I have to say- this is probably the nicest hotel I have ever stayed at!
What you need to remember, is that it is only a small resort- and it's not an official "5 star" hotel. As in, there is only the one restaurant, and one pool... However, the staff are amongst the friendliest, and happiest to help I have ever come accross. The rooms are gorgeous, and the setting is out of this world! It's located in a mountain valley, so there are a lot of stairs around... but the view from our room was amazing.

Upon walking into the room (we booked the 1 bedroom private pool villa), we were astounted at the size, and elaborate decorations. The entrance to the garden area, and the door to the villa, was gorgeous. There was a nice king bed with mosquito net, and a sitting area.
The bed is comfortable, and it's nice to have some space.
The bathroom is gorgeous. It's an outside bathroom- with a HUGE stone bathtub and outside shower.

Yes- the 1 bedroom private pool villa is the highest room category- and the most expensive, but I also inspected the other room types, and they are all stunning. (Although, if you can afford the private pool villa, I highly recommend paying the extra!!!)
Their lead in room category- the "garden villa", is private and spacious. They are all located over like a pond, on "stilts". The "plunge pool villas" are slightly more spacious, and have bigger bathrooms. The private plunge pool is quite small- but adequate for a dip to cool down.

And the 1 bedroom private pool villa... amazing! The pool is made of stone, so it has a rough surface. The edge is like an infinity pool... Perfect size to laze around in during the hot days. (Big enough to float and swim around).
The pool also has it's own mattresses sun lounger area, with cushions... perfect to lie on to dry off after a swim!

The food at the hotel was reasonable- I would recommend eating out in Ubud, rather than at the hotel. But we enjoyed breakfast at the hotel. (Highly recommend Nomads, in Ubud, for a really nice- and cheap- dinner).

The hotel is a 15-20 min drive out of Ubud- but they run a free shuttle service several times a day, and if you want to go at another time, either catch a taxi (about 50000Rp) or call the hotel shuttle (75000Rp)- so it's not difficult at all to get into town.

The ONLY down side to our stay, was that unfortunately the King of Ubud had died just prior to our visit. So the village on the hill opposit to the hotel was holding ceremonies which went on late into the night, and started very early in the morning.. and had a very loud chanting over a microphone.
Not much the hotel could do about that though!
Despite disrupting our sleep for a couple of nights, it did make us appreciate the culture. And it's not as though this would be a common occurrance!

All in all, a 10/10 experience!

This is my long time favorite retreat place in Bali. Just came back from our 4th visit. I first stayed there around 6 months after their first opening. The development has been good..... previously the heated water was limited but this problem has been solved in our 3rd visit. Now I noticed they even have an arranged packaged activity from trekking, cycling, yoga and spa package

The have increased the shuttle schedule to 5X a day and now there is even a pick up service.

They have all range of Villas to cater from couples to big family. I was staying in Garden Villa (The cheapest Villa for two) All villas have a Veranda and it stood on a pond and each has different views. The villa consist of two parts: the bedroom and the \outdoor bathroom. All has a bathtub and a standing shower. There is a mini fountain so you can hear the water trickling all the time.

There are many ranges of hotels in Ubud area and all depend on how much your budget is. I guess when I have to pin down what I like best about it is it meets my budget and I consider the best within that budget

The Villa is closer to Sukowati, about 15 minutes driving and 30 minutes driving to Ubud.

Stayed at the Santi Mandala in Sept 2007 and had a wonderful experience. I was very pleased with the accommodations. We enjoyed a private garden villa that was very well kept. The staff was friendly, always helpful and quick to assist with anything we needed.

While it's true that the resort is about a 20 minute drive from Ubud, being in the remote, more local surroundings offers an authentic experience. The hotel shuttle service is reliable, and it's extremely easy to hire a taxi driver in Ubud - and the price is negotiable.

Went mountain biking with a hotel guide for a fun journey through local Balinese villages and rice fields. We toured through a traditional Balinese housing compound and visited a beautiful temple. Then enjoyed fresh fruit and tea - well worth the price.

It was low season, so we felt like we had the place to ourselves. The included breakfast was good. But do eat dinner in the many great restaurants in Ubud.

It was a relaxing haven!

Santa Mandala is a little gem that I hope will stay this way. If you love nature, peace and tranquility and are not seeking night life, this is it. The staff are wonderful, genuine and always eager to try and make your holiday a memorable one. The villa was spotless, very romantic and we had a wonderful view, not luxurious but 'special'. The spa treatment we had was bliss. Yes it's more expensive than you would pay in Ubud, but please support whats on offer otherwise the spa may not survive. Please also support Mr. Bhutto who runs the guest activities. We really enjoyed his early morning yoga, as the sun was coming up and the bike ride into the surrounding countryside. The only negative experience was trying to settle our bill with our credit card. Please be warned that certain cards are not accepted around Ubud and we had a frantic time trying to find an ATM that would dispense enough cash. Also we discovered it is better to inform your bank before you go to these offbeat areas. It certainly has not put us off the thought of going back. Thank you Santa Mandala which translated means 'peaceful place'.