Accommodations

Melati Cottages, Ubud, Bali

Nestled in a secluded spot, and surrounded by lush tropical gardens and rice terraces, Melati Cottages offers their guests serenity with a Balinese village life atmosphere.

The hotel complex is within easy walking distance (or a $2 taxi ride) of the town of Ubud in the central highlands of Bali. Just west of Ubud, across the sacred river of Champuan, in the ricefields of the artist colony village of Penestanan we will take these journeys together.

Central to the hotel is a lovely outdoor dining room. Breakfast and lunch, buffet style, are inclusive for those staying at Melati Cottages.

The Ubud area is famous for its fabulous restaurants and culinary delights. Workshop participants will be able to explore and enjoy these restaurants for their evening meal. The hotel restaurant will also be open in the evenings.

Hotel Facilities

Please go to the Registration Page for prices on individual workshops and packages.

Bringing a Guest: Sometimes participants bring a spouse or friend with them, who is not a part of the program itself, but wishes to share a room with them. The attendee will pay the single occupancy rate, and for the guest a $250/$350 (dependent on the program length) supplemental fee per person that will allow them to room share with the participant and to partake of the lunches and breakfasts. If your guest is travelling with you on the dates when your transportation is inclusive, they will pay 100,000 rupiah (about $11USD) each way. For an extra $50 they can also attend the morning yoga classes. If they wish to go on any of the organized activities there will be additional charges for this also, based on the actual costs.

Security: A concern for everyone in these uncertain times. Melati Cottages is in an extremely secure location, as is every other hotel in the area. The facility is locked at night and there are security patrols all around the rice-fields, so even for those residing in private homes, security is tight. Not because of any imminent or anticipated threat, but because the Balinese want visitors to feel comfortable and safe. The bombings in Bali have been a terrible shock to these gentle, peace-loving people. It also devastated their economy through the loss of tourism. It is slowly building back up, and the people are doing everything possible to regain their status as one of the most beautiful, peaceful destinations in the world. We also of course strongly advise that everyone keep their rooms and houses locked and their valuables in safe places, as we would wherever in the world we might be.

Air-Con: This is considered unnecessary by most people living in this part of Bali, in fact many of us don't like it! We are in the foothills, and despite the humidity (fabulous for the skin!) the rice fields have lovely breezes, and soaking up the fresh air is a great pleasure for many people. If it is vital, or preferable, for anyone to have air-con, there are 4 rooms in Melati that do have it, so you may put in this request at registration. It will be first come, and only with a paid reservation, so it is advisable to book early. All rooms have ceiling fans and great ventilation. If all of the air-con rooms are already booked, you will have the choice of signing up for the "tuition only package" and we can put you in an adjacent hotel, d'Omah or Waka Namya . Allow us to make these reservations for you, as we are able to negotiate the best rates.

Melati Cottages is charming and simple, extremely clean and comfortable, with all rooms ensuite and authentically Balinese in style, there are however no TVs or phones in the rooms. For many this will be exactly what you need and want! And if it isn't there are alternatives...

Alternative Accommodations: For those requiring different kinds of accommodations there are various other options, all within very close proximity and walking distance of Melati Cottages, e.g. d'Omah or Waka Namya. These range from the most luxurious and expensive spa hotels in all of Bali, to the lovely and quite reasonably priced private houses dotted around the ricefields. Attendees who choose to stay elsewhere will register for the tuition only price and assume all other expenses independently. Evelyn will be happy to assist you with alternative arrangements.

Yoga: There will be a daily yoga class commencing at 6.00 am in the Meditation Hall. We have a few extra mats but you may want to bring your own mat if you plan on participating. This is, of course, open to all workshop participants whether residents of Melati Cottages or not. Guests can participate for 50,000 rupiah a class, or $50 for the entire workshop.

Swimming: Arrangements have been made for the duration of the workshops for all participants (residential or not) to be able to use the pool at Melati Cottages. Outside of the workshop dates, it can be used by non-residents for the nominal fee of $1 a day.

Massage: You may book your 1st massage appointment through Evelyn if you plan on having one on arrival. Then if you like your masseuse go ahead and rebook her/him, or please refer to the list of bodyworkers in your information package. The hotel will happily let you use their phone for booking appointments (local calls free... and about 30¢ to call a cell phone). The spa right next to Melati's is also excellent - www.evespa.baliklik.com.

The following penalties will apply to cancellations:
Minimum fee $300 per person
31-75 days prior to workshop - 50% of package price
0-30 days prior to workshop - 100% of package price

Our time together begins at least a full 24 hours before the workshop commences. We have planned it this way because there is a radical time change no matter where you are coming from, except Australia. For the Melati packages we have included a full day and night's accommodation in advance of the program's commencement in order for everyone to get acquainted and acclimatized, and we do ask that attendees comply with this request for early arrival... for their own benefit. We will have an orientation meeting once everyone has 'landed'. Further additional nights can be booked at the hotel, either prior to or following the workshop.

Why not take advantage of being in Bali to see more of this beautiful island? The Ubud area, besides having a myriad of sites to see, is also conveniently central for seeing other places of interest. Bali is a small island, nothing is more than 3 hours away and most places much closer, and the journey to wherever you are headed is breathtaking.

Read what past workshop participants had to say about their experiences.