Skip links

lesleymurphy

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun: 9 Getaways for the Gals

by 2 Comments

Miami

With so many popular cities in the USofA, it’s hard to tell which is the fairest of them all. Since Miami takes the cake for best weather year round, it only makes sense that locals, domestic and international travelers alike storm the various beaches of America’s sexiest city. This is where beach bodies come to lie no matter the season – which tells the tale of these Floridians’ toned physiques 24/7, 365 days of the year. Let the juice cleanses commence!

My favorite luxury rental company, Oasis Collections, hosted a Bachelor reunion for Catherine, Robyn and me once upon a time, and to be honest, they know how to party in the city where the heat is on. Oasis prides itself on providing a fully curated experience for guests, offering the service and style of a boutique hotel but with the comfort and privacy of your own home, or in our case, an incredible apartment overlooking Brickell Bay.

When to go: Anytime!

Where to stay: Oasis Collections

Cartagena, Colombia

People can’t stop talking about how Colombia got its groove back. The seaport of Cartagena has emerged as the country’s belle of the ball and thus, has become not only a safe LatAm city to visit, but a South American must-see.

For anyone coveting an eternal summer, I suggest you start packing your bags for southern skies. It’s just a short flight from the U.S. (direct flights from JFK, Miami and Fort Lauderdale), and I don’t know anyone who’d choose a polar vortex over a tropical breeze and warm sands. Lucky for you, I’ve done the leg work. Check out my 48 Hours in Cartagena post.

When to go: Anytime!

Where to stay: Tcherassi Hotel + Spa

Cusco & Machu Picchu, Peru

Oh, Peru. How I love thee. If you and your girls are more adventurous than say, promiscuous, then this is your spot. Due to Cusco’s elevation, altitude sickness is real. Standing tall at over 11,000 feet high, many tourists find themselves the victims of massive headaches and stomach issues. My advice: quit the alcohol, drink lots of water, and chew tons of coca tea (found on every street corner in Cusco). Obviously, I learned the hard way as you can see from the photo below. I ate all the fried empanadas and drank all the alcoholic beverages on offer. Oops. Read my Quick Guide to Cusco.

The thing about traveling to Machu Picchu is that it turns all walks of life into equals. The history buffs, the outdoorsy type, the luxury adventurers, the backpackers, the hostel goers and the aggressive and non-aggressive hikers alike stand in awe at this new World Wonder and feel beyond miniscule. Hell, even the homebodies feel compelled to embark upon the expensive endeavor. There’s something here for every woman in your party.

When to go: Machu Picchu is open year-round, however keep in mind that the Inca Trail is closed during the month of February. For those hardcore hikers who get off on trekking for days at a time among beautiful mountainous scenery and stunning cloud forests, take a mental note that the classic 26 mile 4-day hike is closed during this time. November to April is the rainy season, although it’s not uncommon for Mother Nature to throw showers down all year round. Peak season is in July and August, but one thing is for sure…you can always expect crowds.

Where to stay: Machu Picchu Pueblo

Alternative Spring Break Abroad

Allow me to introduce something entirely different than getting tipsy on a beach or hiking with your besties. If you’re tired of abusing your BAC or want to do something for the greater good, think about partaking in a volunteer program overseas. Projects Abroad curates various packages all over the world combining travel, adventure and multiple opportunities for personal and professional growth by giving back to communities everywhere. In destinations like Jamaica, Argentina, Belize, Costa Rica, Fiji, Ghana and Mexico, you could make a huge impact on underprivileged kids and adults alike.

Zion National Park, Utah

Last October, I set out for Zion by way of Vegas for a girl’s getaway weekend in the great outdoors with a loose itinerary. We knew what we wanted to accomplish, but we deviated from the plan when we wanted. It was one of my favorite trips to-date simply because I’ve grown to love being in nature. Gimme ALL the trees, mountains and canyons. You have full permission to copy/paste it all…no travel agent fees required.

When to go: The park is open year round, but peak season is April – October

Where to stay: Mystic View Lodge

London, England

I’ve always found London to be such a badass city. The locals are friendly, the public transportation is good, the service is top notch, there’s always something to do, and despite the general consensus, the food is tasty. Okay, okay…so fish and chips may not be my favorite thing on the menu, but there’s plenty of variety across the pond.

If you wanna get real crazy, take a ride in the London Helicopter, chug champagne on The Eye, dine in the Shard, tea time it up, shop til you drop, visit as many museums as you can muster, and get SKETCH (pictured in the colorful bathroom, and yes the pods are toilets). I compiled all of the London-y things… touristy and then some.

When to go: Anytime, but spring and fall are lovely

Where to stay: The Milestone

NYC

Does this need any introduction? I didn’t think so, but here are some photos to get you excited anyway.

When to go: Anytime!

Where to stay: Budget: The Jane; Mid-range: Ace Hotel, The Standard; Treat yoself: 1 Hotel, The Ludlow, The Carlyle, The Pierre

Cabo San Lucas, MX

Is there anything that gets you in a girl’s weekend mood more than a Señor Frogs style beverage? Didn’t think so. Girls gone wild, the Cabo San Lucas edition, is now on offer this Spring Break season. Just kidding, sort of. While Cabo Wabo is alway open for business, if you’re looking for something a bit one the tamer side, there’s always sun, sand and scuba. Whatever you do, don’t miss margs at The Office.

When to go: Anytime!
Where to stay: Chileno Bay Resort and be one of the first to stay here (just opened Feb 1!) and take advantage of their special offer (3rd night free!)

Vancouver and/or Whistler, British Columbia

Being the indecisive human that I am, I simply couldn’t decide between these two cities. Good thing they are only an hour and a half from one another so you can do BOTH. Vancouver is outdoor bliss in all its glory. Best experienced during summertime, the city exudes adventure as it offers hikes, parks, markets, walkable neighborhoods, sea planes and ferries all over. Whistler shines 365 days of the year. I visited last winter to take advantage of its unreal slopes, spa, s’mores and apres ski, however, all the locals told me to come back during summer. Twist my arm…

When to go: Vancouver: Best enjoyed in summer // Whistler: Anytime

Where to stay: Loden Hotel or The Georgia in Vancouver//Nita Lake Lodge or Four Seasons in Whistler

What the World Needs Now is Love Sweet Love

by 7 Comments

Truth is, traveling expands your thinking, contacts, memories, and livelihood. If people didn’t allow the grass to grow under their feet and got out more, the world just might be a better place. It’s a great way to avoid misunderstandings, war and suffering. It’s simply a matter of not having a preconceived idea of what something or someone is, but rather going to see what something or someone is.

“When you travel well, you broaden the mind. When you broaden the mind, you see in all colors, shapes, sizes, races and religions.”

I travel to meet all walks of life. The journey has led me to meet some of the most inspiring, creative, collaborative and interesting people around the globe. Here are some of their stories.

The Bucket List Family: I met this family of four in Nevis last year and I’m low key obsessed with them. Okay, that’s me trying to play it cool. I’m actually in love with all of them and what they are doing to and for the world. Jess plays Superwoman and Garrett plays Superman to little Dorothy and Manilla. They sold their business and possessions in August of 2015, officially making and loving life as nomads. It’s a wonder how they produce the YouTube videos they do while parenting while traveling while concocting a plan to save the world. Magic, I tell you.

Kirsten Alana: I met Kirsten in Denver during the Great American Beer Festival where we covered…well, beer. Pretty ideal, right? We got the chance to travel together again when we both worked with the Ritz-Carlton Dorado Beach in Puerto Rico. I greatly admire Kirsten’s unique and informative Instagram posts. They are very refreshing in a saturated travel market.

Misshattan: This woman is one hell of a photographer, y’all. After meeting in Puerto Rico with Kirsten in tow, Natalie and I had a date with her Canon where she taught me new tricks of the trade. Not only are her aerial NYC posts stunning and inspiring, but she’s a blast to be around.

Triphackr: In a world of mostly female bloggers, I gotta hand it to Clint Johnston for showing up for his underrepresented half. Clint and I met last year while working with Visit California. After biking, surfing and skiing together, he’s just the adventurer I needed on this trip. His photos are drool-worthy and his zest for life is contagious.

Blank Itinerary: Paola, Queen of Fashion, and I met in Palm Beach while working with The Breakers and Lilly Pulitzer together. She’s just as nice as she is gorgeous and comes from a Mexican-American-Spanish background. She’s pregnant now, too, so that basically means she’s doing the world a favor and bringing more stunning, fashion-conscious people into it. Thank you, Paola, from all of us.

Chic Flavours: I met this Venezuelan while traveling through the UAE last year as she’s between Abu Dhabi and Chicago (obviously having figured out the secret to the perfect life). Even in the desert where I was a hot mess dripping in sweat, she was chic and lovely in a beautiful teal dress I still covet to this day. I adore Soraya’s sense of style, passion for travel and new bag line she just launched. Check them out!

Photo courtesy of Chic Flavours Photo courtesy of Chic Flavours

Vamos Pra Onde: Raquel is my favorite Brazilian around…and favorite travel buddy around, too. Hailing from Rio de Janeiro, Raquel and I met over dinner while in Brazil. We then traveled to Peru together to accomplish the hardest trek of my life – 5 straight days through the Ausangate Mountains. Ouuuuchhh. We made it through, and Raquel even let me stay in her Rio apartment for a week when she wasn’t even there. That is true love.

Dave Burt/London: Never have I ever met a better matchmaker and social genius than Mr. London, excuse me, Mr. Dave Burt. I’ve had the opportunity to get to know Dave over the years while traveling through London and Indonesia. He started @London from the ground up and creates a platform for young progress makers around the city and their voices to be heard. He’s the guy you want on your team, at all of your dinner parties, and sitting next to you on a plane/helicopter.

The Blonde Abroad: Kiersten and I met in the good ole’ USofA. Both blonde and both usually abroad, it was a great thing that we could meet under the bright lights of Outside Lands last year, San Francisco’s big music festival. Her travel photos can make even the well-traveled jealous. Photo credit from the festival below: Kiersten.

What’s Gaby Cookin’: Gaby, Gaby, Gaby. I really just want to gobble her (and her food) up. I mean, have you watched her snapchat episodes? Every Friday she features some insanely gluttonous food that I would down in half a second flat. We brunched hard in LA once upon a time, and it was a party. And can I just say…the girl is always happy! I swear if I’m in a mood, I know that all I have to do is tap her name on my Snapchat screen and her bubbly personality will have me fixed in no time. I just wish I lived in LA so I could reap the benefits of her cooking. I’m over here like, I’ll stir, I’ll clean, I’ll set the timer. Just let me eat.

Photo courtesy of What's Gaby Cookin' Photo courtesy of What’s Gaby Cookin’

Krave the World: Suzy is the kind of person you want to have around to show you a brand new city, have a coffee date with, hike a new trail and talk travel until the sun goes down. Oh wait, that’s exactly what we did in San Francisco last year! Suzy emailed me out of the blue when she found out I was in her city. Persistent, she insisted that we do something fun together in SF whether that be yoga, rock climbing, Alcatraz, wine country, whatever. We agreed to a hike and ended up spending the whole day together. I absolutely adore like-minded travelers like her.

Catherine Lowe: Ohhhh Gaya. How I love thee. Catherine and I met under the most fortunate circumstances between the lights and under the cameras of ABC’s The Bachelor. We traveled from LA to Montana to Canada to St. Croix together joined at the hip, or until our dates would not allow. She now lives in Dallas with my ex boyfriend(?)(this is not awkward I swear) which is now her husband, and yes I was a bridesmaid in their wedding. I know, I know, it’s one hell of a story! Cat and Sean have the cutest baby I have ever laid eyes on, and her card line aims to send bright messages to people everywhere. The end!

Seeing Santorini with Kapari Natural Resort, A Nat Geo Unique Lodge of the World

by 8 Comments

Let’s move to Santorini.

Swoon. Maybe they’re already married. Maybe they aren’t. Maybe they’re travel bloggers and can hop around the isles of Greece, as free as the advice I’m about to give you.

Holy Santorini

Besides Thailand, the Grecian islands might be my favorite destination for a honeymoon. It appeals to everyone: luxury lovers, adventure enthusiasts, foodie fanatics, history buffs, beach bitties and even those on a budget. Between the mainland and the many different islands, diversity isn’t far away. Romance is off the charts and couples can choose to be completely off the grid if they so please. I caught the couple below taking wedding photos, and my camera and I couldn’t help but to snap away…

Think of Santorini as the supermodel of the Greek islands. Gisele is Santorini and the other islands are her fierce entourage. Arguably more recognizable than any other island, Santorini has a unique history. What you see now are the remains of a devastating volcanic eruption dating back to the 16th century BC. Greece is not without its tragedies, both historical and mordern-day, and I was able to experience their current calamity as I was personally affected while visiting Santorini.

Oia after sunset. Just FYI. Oia after sunset. Just FYI.

It’s no secret. Greece is in a major economic crisis due to their crippling debt and bad decisions. This of course affects its people and its relationships with various countries that have lent them millions. Greece isn’t exactly popular with the EU at the moment, and with more and more loans to pay off and controversial reforms implemented, tensions are running high. SO high that during my final days in the country, Greek air traffic controllers protested against EU reforms/foreign creditors which would change the structure of the civil aviation department. That protest grounded flights for FOUR days and a mass exodus ensued from Santorini. People were buying one-way tickets to France, Germany, London, or whatever plane ticket they could get ahold of. Some people even jumped on 15-hour ferry rides to Italy just so they’d have a way out of Greece. By the time I got ahold of an airline agent, everything was sold out for the next week. I was stuck in Athens after leaving beautiful Santorini a day early (sigh) due to the hysteria. I was seriously considering booking a ticket that took me from Greece to Iran to Dubai to the USA. Can we say ‘desperate?’ In the 11th hour, the strike was called off and flights resumed as (somewhat) scheduled. I made it out of Greece only a few hours later than originally scheduled, but I still think about those people who boarded 15-hour ferries to Italy, totally ditching their original Greek plane ticket home. It’s a damn shame, but lucky for Greece, tourism doesn’t look like it’s slowing down which should contribute significantly to their economy.

I digress.

Back to the volcanic eruption. So in short, it formed the current caldera, drawing many people into its magical landscape and whitewashed houses. Some of those people include founders Rena and Takis Adamidis of Kapari Natural Resort who set out 40 years ago to reimagine the 300-year-old cliff-side cave dwellings.

Kapari Natural Resort

The last time I visited Santorini, I was on a massive cruise ship and was hardly able to explore the island properly with my allotted 8 hours. Santorini in 8 hours!? Give me a freaking break. This was more or less when cruises and I broke up. A much better base can be found at Kapari Natural Resort in Imerovigli just north of Fira, a picturesque property built on the highest point of rocks. SO picturesque that I couldn’t put the camera down. SO SO picturesque that I filled up three memory cards with anything and everything Santorini. That’s well over 1,000 photos.

With just 14 rooms, you could definitely say that Kapari is a boutique property. Guests can spend the day at the pool taking in the unbeatable views of the caldera below or walking to Skaros Rock towards the Aegean Sea. Originally a castle, Skaros functioned as an observatory at the time of the Venetians and was ultimately destroyed during the earthquake. Now it functions as a captivating spot on the island. You can make out the walking path up the rock in the photo below.

My spa suite had everything I could dream of: courtyard, balcony, view, outdoor jacuzzi, indoor jacuzzi, living area, bedroom, walk-in closet, oversized bathroom, exotic fruits and Santorini wine. Even its added bonuses such as the pillow menu and touch panels made for a more comfortable stay than your average lodging option. Since establishing residency here was out of the question and my time was limited, I was in that same dilemma that so often creeps up on me during my travels: how to split my time between basking in hotel amenities and properly exploring the island. What’s a girl to do when everything looks this good?

Sure, Kapari Natural Resort has everything a traveler could want, but there’s one accolade attached to its name that doesn’t often accompany most luxury properties. Kapari has been placed in the National Geographic Lodges of the World collection, a true testament to its sustainable tourism, authenticity, and excellence in service. To even be considered for such an award, every property must be thoroughly vetted by Nat Geo, and Kapari passed with flying colors. The property prides itself in a staff made up of 85% Greeks, food sourced from a local farm on Santorini (don’t worry a Greek cuisine blog is on its way), and interactions with the community such as sponsoring an annual music festival and a local volleyball team. The property also incorporates traditional architecture, the old cave style of Santorini.

More of Santorini

  • Rent an ATV
  • Hike from Imerovigli to Oia
  • Sail the Aegean Sea with Sunset Sail Oia
  • Walk the narrow paths of Oia
  • Hang out at Seaside by Notos on Perivolos Beach
  • Visit the black, red and white beaches
  • Wake up with the sun and don’t miss a sunset
  • Visit Santorini wineries
  • Explore the fishing village of Ammoudi Bay

More National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World visited by The Road Les Traveled

Tierra Patagonia Hotel & Spa

Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa

Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel

Inkaterra La Casona

Read more from The Road Les Traveled in Greece: Mykonos and Crete

Travel Tag: Hacienda AltaGracia Resort Costa Rica

by 4 Comments

A hurricane has never made landfall in Costa Rica…until I boarded a plane and flew directly into its very.first.one. My sister and I decided that it would be fun to switch things up a bit and celebrate Thanksgiving with a Pura-Vida-Hurricane-Otto twist. We like to get wild n’ crazy sometimes, and we realllllly love extreme turbulence on airplanes (said no one ever). It’s nobody’s fault but Otto’s, and I want to take the time to thank Southwest (which flies direct from Houston to San José) for keeping us safe, sound and alive during that eventful flight south. I greatly appreciate your humor, booze and professionalism.

How to get there // When to go

Nobody said getting to paradise was easy peasy. After flying into San José and staying overnight at Grano de Oro, we still needed to be transported to the southern region of the country via prop plane or car. We definitely opted for the plane, however Otto had other plans for us. Due to inclement weather called a hurricane, we had to drive the three hours to the resort. Either way it’s a win because the scenery is drop dead gorgeous. We were able to take the plane when we departed the hotel! Also, the rainy season extends from April to November, so drops were on and off during our stay.

Stay

What I love so much about AltaGracia is the ability to stay on hotel grounds and still feel completely immersed in the culture of Costa Rica. The problem with a beautiful hotel is finding adequate time to spend outside the hotel. If you are putting down the money to stay in paradise, you might as well make the most of it and spend your time enjoying the amenities. But what about the culture, the locals, the street food, etc? Sometimes we miss the mark on a destination because leaving certain properties is hard to do.

With AltaGracia, they bring the culture to the guests by employing the nicest locals who will tell you about the real Costa Rica (i.e. what you can’t find in a guide book), by offering local cuisine, and by implementing activities that immerse you into the fabric of la Pura Vida. I discuss more in depth below, but the farm excursion with a local couple was a definite highlight here. They only spoke Spanish (which I was thrilled about because I need to practice every chance I get), and they taught my sister and me how to manually make sugar cane amongst other farm activities. For a few seconds, I felt truly at home in Central America.

Eat

I was fully prepared to not have a traditional Thanksgiving meal this year, however AltaGracia totally killed it. And by killed it I mean saved the holiday completely with their turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pie. Holy gravy it was so delicious. I send my compliments to the chef, because there were a few Argentine Thanksgivings in my day and WHOA Argentines do not know how to do turkey. I repeat, do not. Lastly, a few shots of cacique is a must here. Made from sugar cane, cacique is the best selling liquer in the country. It’s very tasty and makes for a colorful night!

And then there’s Ambar Terrace, a place so nice I would’ve had all of my meals here had Otto not been invited to many of them. Breakfast, lunch and dinner with a view…

Do

Spa: Quite possibly AltaGracia’s best feature is the impressive spa. Just LOOK. Need I say more?

Ultralight Flight: One of my favorite adventure activities offered at any hotel EVER is THIS. The pilot even let me fly the teeny tiny plane at one point. I really fulfilled my dream of being a Jetson for a hot second by flying in this amazingly small contraption. The best part was, well, there were many: touching clouds, TOUCHING CLOUDS (I mean who gets to touch clouds?), flying over sugar cane, pineapple fields and coffee plantations, taking over the controls and doing aerial tricks with my sister in the plane below (pictured in the final gallery).

Life of Caballista Experience: At AltaGracia, the horses are just as much a part of the property as the beds, oversized bathrooms and high-speed internet. I’ve never seen prettier, well-kept stables in my life, either.

Daniel, our guide, decided to surprise us one morning as we took off galloping along the dirt road. We ended up at the Nery Farm where the nicest couple works from sun up til sun down producing sugar cane, milking cows, making cheese, gathering eggs, and feeding chickens. Did I mention we milked cows? Because I’ve never done that prior to this trip and it was…interesting. Have you ever tasted milk straight from the utter? Well, I have. It’s warm to quite warm and I haven’t had dairy since. Totally kidding. It was a very cool experience. Thanks for showing me the ropes, Miguel!

I think farm life is the life for me. Special thanks to Don Nery and Doña Yami for allowing us to photograph your workplace and eat your amazing homemade goods and drink your tasty alcohol. You really know how to make the perfect Thanksgiving even more perfect.

Zip line: If you visited Costa Rica and didn’t zip line, did you really go to Costa Rica? Probs not. To Jonathan and Christian at Canopy Valle de General, thanks for a very fun morning in the tree tops! Many thanks to our guide Daniel for deviating from the itinerary and showing us how a local explores Pérez Zeledón.

Repeat la Pura Vida

On our way to zip line, I asked Daniel to describe what exactly Pura Vida means. The simple English translation is ‘Pure Life,’ but I wanted to dig a little deeper. Basically, the phrase is the law of the land and the way of life in CR and has been around for 50+ years. It means many different things from ‘hi,’ ‘thank you,’ ‘it doesn’t matter to me,’ to ‘Go F Yourself.’ Interesting, right? The next time you’re in an argument with someone, maybe switch out your vulgarity for ‘Pura Vida.’ We could all use a bit more purity in our lives anyway.

See more images from my time in Costa Rica below!

Travel Tag: Hacienda AltaGracia Resort Costa Rica

Personal & Professional: 2016 Summed Up in 16 Photos

by 15 Comments

Sundance Film Festival, Big Bear, Lake Tahoe, Whistler, Antigua, Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Barths, St. Martin, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Hong Kong, Thailand, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Vietnam, Cambodia, Japan, Paris, Vancouver, Victoria, Puerto Rico, San Francisco, Napa, Sonoma, Seattle, Walla Walla, Hawaii, Greece, Charlotte, Zion National Park, Grand Canyon, Aruba, Bali, Costa Rica, Argentina, LA, Chicago, NYC.

Even through all of my professional travels, I’m a huge family girl. I do what I do because I highly enjoy it, because it’s how I make a living, and because I firmly believe that meeting all walks of life propels us forward in the best way possible. I also firmly believe that spending time with family and friends is a necessity. I’m happy to report that I was able to make it to multiple weddings, my 10 year high school reunion and home for the holidays, amongst other personal victories. Score!

Here are my Top 16 moments in no particular order, both edited and unedited but 100% happy moments.

Sleeping on the side of a mountain in the Sacred Valley of Peru

Visiting Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil via Helicopter

Walking the road Les traveled in El Chalten, Argentina

Actually Making it to my High School Reunion

Sleeping in the clouds in Hong Kong

Dogsledding in Whistler, British Columbia

Visiting the Jodie O’Shea Orphanage in Ubud, Bali

Hiking in Zion National Park

Twirling in Santorini, Greece

The Birth of My Nephew

Washing elephants in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Being in awe of Tokyo, Japan

Eating my way through Paris, France

Wedding dress shopping with my BFF

Flying to Da Nang, Vietnam on a whim

Being home for Christmas with the fam

In an effort to be more transparent, I must admit that unfortunately the highs don’t come without the lows. My four year relationship ended in 2016, we lost a lot of great people (RIP Prince, Snape, Miss Cleo, Carrie Fisher, Willy Wonka, etc) and Trump won the election (this is simply my opinion and never did I ever say you had to agree with it). Shit happens. You deal with it, you move on, and you learn from the life lessons…praying like hell that the next year is bigger, better and without regrets!

2017 Travel Wishlist

Sri Lanka, Iceland, Ireland, Scotland, Antarctica, South Africa, India, Nepal, Mexico City, Kenya, Alaska, Russia, Germany

Cheers to all of you for following along the past year. Thank you for your comments, questions, concerns, and support. You make this adventure so incredibly worthwhile!

Where would you like to see The Road Les Traveled in 2017?!

Travel Tag: Mandapa, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Bali

by 6 Comments

Getting In

I made it back to Bali for the second time in my life and knew Ubud had to be placed on the itinerary. Again. Located about an hour and a half drive from the Denpasar airport, Mandapa is secluded from the hustle and bustle that surrounds Ubud these days. The city engulfed me as I drove into its lush greenery, miles away from any coastline. Street markets, narrow roads and traffic jams are common here, making me antsy as I inched towards my destination, scooters and bikes flying past. Then the shopaholic in me emerged. Galleries of handcrafted wooden chairs, distressed doors, Buddha heads and metal sculptures materialized along the roadside and I thought to myself, “Now where could that go in my house?” To the plethora of House Hunters and Property Brothers episodes I’ve seen, this is your fault.

Upon Arrival

It’s all about first impressions. Driving up to Mandapa, I felt like I’d just entered a secret Balinese compound. The turn-off for the property was right off the main road where we had to weave through quiet, narrow lanes until arriving at a gate. We were greeted by the most welcoming staff and ushered towards the lobby. ‘Lobby’ was code for a dreamworld full of day beds and local drinks infused with indigenous herbs, all overlooking a plunging valley below. The Ayung River lay 325 feet beneath us where the intimate Balinese village (24 acres) begged to be discovered by me and my camera.

The Villa

Buggys are a necessity at Mandapa due to the steep terrain, and friendly butlers always make themselves available to drive guests from Point A to Point B. They’ll even take you on an impromptu tour of the grounds if you ask them, as I did. Between the tropical pool area, rice terraces, and a century-old Hindu mandapa (Sanskrit for temple), there’s much to explore.

Where were we again? Ohhhh that’s right, the villa. Pardon my detour.

Our one-bedroom river front pool villa had me at hello..hi..nice to meet you. Can I stay forever? Coming in at 4,630 sq. ft., my palatial home-away-from-home was hard to leave. Really, I never had to. Massive bedroom, check. Huge bathtub, check. Japanese-style toilet that had so many buttons and commands, it could probably cook a turkey if you asked it to, check. Separate living area/home office, check. Swimming pool for a cool workout during a hot day, check. Room service for food, check. Yep, that’s just about all I needed in life.

But an active traveler doesn’t ever sit still…

The Activities

  • Spa – First order of business after traveling for many hours to Mandapa: the spa. One of the most beneficial aspects of the hotel spa besides its stunning interiors is the fact that it rests on the banks of the Ayung River, lulling guests into a peaceful relaxation. Zzzzzzzzzzz.

  • Rafting – A river equals rafting, so for the adventurous at heart, add it to the itinerary.

  • Volkswagon Vintage Tour – A joyride in a classic VW 181 convertible in the country side? Sign.Me.Up.

  • Tirtha Empul Temple – This was my second time visiting the Tirtha temple, but a major difference was that I was able to get inside the pools and visit the fountains. Mind, body and soul purification. Score!

  • Tegallalang Rice Terrace – The most visited terrace in the city, Tegallalang is located right off the road. It’s a scene you just have to capture, no matter how many tourists are present (and there will be lots).

  • Monkey Forest – Beware! These guys make for an amazing photo opp, but they will take your food, your gold, your anything. It makes for a very entertaining morning, although heed my advice: wear next to nothing. It’s hotter than hell.

  • Luwak Coffee Plantation – Even in 90 degree heat, this coffee is everything. Coffee afficionados, take note.

  • Dinner – The list of activities wouldn’t be complete without a nod to Kubu, the #1 restaurant on TripAdvisor in Ubud that just so happens to be on Mandapa grounds. Nine private cocoons overlooking the Ayung river ohhhhh and ahhh guests as they dine on Mediterranean-European cuisine.

The best part about adventuring off-property? The wonderful staff at Mandapa will drive you free of charge in the company car to and from town. They obviously appreciate their guests getting in on the Balinese culture, and I appreciate that more than they know.

Explore more of Mandapa, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve by clicking through the photos below!

More Ritz-Carlton Reserves

The two remaining extraordinary properties that complete the exclusive triangle of Ritz-Carlton Reserves include Puerto Rico’s Dorado Beach and Thailand’s Phulay Bay. I was lucky to experience their greatness all within six months of each other and highly recommend a visit, as they all embody something unique and special in their respective environments around the world.

Instagram

lesleyannemurphy
This error message is only visible to WordPress admins
Error: Access Token is not valid or has expired. Feed will not update.

Crop Image