Komaneka at Bisma is one of the five Komaneka Resorts, all of which are located in or near Ubud. The chain is owned by a Balinese family from Ubud who owns several art galleries in the area. While the chain refers to this property as a resort, the location and hardware make Komaneka at Bisma feel more like a hotel. The 32-key property opened in 2008 as the first upscale hotel in the villa-ridden Bisma area.

Interestingly, whilst Komaneka claims that the property sits on a 5-hectare plot, the hotel grounds honestly didn’t feel that big. Especially when you consider that a spacious-feeling resort like Amandari is just 4 hectares in size.

Location

As its name suggests, Komaneka at Bisma is located on Jalan Bisma, a small street adjacent to Ubud’s main thoroughfare. Those driving should exercise caution due to the street’s narrow width; it is effectively a dead-end street since cars cannot pass the road’s other end. The hotel is physically close to Ubud’s famed Monkey Forest. In fact, there will be the occasional monkeys going about the hotel’s area (make sure to keep all doors locked). The hotel is also within walking distance of many of Ubud’s cultural sites and the shopping street of Jalan Monkey Forest. Overall, excellent location!

Arrival and Check-in

After driving through the narrow Jalan Bisma, we found the hotel’s well-signed entrance. Interestingly, security guards are absent at the entrance, unlike at most resorts. Since it was ready, we were brought to out suite at the 4th floor immediately after confirming our reservation. Check-in was handled in-room and was prompt and efficient. Very nice!

We were proactively offered a welcome drink of a sort of pineapple mint juice, which was nice and refreshing. Soon after, another of the hotel’s staff members arrived in our suite with our luggage. So far, I was very impressed with how seamless the process was. However, it later became clear to us that we were the only guests to be staying at the hotel that night, which might explain the promptness of everything.

Our Suite

The hotel has 32 rooms divided between standalone villas and suites housed in a multi-story main building. We stayed in an entry-level Bisma Suite, which, given its setup, is more like a junior suite than anything. At 88 sqm, it is undeniably very spacious for an entry-level room. Despite that, note that a good proportion is taken up by the immense balcony that runs the length of the room.

Bedroom

The entirety of the bedroom is clad in marble flooring and features a nice but narrow desk, a lounge chair, and as well as a soft quilted loveseat. There is also a sturdy ottoman by the loveseat, which doubles as a coffee table. Funny enough, the look of the loveseat really reminds me of Singapore Airlines’ Boeing 777-300ER First Class. Entertainment included the integration of Apple TV onto the room’s smart television, along with Netflix capabilities, both of which require a sign-in.

The coconut wood-topped minibar is located next to the loveseat. On there was a nice welcome plate of local fruits as well as a bottle of insect-repellent and hand sanitiser. I thought these were very thoughtful touches, particularly with the much-needed insect repellent. There are also two decorative bottles with cute traditional carved birds.

Meanwhile, set on the bed were floral arrangements, which were almost too beautiful to remove. Once I found the will to move them though, I found that the bed was comfortable and not too hard. The linens also felt to be high-quality and soft to the feel. Additionally, I found the room to be bright, very clean, and well-maintained. Great!

Bathroom

Accessible from both the living and bed sections is the oversized bathroom. In fact, I liked the bedroom, I found the bathroom to be too large for any practical sense. Despite the suite’s large advertised size, I feel that the space is not well-proportioned between the bedroom, bathroom, and balcony, leaving the bedroom feeling a bit smaller than it should be.

Regardless, the bathroom features double sinks, a large bathtub, and a separate shower. Like the bathroom, the shower is really large, and could potentially fit two people at once. Do take caution with the shower, as its polished marble floor makes it very slippery when wet. Additionally, there are candle holders suspended over the bathtub, potentially giving it a very romantic vibe. The unbranded bath amenities had a nice floral smell and were of good quality. Bath salts and a loofah are also thoughtfully provided.

Also, given the bathroom’s dependence on daylight, it becomes rather dark at night and when the privacy blinds are closed. Likewise, it does make it an excellent intimate setting when the suspended candles are lit.

Also located in the bathroom is a small walk-in closet, that also houses the luggage rack. A pair of very nice and comfortable slippers are also provided in it. Next to it is the toilet, which interestingly comes with a booklet detailing the history of Komaneka. That’s nice(?)

Balcony

The suite also features a long and large balcony, equipped with a table for two, a sofa, and a basket chair suspended from the ceiling. The balcony offers nice views of a small rice paddy as well as the Monkey Forest. I’m not sure why but I don’t seem to have a picture of the balcony. Sorry for that!

Dining

The hotel has one restaurant called Seneng Kitchen, where every meal can be taken. During our stay, we also had the option for all meals to be delivered to the room, which was nice.

Afternoon Tea

Like Plataran Canggu for instance, all Komaneka guests are offered a modest but complimentary afternoon tea between 3-5 pm. The humble meal comprises a couple of local cakes as well as a savoury item. This also comes with a choice of tea and coffee, both hot and cold. Everything was said to be made in-house, likewise, it tasted great! The items served are also rotated every day, ensuring a different selection each afternoon. While modest, I thought this is a thoughtful offering of the local cuisine!

Breakfast

Breakfast was included in our rate and is an à la carte affair. I thought the food quality was great and the breakfast selection is decidedly fine. A choice of a main course is served with a pastry basket as well as a fruit plate, or alternatively, a smoothie bowl. Over the stay, I managed to try a few things, all of which were quite nice. Importantly, the orange juice was fresh and sugar is thankfully not added.

I had a Balinese-style rice congee, which was topped with a curry broth and a medium-boiled egg. Whilst it tasted nice, I personally thought this was a bit too heavy for breakfast. At the end of the meal, the courteous restaurant staff suggested the Nasi Goreng (fried rice), which is their signature breakfast dish.

The next day, we had breakfast in the room, due to the heavy rain. I sampled the Nasi Goreng the next day, and sure enough, it was great. The fried rice is topped with a cut omelette and refreshing pickles to counter the heaviness of the rice. We also had a basic omelette, interestingly served with ketchup. Compared to the local dishes, this was just okay. Their croissants, whilst not fragrant and buttery, had an excellent crispy shell and a soft interior texture. Overall, I thought their breakfast was pretty good!

Dinner

Our reservation, which was made through a travel agent, erroneously specified a half-board meal plan. Out of pure curiosity, I enquired about this during check-in, which puzzled the friendly check-in staff. They offered to escalate this to management, who ended up treating us to a generous and unexpected dinner. The dishes were otherwise priced relatively inexpensively, with mains going between a very logical IDR80,000 to IDR120,000, costing about the same as other high-street places in Ubud. I tried a pumpkin squash soup, followed by a beef tenderloin fillet, and concluded with a cheesecake. Like breakfast, the dishes were very nice, particularly compared to a few popular places in Ubud.

Hotel Grounds and Amenities

Gymnasium

Just under the restaurant and consequently, the hotel’s main building, is the gymnasium. Given the low-number of rooms, the gym was expectedly small, featuring a modest selection of equipment. Located within the same space is also its yoga area, which features some very nice timber flooring.

Pools

A few steps from the gym is the incredible-looking infinity pool. The calm water and the green-tiled pool provide an ideal condition to reflect the view of the Monkey Forest, giving it a phenomenal look. Next to the pool were several pairs of sun loungers, with a good distance separating each pair. Traditional Balinese umbrellas are also setup between each sun lounger; what a cute cultural touch!

There is a second pool located a flight of stairs down from the infinity pool. This one was curved in shape, which also looked very nice. Interestingly, this one did not have any sun loungers near it. Next to this pool is the spa, and nearby is the hotel’s single row of villas. Funny enough, behind the villas is the building of the neighbouring Bisma Eight hotel.

Service

The service is part that I kind of struggled with, although that’s not to say it was bad. In fact, not at all. The staff members we encountered were all very friendly, professional, and courteous, if not rather reserved. I was impressed that everyone had memorised our names, but I don’t know if this was a consequence of being the only staying guest.

Regardless, service is well-coordinated. For one, Komaneka management definitely trained the hotel’s staff very well. But perhaps, too well-trained might be a thing. One aspect that I consistently observe at Komaneka is how bureaucratic and stiff the service could be. As far as I was aware, every move, big or small, has to be approved by senior management, leaving staff with little autonomy. While not necessarily a bad thing, I think this is something that prevents Komaneka from competing with higher-end rivals like Amandari, Four Seasons, the Mandapa Ritz-Carlton Reserve, or even COMO Uma.

Overall

Despite its flaws, I think Komaneka at Bisma is a solid accommodation choice in Ubud. The suites and villas are clean and nicely appointed, ensuring a comfortable stay. I think its favourable location, within walking distance of central Ubud, only sweetens the hotel’s preposition. Even so, being placed on Bisma means that the hotel isn’t too close to the business of the town centre, making it a very balanced escape!

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