Capella Ubud

Less than ten kilometers separate Ubud from Capella - and yet there is a world of difference between the hustle and bustle of the town and the heavenly tranquillity of the Keliki Valley. Under the dense canopy of the jungle, Bill Bensley - designer legend and a kind of "Pippi Longstocking of the luxury hotel scene" - has built a glamping resort here for the Capella Group, widdewidde, just as he likes it: opulent, exuberant, glamorous, eclectic. Accommodation is provided in 22 luxury tents with names such as "The Puppet Master" or "The Birdwatcher", reminiscent of 19th century Bali. My retreat in the rainforest is called "The Princess Tent", is only accessible via a suspension bridge and should also meet royal standards with its four-poster bed, crystal chandelier, fabric-covered walls and ceilings, precious Asian furniture and a wooden deck with daybeds and private saltwater pool floating high above the Wos River. However, the fact that the toilet (built in the style of a wooden throne with a meter-high backrest and armrests!) is located in the middle of the doorless bathroom does not seem very noble to me. Anyone arriving with a prince consort will have to come up with something ... The public areas at Capella Ubud are unreservedly stylish and well thought out.

Be it the Officer's Tent, decorated in shades of blue and gold, where guests meet at six o'clock for cocktails and canapés, the elegant Mads Lange Dining Room with first-class cuisine and a view of the treetops, or the 20-metre-long pool, whose turquoise-blue water surface reflects the deep green palm leaves. Another sensual experience: movie night by the campfire with roasted marshmallows and hot chocolate on cool evenings. And a treatment at the Auriga Spa is also not to be missed. My tip: the 75-minute Full Moon Massage, which takes you to other spheres - you couldn't feel any further away from Ubud, ten kilometers away.

Test highlight
The 10-course Omakase dinner in the Api Jiwa restaurant with a view of the night-black rainforest