artists who would devote their entire oeuvre to Balinese-inspired subjects. (Two of the 67 individual dwellings at Tjampuhan are named in their honor.)

In the years since, the property has been modernized several times. Still, visitors need not worry that Internet access or a series of cocktail bars have spoiled the original atmosphere. Even today, multiple landscaped walkways careen down the side of a ravine and empty off into a picturesque river bank that joins two sacred tributaries. Once combined with the property’s two separate pools and a handful of different, yet still traditional, building styles, the natural setting produces breathtaking views from virtually anywhere you stand.

Upon arrival, we were issued the ample-sized “bamboo suite.” (The vaulted thatch roof made it appear like we were staying in an oversized tiki hut, though we presume the unit was connected to three others in the same building.) We really appreciated the fresh flowers and traditional Indonesian furnishings that included a lovely tapestry placed over a comfy King Size bed. Our only criticism of the room might be its outdated bathroom, a concern that seemed to be following us throughout our time in Indonesia.

Aside from its interesting layout and impossible natural beauty, Hotel Tjampuhan has another ace up its sleeve in the form of a newly renovated indoor/ outdoor spa that we have since dubbed one of the “Grooviest Place Ever!” Talk about kitsch. Imagine yourself surrounded by hundreds of strange creatures immortalized in the stone walls of a riverside grotto that soothes as much as it shocks! Monkeys, gods and devas in provocative poses will easily make you blush as you submerge yourself into the bubbling hot spa or the icy waters of the plunge pool. Spa packages are available in half- or whole-day increments and include use of the sauna or steam rooms. A number of individualized scrubs and massage options are also available, some including detox meals or acupressure services.

As you can tell by our gushing, we really loved Hotel Tjampuhan and regretted not staying at least one more night to get the full Ubud experience. The clientele was friendlier and more diverse than any place we had stayed previously, a nod to the property’s ability to please a wide variety of travelers. Another bonus? The location of Hotel Tjampuhan is also particularly good as you are just slightly off the beaten path from the intense tourist area, yet still close enough - and within walking distance, to many good restaurants and shopping. Aside from the aforementioned rats who clearly enjoyed our romantic suite as much as anyone else, this place should be top on your list when visiting Ubud.

Set of Drifters tip: Those cool thatched decorative hats you see hanging up on the sides of many of the property’s buildings are actually functional! Trust your Set of Drifters when we say they become mighty handy if you find yourself trapped in a mid-afternoon downpour. In fact, you just may have to fight the hotel staff for them if the weather gets really torrential!

For more recommendations from our trip to Bali, check out our blog at www.setofdrifters.com.

Have stayed here twice now 2004 & 2009, just love the location, the peace and quiet, the rooms are large with a large balcony, they could do with a bit of an update but still love as it is. The staff are very warm and caring, our son 10yr at the time became quite ill and they were very concerned and check on him constantly to make sure he was comfortable, would stay here again quite happily.

This was our third stay at the Thampuhan - and I am sure that we will stay again when next we are in Ubud. Not the best hotel in town and she is showing her age a bit when compared to other uber resorts in Bali but it has a charm all of its own. After realising that there was no TV my 6 year old declared it the "worstest hotel ever" but after a walk around the rocky tracks to the pool where she and her sister were charmed by the monkey and frog statues she was happy. The service here is a bit hit and miss and the shuttle service which I remembered would once take you to town at anytime sticks to the timetable and will take you to town at other times for 20000!
Our room was close to the top so there was a bit of motorbike noise from the road and the door knobs fell off the cupboard but the rooms now have fridges (still no kettle) and new bathtubs (although I miss the old sunken ones - got stuck in one at 7.5 months pregnant once...). Still - there are no umbrellas - only conical hats, no tv, and the view is instantly relaxing. Don't expect 5 star, or even 4 star rooms and service but if you want to stay somewhere that is in a beautiful setting, a bit out of town and just a bit quirky - book in and enjoy.