Sidemen isn’t on a typical tourist’s Bali itinerary.
But with its convenient location and generous offering of relatively untouched natural beauty, Sidemen is one of my favourite places on this Indonesian island.
There’s just enough exploring to do here to keep you entertained for a couple of days, but the main activity is to simply unwind and enjoy the surroundings.
For that reason, choosing a hotel in Sidemen is more important than in other parts of Bali (or even in most places in Indonesia for that matter!).
Your accommodation won’t just be a place to stay, but part of the experience of visiting the village of Sidemen.
Enter Griya Valud: a rustic guesthouse with mountain views, Insta-worthy angles and only a handful of rooms.
Combining budget-friendly rates with a bougie boutique vibe, Griya Valud is an ideal base for exploring Sidemen, Bali.
Griya Valud: At a glance
In a hurry? Here’s a quick overview of what to expect at Griya Valud.
Scroll down for the detailed info and more about my personal experience of staying here.
LOCATION | The Griya Valud villa is in the heart of Sidemen, a tiny village in the eastern side of central Bali.
GETTING HERE | Being the only airport on Bali (for now!), Ngurah Rai International Airport is the closest and takes about 1h30 by airport shuttle. If you take the boat from Lombok/the Gili islands to Bali, Sidemen is a short 45-minute drive and therefore a great place to spend your first night in Bali.
PRICE | A spacious room at Griya Valud averages around 700,000 IDR (about $45) per night, which includes a filling breakfast (see below).
HIGHLIGHTS | The location is perfect for exploring the Sidemen Valley, but secluded enough for a peaceful night. The outdoor bathroom should be on every Bali bucket list. Being able to watch the sun set behind the mountains was a magical moment for me, too.
CONS | Our bathroom door (in one of the wooden bungalows) didn’t close perfectly, but as a couple it didn’t bother us.
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Staying at Griya Valud in Sidemen
I stayed at Griya Valud on a weekend trip to Sidemen from Canggu and it turned out to be the perfect spot to call home for a couple of days.
The guesthouse had everything we were looking for: a comfy room, a nice pool, scenic surroundings and a peaceful night’s sleep – quite the opposite of Canggu.
During our stay, we didn’t really see any other guests at all.
We had the pool to ourselves for a sunset swim and enjoyed an intimate breakfast by the pool the following morning.
However, the super friendly staff were always available in the reception area whenever we needed anything.\
RELATED READ: If you’re visiting Komodo Island National Park before or after Bali? Check in to affordable Maldives-style resort Menjaga Bay.
Rooms at Griya Valud
Like many hotels and homestays in the area, Griya Valud only has a few rooms.
This means the number of guests is (extremely) limited, ensuring you’ll get the peaceful escape that Sidemen should be.
Of these rooms, two are eco-friendly cottages that overlook the pond and pool, and the others are part of a marble villa.
All come with mosquito nets fitted – though we never needed ours – and complimentary toiletries including shampoo, shower gel, a toothbrush kit and shower cap.
The rooms also have air conditioning, a TV with Netflix and towels for use at the pool.
Wooden Cottages
There are only two and they both face out onto the iconic pool and the large pond around which the property is built.
This is where I stayed and it was perfect for a weekend getaway.
Although the room was dark, it was very spacious and cosy at the same time, and had everything we needed.
If you want to get the full Bali experience of taking an outdoor shower, this is the room to book. You can also arrange a flower bath if you give at least one day’s notice.
Another highlight of staying here was waking up to breakfast on the cottage’s wooden veranda.
With a backdrop of both the pool and the mountains, and fish swimming in the stream that surrounds the cottage, it was a pretty dreamy was to start the day – just as a morning in Sidemen should be!
Marble Villas
If you want a more secluded stay at Griya Valud, the marble villas offer total privacy as well as a slightly lower nightly rate.
In fact, if you’re not staying in one, you might not even realise they exist!
The villas are more like a traditional Balinese home, not too different from my favourite homestay in Canggu.
Depending on how you look at it, the lack of outdoor bathroom could be either a benefit or a deal breaker.
Dining at Griya Valud
Technically, there is a restaurant at Griya Valud. However, I didn’t eat there – or see anyone else eating there – or even see a menu in the dining area.
Therefore I can’t comment on the lunch or dinner offered here.
What I can confidently comment on is the quality of the meals I ate in Sidemen in general.
There’s no shortage of great restaurants, and one of the best is just a quick walk or ride down the road.
Rooms at Griya Valud include breakfast for no additional charge, so I got to sample this food during my stay.
Breakfast is presented as a choice of several dishes – including eggs on toast, french toast and nasi goreng – and a choice of tea or Balinese coffee.
You can also enjoy fresh fruits and fresh fruit juice, if you wish.
And, while it won’t win any awards for aesthetics, it tasted great and was more food than we could finish.
Guesthouse Facilities
When you stay at Griya Valud, you can expect all the comforts of larger hotel, including:
- A large, comfortable bed with premium bedding
- A private bathroom with free toiletries and a hair dryer (quite rare for Indonesia!)
- Private balconies on the wooden cottages
- Air-conditioned rooms with a flat-screen TV and fast wi-fi
Outside of the rooms, there is a beautiful garden area with a beautifully-shaped outdoor pool.
The pool area is bordered by mountain views on one side and lush greenery on another, making for a truly peaceful atmosphere.
If the nearby attractions, such as Gembleng waterfall and the many rice terraces, aren’t enough to keep you entertained, the villa can also arrange a massage for you.
At Griya Valud, you’ll find everything you need to completely unwind – and little more.
TRAVEL TIP: Make sure you have adequate travel insurance.
Make sure your travel insurance policy covers you for healthcare and cancellations, as well as any activities you plan to do.
As of 2023, I use and recommend Heymondo because they offer greater cover – they cover things that most insurers won’t – and 24/7 assistance no matter where you’re going (or where you’re from!).
They offer options for single trips, long stays and annual coverage, so they’re a great budget-friendly (yet sufficient) option for digital nomads and frequent travellers, too.
Planning a stay in Sidemen
Whatever your reason for finding yourself on this side of Bali, come to Sidemen ready to unwind in a beautiful setting. It really is the perfect peaceful escape spot.
A typical day here might begin by exploring local waterfalls and rice terraces, then coming home to Griya Valud relax by the pool, followed by dinner at a local warung.
It’s a dreamy kind of Bali experience and feels a whole world away from the busier spots, like Canggu and Ubud.
How to get to Griya Valud
You will need a scooter or car to get to Sidemen (and to explore the surrounding area).
If you have rented a scooter for your time in Bali, it’s a fairly easy drive. The closer you get to Sidemen, the quieter the roads become.
Tip: Try to arrive in the morning before the hottest part of the day hits, and make sure you cover up during the ride. The roads leading here have very little shelter.
If you don’t have your own vehicle, you can take a taxi bike (if you have no luggage) or a car from wherever you are.
Both Gojek and Grab are used throughout Bali. The former is an Indonesian app while Grab can also be used across southeast Asia in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Singapore.
If you prefer to book a taxi or transfer in advance, I recommend booking through a reputable site such as GetYourGuide, 12Go.Asia or Viator. These are the sites I always use.
How many nights at Griya Valud
I booked my stay at Griya Valud as a little weekend getaway from Canggu, where I was living for a while.
My life in Canggu generally revolved around surfing, eating, coworking and finding the best coffee roasters – basically all city things. Visiting Sidemen was a chance to get out into nature.
We arrived at Griya Valud with only one night booked, with a plan to extend our stay if the option was there and we felt we needed to.
As it happened, we arrived earlier enough on the Saturday morning to do everything we wanted – including switching off for a bit.
If you’re on a short trip to Bali, one night in Sidemen is more than enough.
If you’re in Bali for an extended period time or want to prioritise relaxation in an Ubud alternative, you could easily pass 2-3 nights here.
I had a fantastic stay at Griya Valud and would happily stay again if I find myself in Sidemen in the future.