We were overwhelmed with the beauty of the hotel and it’s surroundings. The staff was attentive and always upbeat. We loved its proximity to walk to multiple restaurants and even the market which we enjoyed.

After two earlier visits to Sidemen in 1984 and 2000, we were thrilled to stay with Joel and his team at Surya Shanti in 2019. Our hillside villa gave panoramic views over the valley and terraced rice paddies, and there's a choice of two infinity pools, plus superb local food and drinks at the restaurant and bar pavilions. Highlights for us were dressing up in local costumes to attend a local temple ceremony, a splendid couple massage at the spa hut, a shared cooking lesson in the traditional outdoor kitchen, a long walk through the rice fields guided by Joel, and great drives to buy fabrics and have lunch at Klungkung and Ubud. Joel was a wonderfully wise and generous host and the hotel has been elegantly curated to suit sophisticated couples and families seeking a mid-priced, nature-empathetic retreat from Bali's noisy tourist centres.