Umana Bali | the stay that saved our trip

Some stays are planned months ahead. This one was a rescue. We were partway through sixteen nights in Bali, and the resort we had booked for most of it simply wasn’t delivering. Rather than push through, we did what we tell our clients to do: we stopped, reassessed, and moved. Umana got two nights of that trip. We wish it had gotten more.

Clifftop, quiet, and fully private.

Umana sits on the cliffs of Ungasan at the southern tip of the island, above Melasti Beach. There are 72 villas, and every one has its own infinity pool and outdoor hot tub looking out over the ocean or the gardens. The terraced grounds are inspired by Bali’s rice paddies and the Subak water system, and you feel that design everywhere: layered, calm, and intentional. Our villa was incredible and thoughtful in every detail, the kind of space where you keep finding little things someone clearly cared about. The furnishings are beautiful, ornate, and heavy in the best way. You do not move things at Umana. Umana moves things for you.

Check in was strategic and genuinely VIP. Our perks included an upgraded villa and champagne on arrival. We don’t drink, and because this stay was a last minute decision, we hadn’t told them ahead of time like we usually would. Brian, Umana’s Director of Operations, caught it immediately at check in and offered to swap the champagne for fresh coconuts every day instead. Nobody made it awkward. Nobody needed an explanation. It was just handled, which, honestly, is the whole job. That was delightful, and it set the tone for everything after.

And it really did start at the car. We were greeted the moment we arrived, by name, with the kind of welcome that tells you the team already knows you are coming and has been waiting for you.

Getting around is effortless. Terrific buggies take you anywhere you want to go on the property, and the drivers are informative, kind, and happy to slow down and show you something. We had a particularly comfortable and lovely connection with our first driver, Ary Pranata, who showed us around and made a big property feel personal within minutes.

Real, warm, and fast.

The team at Umana is phenomenal. The warmth is what you hope for in Bali: grateful, kind, and eager to help. But unlike some properties, the service here feels a little more real and human, not scripted. English is excellent across the board, which makes everything easier, and every request we made, and there were plenty, was handled with speed, kindness, and outstanding service.

On our first morning, I planned a surprise custom floating breakfast for Jenna at the last minute. The staff were so happy to be part of it. Helpful, joyful, and completely invested in making it work. I felt like I had a team behind me, and the surprise landed exactly the way I hoped it would.

Communication over WhatsApp was amazing with everyone we dealt with, and it did not stop at checkout. After we left, when it looked like I would need to coordinate shipping an item I had left behind, the team was just as quick and gracious as they were while we were on property.

The practical details were just as strong. The wifi was excellent, which let me work and take video calls without a second thought. The bathroom amenities smell glorious, and the teas and minibar snacks in the kitchenette are genuinely good.

Oliverra.

The food at Oliverra is so good that we never made it to any of the other restaurants. We went back every time. The tuna and watermelon dish is still something we crave, weeks later and half a world away. The outdoor seating is magical, and in the evening the whole space turns romantic in a way that feels effortless rather than staged. Service was excellent whether we sat indoors or out: attentive, warm, and perfectly timed.

With only two nights, we also didn’t get to the spa, the breakfast included with our perks, or Uma Beach House on Melasti Beach. That isn’t a gap. That is a reason to come back.

A coffee lesson we didn’t know we needed.

Bali takes its coffee seriously, and so, it turns out, does Umana. The Indonesian coffee tasting at Mer Lounge, the resort’s coffee and wine lounge just off the lobby, was one of the most entertaining and educational hours of our entire trip. We walked in thinking we knew coffee. We walked out humbled, slightly over caffeinated, and completely charmed.

The tasting moves from the intensity of single origin espresso to the more delicate side of pour over, with the story behind each cup: where it grows, how it is processed, and why the volcanic soil of regions like Kintamani shows up in the flavor. Our guide, Marcel, made it hands on, funny, and genuinely delicious, and it never once felt like a lecture. Jenna would like it on the record that she now has opinions about pour over. I would like it on the record that I have heard them. Many times.

Our verdict.

Even our goodbye was handled with care. Brian made a point of finding us to say goodbye, and took the time to introduce us to Nicolas, the hotel’s General Manager. It is a small gesture, but it is the kind that tells you how a property is run from the top down.

Umana saved our trip. Our only regret is that we didn’t move sooner. If you are planning Bali and want privacy, real service, and a villa you will not want to leave, do not hesitate. Go, or have your advisor book you there. We would be happy to be that advisor.