Have you ever dreamed to have a house made of bamboo by the river or by the beach? I am one of those people. Living close to water, in a house made from nature, and constantly able to enjoy the surroundings would be what I consider a dream home. Close to nature, serene and peaceful is for me a description of what luxury truly means. Especially nowadays when everything seems to be moving so fast.
Recently I got invited to visit and experience a stay at Hideout Bali, which was a lovely belated birthday treat. It was just a perfect place hide out and connect with myself. Most of all it was nice to have fun with my companion in a slower pace.
The Setting
The Hideout Bali is located in a place called Selat, which is a 40-minute drive outside of Ubud and 30 minutes from Besakih Temple. More precisely the house is just outside the small village of Alas Tunggal.
The countryside around this part of Bali is beautiful with paddy fields that spread across the valley floor and thick-forested hills. During the drive to Hideout Bali I suddenly recalled having visited the area before. There was a small restaurant by the side of the road with a magnificent view of Mount Agung.
To reach the house you have to turn off the main road along a winding track. Almost 500 meters down the road, just after crossing a bridge over the river, there was a small wooden board with Hideout written on it.
From the road it was only possible to see the roof of the house, which made me realize I had arrived at my destination. After passing the bamboo fence and walking through their beautiful garden, I found another bamboo gate. I opened the gate and got my first proper glimpse of the beautiful bamboo house. I couldn’t help but feel excited that I had finally arrived.
The bamboo house was nestled perfectly by the river and surrounded by nature. It felt like love at first sight. I sat down at the bench taking in the surrounding and dreaming of having a house by the river.
The Bamboo House
The Bamboo House is a two-story open planned building. On the ground floor is a kitchen area and a living room. The bathroom is outside and there is a fence surrounding it. The whole of the second floor is a bedroom with large windows overlooking the river.
I love their open space living room (of course it comes with a hammock), and their bathroom is so beautiful. Taking shower under the trees and sky always offer a unique experience. Not to mention the bedroom with the funky windows and the view overlooking the river. Here are some pictures to show you how lovely it is each part of the bamboo house and they are just right.
It was clear to me as I walked around the house that this was a real labor of love. If you are interested you can actually see the house as it was being built. You can take a peek here. I read it took them 5 months to finish the Bamboo House; a solid five months of dedication and love.
The Facilities
Hideout Bali doesn’t come with a TV. They do have Wi-Fi, but most of the time it didn’t really work, a.k.a works really slow, which I was quite desperate about at the beginning, but cherished at the end. The house doesn’t come with an AC, but no worries because bamboo is the perfect isolator for temperature. It didn’t feel hot at all during my stay.
To make up for the lack of modern technology they had plenty of music instruments. I tried them all during my stay. There was one musical instrument that I couldn’t really guess how to play! The highlight was the ukulele that came with a guidebook. There were also several board games and books. Just what you need for a holiday!
Other Things
I should mention that the house comes with a cute kitten. The kitten was such a friendly cat and just love to be stroked. Wayan, the housekeeper, and his family also came to the house to serve meals and provided simple yet tasty food. They were very attentive and basically just wanted to make sure that we were comfortable.
One thing to remember is that Hideout Bali is quite isolated. You will need your own transport to get around, though I can also easily imagine staying here and never going anywhere else. The nice thing about the location is that The Hideout Bali is a good base from which to explore the north and east of Bali.
I did say it was isolated right? There is no running water in the local village. People from the village use the river by the house for washing. They take showers in the river in the morning and evening 20 meters upstream from the house. It reminds you that you really are in the countryside of Bali and not the busy streets of Sanur.
Final Thoughts
I loved my stay at the Hideout Bali. The experience of being surrounded by nature in such a picturesque setting was really relaxing. If you were looking for a nice way to unwind at the end or even the beginning of your holidays then I would definitely recommend the Hideout Bali. Make sure to check them out their Instagram (@hideoutbali). You can book a stay with them through Airbnb.
Have you ever stayed in an amazing eco house during your travels? Which part of the world it was and how was the experience?
Wow. Looks like a very relaxing place to stay, even for a while. I love the shower, actually 🙂 it might have been a very nice experience to stay there I think.
Hi Iyos, it is indeed. It was a great escape for a while. I agree with you the bathroom at Hideout Bali is beautiful! 🙂
That shower! Laff kitten!
Super friendly kitten. Nempel terusssss.
Back to nature,
I like the concept of this house, the guest will feel awesome, stay inside full of nature.
It was a great experience, Akbar. Back to nature is always a good idea. 🙂
meeee wantttt! :*
Uber cuteeeee, Fel. Bisa mengamati burung juga kayanya di sini hahhahaa.. No, just joking. 😀 Plant watching perhaps.
Is this the one I saw on your Instagram? Looks so serene.
Btw kucing nya ucul ya. I won’t mind a furry friend on my bed 😛
Iya Sharon, ini yang di IG. 😀 I don’t mind as well, tapi kadang suka kaget euy. Hahahaa..
many time go to Surabaya only for transit, next time must try ya kak 🙂
Should definitely try 🙂
waaaah, salah komen tadi…
keren banget eco lodgenya, jadi pengeeen 🙂
its been solong i never come to this blog, anyway cool banget gambarnya, adem kak
How to reach hideout from airport?
Hi Nicki,
Have you made the reservation through Airbnb? If yes, Jarmil/Ali should tell you how to get there.
The easiest is to go there by taxi. Hope you have a great time in Bali.
What about mosquitoes? All that openness and lush environments don’t usually go well together.
As I recall, there weren’t many mosquitoes when I stayed there.