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Amandari, meaning ‘peaceful spirits’, is perched above the verdant Ayung river gorge outside the artist's community of Ubud. It overlooks natural forest and an emerald green cascade of rice paddies, tilled as they have been for centuries. Amandari is also an intrinsic part of Kedewatan, a village that upholds the same age-old traditions and values that the Balinese, a people for whom family and happiness are paramount, have believed in and practiced for centuries.

Amandari is designed in the same style as the charming local village within which it is located. While the 21st century has been accommodated with subtlety, Amandari's charm is bedded in its authentic architectural depiction of the indigenous lifestyle. The palette of honey, cream and white on simple fine lines, with hand-woven batiks, is soothing, relaxing and appealing. Nothing interferes with the lush, tropical vegetation throughout the resort; the dense equatorial greens of the surrounding plants, palms and rice terraces are reflected in the resort's many glistening pools. Balinese-style stone gateways front Amandari's 30 walled, thatched-roof suites, each with a private garden courtyard. Wireless broadband connections are available in all suites and public areas.

All suites offer a garden courtyard, a living area and wall-sized sliding glass doors that open on three sides to the lush surroundings. The bathroom features twin vanities and dressing areas, a separate shower and toilet and an outdoor sunken marble bath behind a glass door. Walled but entirely open to the sky, the sunken tub is framed by large stone planters of ferns and heliconia. Suites come either as a single-story or a two-level duplex. The duplexes have a queen-size, four-poster bed on a mezzanine level while the single-story suites offer a king-size bed. Village suites feature either a large combined bedroom and living room, or a ground floor living room with a separate queen-sized bedroom on a mezzanine level. Valley suites are identical to village suites but offer views of the Ayung Valley or surrounding paddy fields. The pool suites are considered the best in Ubud with each boasting a stunning private pool and views of the Ayung river gorge or surrounding paddy fields.

OUR RATING: Opulent