Liyer House, Ubud Bali: A Review

If you've read the book or seen the movie Eat, Pray, Love, then you have heard of Ketut Liyer, the medicine man. When looking for a place to stay in Ubud on Air BnB, I did not expect to stumble across Liyer House as an option, but there in the description was the reference to Eat, Pray, Love. After looking into it, I immediately booked a stay for a few nights and anxiously awaited the date I could see his place in person.

The Grounds

What I noticed first about Liyer House (after I recognized the places where the movie was filmed, of course) was the beautiful Balinese gardens. A winding path leads from reception through the property with rooms on either side. All throughout are plants and flowers that transport you to a tropical paradise. Dotted among the lush gardens are Balinese statues of spirits or people that give it an even more authentic feel. Hidden around the property are also small pools with lily-pads and flowers floating on the surface of the water. The view from my terrace each morning made me feel like the luckiest girl in the world to get to stay somewhere so beautiful.

Liver House has a small infinity pool that overlooks the rice fields and jungle behind the property. It was the perfect temperature and a great place to take a dip or lounge in the morning or afternoon.

The Room

The room I booked through Air BnB was comfortable with a large bed, private bathroom, and even a terrace that I could sit at and read, if I wanted. The bathroom floor came filled with smooth, round pebbles and stone a stone tile path to the toilet. I assumed this was an Indonesian decorating technique, and saw it at a few restaurants in Ubud – it was lovely! My room at Liyer house included:

a large double bed
wardrobe
hot water shower
electric kettle with tea and coffee supplies
daily mineral water
toiletries and towels
fan (there was also an A/C unit but it wasn't super powerful)
LCD flat screen TV
free Wi-Fi
Daily fresh prepared breakfast

The Facilities

Liver House provided free breakfast for the guests each morning at tables under beautiful bamboo gazebos. The food was excellent and I looked forward to it each day! Options included traditional Indonesian foods as well as eggs and toast with fruit. All breakfasts came with a fresh fruit juice made daily as well as coffee or tea! It was the best way to start every day!

There is also a spa, where guests receive a 10% discount on any services. I did not have a chance to try it out, but the rooms looked comfortable and the bathtubs (for a flower bath) looked huge.

Liver House also offers yoga everyday. Yoga is held in their yoga hall below the restaurant with great views of the rice terraces and jungle behind the property. Check the schedule at reception for exact times and to sign up for a class.

If you end up with a lot of laundry, Liyer House will wash it for you as well! They charge by the item instead of by weight, so I am not sure how expensive it would be overall. A list is left in your room and all laundry can be dropped off a reception to be washed, dried, and folded.

If you are interested in seeing the sights, Liyer House can also organize day trips. Check with reception for exact prices and locations, but it appeared they went to the major tourist attractions in the area.

And what of the medicine man, you may ask? Well, unfortunately, Ketut is now retired – so end any dreaming of recreating the scenes from Eat, Pray, Love. However, you can still have your palm read or hear about your future through Balinese Astrology from the new medicine man, who sits in the same place as Ketut. Of course this comes at a price, but I am not sure of the exact amount. I did read online that other visitors to Ketut paid 100,000 IDR for a palm reading (no price, however, was advertised at the homestay).

The Location

Liver House is located a bit South of the Ubud Center on a quiet residential street. I never had any trouble sleeping and felt completely safe at all times. I did rent a motorbike in order to get around Ubud during my stay, so the center of town was a short 5 minute drive away. For those who do not have a motorbike, Liyer House staff provide a free shuttle into town twice a day: between 9:00-9:30 AMand again between 5:00-5:30PM, just make sure to let the staff know you would like the shuttle in advance. If that doesn't work for you, it is possible to walk but it would take between 20-30 minutes to reach the center of the action.

Final Verdict

Would I stay at Liyer House again? Absolutely! It was a beautiful place to call home for a few days. The food was excellent and the staff helpful. I would go back in a heartbeat and highly recommend it! For the price I paid, I couldn't have asked for more!