I came to Bali in November in search of beauty and magic. I wanted a place that would feel like you were living in Bali while retaining all the comforts of a luxury hotel. Based on other reviews for River Moon, my gut told me River Moon was exactly what I was looking for and it turned out I couldn't have been more right. After 21 hours of flying from Los Angeles, I arrived at the villa and instantly could feel the magic of the place. Taking a shower under the full moon that night with incense drifting in over the rice paddies, I knew I was in for a wonderful week.
The villa itself is beautiful, tastefully decorated and the indoor/outdoor flow lends to wonderful sauntering from the bedroom to lounging on the patio reading or just gazing out at the fields. Every morning, locals from the village come and cook you breakfast and of my whole 9 days in Bali, the best meal I had was that breakfast. Maybe it's the kindness in which the food was prepared, but I've never tasted an omelette so good. Which brings me to the people surrounding River Moon who really make your stay. Kadek who comes in the morning always has a smile on her face and a boisterous laugh that is infectious. Nyoman the driver taught me so much about the country and about life in general, and from the minute he picks you up at the airport, you feel you are amongst friends. And Nick the manager is a consummate professional and always a phone call away from any needs or questions you might have. One day I was walking back from Ubud to Lodtunduh and lost my way and one of the villa staff drove by on a motorbike, recognized me and gave me a lift back "home".
I could ramble on and on about the wonderful things about River Moon, from the beautiful lotus flowers that Kadek lovingly tends to every morning, to the double rainbows after a rain shower, to the frogs and lizards that come out at night and seem to watch over the place, to the refreshing swims in the pool that frangipani flowers have deliciously dropped into. But the last useful thing I can write is about staying in Lodtunduh versus a hotel in Ubud. Anytime I went into Ubud, I felt so lucky to be staying in Lodtunduh and getting a taste of the real Bali versus staying at a hotel in busy Ubud. My last night in Bali,I stayed at the Komaneka, and while lovely, the room felt claustrophobic and removed from the energy of the land. I knew I was very lucky to have had a week at River Moon, it's a special place to experience a special land. Enjoy.