Am planning a holiday to Ubud Bali. Would like a room in a 3 to 5 star facility within WALKING distance to city center so I am not a prisoner of wherever I stay. Evening options for me to go out to bar and/or restaurants, shopping,entertainment rather than having to stay at the hotel,etc.

Have looked on the internet and local maps but its very confusing. There does not really seem to be an Ubud city center but rather spread out.

Only requirment is that the facility have a well equiped excersize room. Don't really care about golf, tennis, but a relaxing pool would be pleasant.

anyone been there? perhaps some recomendations about facilities as described above or, at least location of city center to help narrow down choices.

Have looked at the Four Seasons, but found out it is owned by the Suharto family and alegedly because of their political connections was built illegally, acording to some travel mags.. so would rather not stay there and also is quite far from everything.

Am planning a holiday to Ubud Bali. Would like a room in a 3 to 5 star facility within WALKING distance to city center so I am not a prisoner of wherever I stay. Evening options for me to go out to bar and/or restaurants, shopping,entertainment rather than having to stay at the hotel,etc.

Have looked on the internet and local maps but its very confusing. There does not really seem to be an Ubud city center but rather spread out.

Only requirment is that the facility have a well equiped excersize room. Don't really care about golf, tennis, but a relaxing pool would be pleasant.

anyone been there? perhaps some recomendations about facilities as described above or, at least location of city center to help narrow down choices.

Have looked at the Four Seasons, but found out it is owned by the Suharto family and alegedly because of their political connections was built illegally, acording to some travel mags.. so would rather not stay there and also is quite far from everything.

Try the Komaneka hotel in Monkey Forest Road (www.komaneka.com). My wife and I are staying here right now on a short trip (our first trip here). We had the same requirements as yourself and researched the possibilities extensively in guide books, on the internet and through checking traveller reports on Trip Advisor. This place came out well ahead of the others and we got the best price by booking directly with the hotel on its Web site. You don't have to pay everything up front as many of the so-called discount agencies want, but just have to guarantee aqrrival with a credit card.

I guess you would call the Komaneka four star. Having walked around and actually seen many of the other hotels which we considered in our search, we are confident that we have the best. It's small, what you would call a boutique hotel, and facilities and service meet all expectations. It has a nice pool (about 20 metres long) in a beautiful setting. However it has no exercise room and I doubt that you would find this in any of the town centre hotels here. The great thing is that it lies off one of the main streets and you can just walk out and be in the middle of all the shopping, restaurants and entertainment. We would certainly come here again. There is a sister hotel called Komaneka Resort a few km outside the town which does have a gym (can't say whether it's well equipped) and anybody staying here at Komaneka in town can take the free hotel shuttle bus and use the gym at the other Komaneka. I think that the Web site covers both of the hotels so you can probably read about the gym.

The centre of gravity of Ubud is the intersection of Jalan Raya Ubud (the main commercial street - banks, market, restaurants etc) and Monkey Forest Road (one of the most important shopping and restaurant/entertainment street). If you choose a place within about 500 metres of this intersection you are well placed to enjoy the town on foot, as we have been doing. Many of the other well-reputed hotels in the Ubud area lie well outside this area, too far to walk easily to the centre, and you have to take some form of transport.

Please PM me if I can be of any more help.