Como Shambhala Estate

Ubud

As guardian of the island of Bali’s artistic and spiritual traditions, Ubud, a city embedded in mysticism, vibrates to the rhythm of its numerous daily religious ceremonies on the outskirts of the town. A legend recounts that Ubud, whose name means “remedy”, was built on the banks of a spring whose water possessed great healing powers. What was once a small nondescript village is now known for its authentic sense of spirituality, attracting thousands of visitors from all over the world who come to see the city’s sumptuous barong, kechak and legong dance performances, depicting the combat between spirits and demons. An art colony since the beginning of the 20^th century, Ubud possesses numerous ateliers and galleries whose work bears witness to Indonesia’s rich cultural heritage. Ubud was greatly popularized by the film version of Elizabeth Gilbert’s novel, “Eat, Pray, Love” starring Julia Roberts, and the region has now opened its doors to the world, enabling visitors to share the beauty of its vast rice fields and terraces, tropical forest, narrow, winding bodies of water and volcanoes, creating a variety of landscapes all worthy of contemplation.

A holistic and therapeutic retreat

Begawan Giri, which literally means, “mountain of the wise man”, is a spiritual name undoubtedly inspired by the feeling of peace emanating from the hectares of vegetation surrounding the city of Ubud. The name also invokes reminiscence, recalling that nature, a refuge for gods and ancestors, remains powerful here. Almost imperceptible in the lush vegetation are five residences belonging to the Como Hotel group, which elegantly combine Asian and European influences. Cheong Yew Kuan, the architect and designer, wanted to pay tribute to the multiple aspects of Indonesia, resulting in a residence in the form of a tree house with interiors containing Chinese, British and Indonesian furniture and works of art. The atmosphere is serene and refined with a stone staircase leading to the basins of the landscaped gardens. The spa, located near the Ayung River, plays a central role in this region where water is omnipresent and sacred to the local inhabitants. It is also at the heart of all the treatments offered by the hotel, in order to provide guests with a holistic and spiritual sense of well being.

The Como Shambhala Estate in Bali is a sanctuary of holistic well-being. To advise guests, a team of experts concentrates its approach on pertinence and realism, and establishes a nutritional, exercise and therapy program in which all the activities are adapted to the needs and aspirations of each individual client.