Nirarta Center for Living Awareness

Set in really beautiful grounds, with stream fed irrigation watering their own paddy fields, a huge variety of plant life, butterflies, and at night a chorus of crickets, frogs and the like calling each and reacquainting friendships. The buildings are set apart so there is a great sense of space (there are various standards of room; we ended up with two, one a basic with a very small double bed, still with wonderful views; and a second much larger room with big bed and big views). From our bedroom we had 360 views of the amazing Sideman hills and rice fields. Go before it’s criss-crossed with hotels and restaurants. The hotel is set in an offshoot of Sideman within rolling fields and hills. It’s on a dead end road so you won’t be disturbed by the far off traffic. Sideman really is the beautiful Bali that first got folks visiting the island all those years ago. It’s a retreat but I’m not into those vibes and the hotel plays that low key. That’s great, because you can come just to stay (there is a lovely building for yoga). The restaurant isn’t really a go to for lunch or the evening, it’s kind of just there, they could perhaps make more of it as it’s very modern and has simply amazing views (and the food was fairly good, not amazing though). If they upped the ante on the food I think it could be one of the best spots and could be a go to restaurant in its own right. Breakfast was so so. It’s a common issue - it’s western focussed rather than providing local food, and the western food isn’t that greatly prepared or presented: banana pancake, egg on bread. If you’re going to go western go full hog: smoothie bowls in coconut shells, overflowing tacos that sort of thing. Although when a meditation group arrived the breakfast got better (toast with jam) so they not only bought zen with them but an improvement in the chefs work! Owner was very helpful. Lent us 100k when we didn’t have enough money to pay the taxi driver on arrival (make sure you bring plenty cash with you if you intend on using cash as the effort to get to an ATM that accepts an ordinary European Mastercard is not worth the effort). Also organised organised oat milk (needed as daughter can’t do diary).