Mandapa, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve

Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve is one of those unique and special properties that stays with you for a lifetime. My husband and I stayed for 3 nights and we could’ve easily stayed for a week. The service from the moment we were picked up from our first Bali resort to our departure was exceptional. I’ve stayed at many 5 star properties and Mandapa is at the top of the list. As soon we arrived at the property, we were greeted by the general manager and were given a Tridatu bracelet (which I’m still wearing over a month later). We were offered a delicious welcome drink and given an overview of the property. We then met our Patih, Niti, who was exceptional in every way. I appreciated how Niti gave us her WhatsApp number so we could reach out to her at any time. She would even find us around the property when she hadn’t heard from us just to make sure our stay was to our liking. We stayed in riverfront villa #23 and it was undoubtedly one of the best villas at Mandapa. We enjoyed drinking our morning coffee and eating breakfast in the detached living room and listening to the river rapids. I really appreciated how you could have the included breakfast delivered to your room at no extra charge. If you’re staying in a riverfront villa, then I would definitely recommend opting for the room service option for breakfast. I’m still thinking about the banana pancakes too over a month later! We took 2 excursions organized by Mandapa during our stay. We took the half-day Volkswagen vintage tour which is an absolute must do. Our guide was phenomenal and extremely knowledgeable. We thoroughly enjoyed our conversations with our guide throughout the day and she really enhanced our appreciation for Bali as a whole. We also took the Bali Beans family tour, which was great as well. As coffee lovers, it was interesting to trek along a coffee plantation and learn not only about coffee plants, but a variety of local vegetation as well. We also loved our guide on this tour and appreciated his willingness to engage in conversations about a variety of topics about life on Bali. The food at Mandapa was exceptional. We ate at Ambar, Sawah Terrace, and Kubu and each meal exceeded our expectations. The sushi at Ambar was some of the best we’ve ever had and I loved how the meal included so many unique components, such as a welcome drink and delicious nibbles to hold you over until your food arrived. The cocktails were also a work of art. We ate lunch at Sawah Terrace each day and the food was also top notch. The meal was also an experience, where we were offered a bowl of natural disinfectants to wash our hands. The small bites offered before the meal were also a 10/10. We ate at Kubu for our last dinner and sat in a private cocoon facing the river. We loved the pork, beef, and beans courses the most, but each course was delicious and beautifully presented. I also opted for one of the wine pairings, which enhanced the experience. We were also very, very fortunate to stay during Mandapa’s 10th anniversary and we were invited to their anniversary celebration, which was one of the coolest things I’ve experienced in all of my travels. The celebration included a cocktail hour, 6-course gourmet dinner, wine, Kecak performance, and fireworks show. Of course, not every guest will experience this, but it was such a unique experience and I appreciated how we were able to be a small part of Mandapa’s 10-year story. I never wanted to leave Mandapa, but Mandapa will never leave me. Trust me, you will not regret staying here.

We had a wonderful dinner and our waiter Alit was fantastic and made us feel very welcome. He was incredibly attentive and thoughtful. Thank you, Alit! Best wishes Chloe and Freddie

What can I say but only the best words & compliments on our fantastic stay at Mandapa Reserve. The decision to stay in the two-bedroom pool villa at Mandapa was to become the key highlight of our Balinese vacation. As a family of 4 adults, I could not have made a better decision to celebrate my 50th birthday but at Mandapa. Firstly, huge compliments to the online reservation & personal explorer teams (notably, Ms Wulan) who handled our pre-arrival queries & requests so promptly & efficiently. Nothing was too much or too difficult for them to arrange as per our requirements. As the first frontline prior to our check-in, they had done such a great job. 1. Arrival at Mandapa Reserve Upon arrival at Mandapa, we were warmly received at the main entrance by the frontline staff. Special mention to Dewa (Asst Director of Rooms) who took such great effort to brief us on the resort, what we could expect from our stay & within minutes of his briefing, we felt so at home & settled, ready for a lovely stay. We were also introduced to our wonderful butler, Kewin, who took over the reins thereafter to ferry us to our villa in a buggy, whilst explaining the key landmarks within the resort village. Kick starting our stay with such a warm reception upon our arrival, we knew we were in for a treat! 2. Two-Bedroom Pool Villa Upon stepping into our villa, all expectations from the website photos we had seen previously were far exceeded as the villa looked even more spectacular in real life. As it was my 50th birthday, the resort had graciously decorated the living room with a 50th & party balloons, as well as a delish mango mousse cake on the side. After a speedy in-villa check-in & orientation process by Kewin, we comfortably settled in to enjoy our villa facilities. Set beautifully right by the Ayung River, this villa would become my all-time favourite location that I have ever stayed in Bali. From two gargantuan sized rooms & a gorgeous private pool wrapped around the villa by the riverfront, this clearly was the setting for a perfect holiday. 3. Dinner at Sawah Terrace During our stay, we had a most enjoyable Indonesian dinner at Sawah Terrace. As with all other service staff, the staff at Sawah Terrace were all smiles & eager to be of service. The main service staff who attended to our table, Era (I hope I got her name right), was so affable & attentive throughout the evening. The menu selection at Sawah Terrace was extensive & every dish was ample & tasty. Coupled with traditional Balinese dance performances as we dined amidst the enchanting ambiance of Sawah Terrace in the evening, it was indeed a memorable dining experience. To end the evening on a sweet note, I was served with a special birthday cake, much to my surprise. That was a such a thoughtful gesture! 4. Breakfast at Sawah Terrace Our breakfast experience dining at Sawah Terrace was equally good, with every service staff ever ready to greet us with the brightest smiles, and service that was second to none. Our orders were taken promptly & food were served fresh & piping hot. Food presentation was executed brilliantly & the buffet table spread each morning was sufficient. On one of the mornings when we were approaching Sawah Terrace for breakfast, we were greeted by our names by a front office personnel (Eddy/Ede was his name, or I may be wrong). Such personalised reception to address us personally by our names was a great touch to make us feel so at home! As if I was not pampered enough, the service staff came by our table & sang me ‘Happy Birthday’, while being presented a specially curated plate of ‘nasi campur’. 5. In-villa BBQ Dinner On my birthday evening, to celebrate the occasion, we had requested for a private in-villa BBQ experience. A BBQ station was promptly set up by the pool ready for a pleasant dining experience. Our private chef for the evening, Chairul, efficiently & skilfully prepared our BBQ dishes & every dish was explained to us & cooked beautifully. The private service staff assigned to us for the evening, Krishna, was so attentive, personable & friendly, making the whole experience felt like dining at a best friend’s dinner party. The food portions from the starters to the mains, right up to desserts were so generous that made for such a spectacular dining experience to usher in my 50th birthday. 6. In-house Photographer As part of our villa reservation, we were entitled to a one-hour photo shoot with a private photographer. Our family had so much fun roaming the resort grounds to have our photos taken. The photographer was fun & animated, and clearly enjoyed his job as he carefully orchestrated our poses to ensure the best photos. Our photos turned out beautifully & we ended up with many sweet memories at the resort. 7. Kewin, Our Private Butler Saving the best for last, our wonderful stay at Mandapa Reserve could not have been possible without the warm & attentive service of our private butler, Kewin. Eloquent & well presented, Kewin was always on call to ensure all our needs & requests were promptly met. Nothing was too insurmountable or challenging for her, as her speedy response to our requests was most commendable. Every call for a buggy from our villa to the restaurants & lobby was responded to within minutes. Always greeting us with the sweetest smile & with her enthusiastic demenour, nothing was impossible for Kewin. One perfect example was when my mother was looking to buy some local ‘gula merah’ from the local supermarkets (but to no avail), Kewin through her own resourcefulness, had sourced for a bag of ‘gula merah’ & within the hour, returned to our villa to deliver the ‘gula merah’ for my mother. That was testament to what was personalised & efficient service! On another occasion, my sister & I (who are avid padel players), had booked ourselves a padel session at a nearby padel complex, just down the road from Mandapa. Ever so willingly, Kewin booked us a car to send us to & fro so that we could go for our padel session. Knowing that our butler, Kewin, was always just a call away, we felt ever so spoilt and pampered, and were always assured of a most comfortable stay at Mandapa. Kudos to the team at Mandapa who exemplified the best-in-class service all around, in ensuring our family had the best time ever on this holiday! From first impressions at check-in, till our departure from the resort, there was nothing we could fault. With a heavy heart we checked out, but we assured ourselves that a future stay at Mandapa is very likely & high on our list while holidaying in Bali. Thank you all at Mandapa for a fabulously memorable stay & for taking such good care of us!

Mandapa is the gold standard for luxury hotels in Ubud, and the crown jewel of Marriott hotels portfolio. Not only is the property itself teaming with raw beauty, the service standard is unmatched. Mandapa staff anticipate your needs, take note of all preferences and really take care in personalizing the perfect stay. We cannot thank enough Niti, our butler who for two consecutive years of visiting Mandapa has made our trips as special as they have been. Special thank you as well to Gunawan, and Iwayan Suarjaya for your excellent hospitality and elevating our overall experience. Mandapas property situated on the Ayung River boasts plentiful activities on and offsite, while the hotel itself is such a pleasure to relax and soak up the lush jungle oasis. We very much look forward to returning.

After 5 nights here , I still pinch myself every day to make sure this isn’t a dream…I never imagined that such a resort could ever exist. The beauty of the place is unreal and unmatched even at other big names in the area. Positive vibes and the most wonderful people that work here, they operate in a smooth and orderly manner making everything seamless. The butler service is impeccable and they are always ready! The room is huge and feels like it was built yesterday! No faults can be found. I loved the activities, pool, restaurants, especially the Ambar Japanese bar and restaurant that is a spectacular place for the sunset. To each and every person that makes this place paradise , thank you! Special thanks to the lovely waitress Oci with the beautiful smile for her great service this week. Glad to have so many friends at Mandapa that I look forward to seeing next time! Truly the best resort in the world!