Before I embark on a grueling (as usual) trip through the rest of Indonesia on business, I’m treating myself to a few days of rest and relaxation at Payangan Hideaway. Actually, it’s one of the owners who is treating me to this little break.

The word ‘hideaway’ is extremely appropriate for this place. It’s about 30 minutes outside of Ubud, the old royal city and ‘arts’ centers of Bali, high up in the mountains away from the beaches. The property sits on the side of a steep valley, and feels very isolated. There are just six villas, arranged in pairs moving down the slope towards the stream at the bottom. I have one of the larger ‘Padma’ villas. The villa is surrounded by a small ‘moat’ filled with ornamental fish. Inside the large main room is a king size platform bed, with nooks on either side, and a large TV getting lots of channels, as well as a DVD player. The headboard of the bed forms a small wall, behind which is a sort of walk through closet leading to the bathroom. In the bathroom there’s a nice tub, plus two separate showers - one inside and one outside, through a small back door.

Next to the room is an large outdoor pavilion, where you could lounge in the late evening, sipping cocktails while you watch the mist roll down the valley. Behind the pavilion is a small kitchenette in its own little building, in case you want to do any self catering.

The other four villas are a bit smaller, although each pair has their own special features. The next pair down, for example, each have a small outdoor jacuzzi. At the bottom of the valley, down about 300 stairs, is a spring that feeds into the river. Some believe the spring has magical curative powers. There’s a beautiful little shrine and rest area built around the spring.

You can see some pictures of Payangan Hideaway in the photo gallery. Personally, I generally prefer a place that’s within walking distance of shops and restaurants, but if you want to ‘get away from it all’ you couldn’t get much further than this. See their web site for more information and bookings.