Hotel review: Como Uma Canggu is the ideal beach vacation getaway

A short walk adorned with greenery takes me to the heart of the resort, where a stunning 115-metre-long lagoon pool stretches across all the hotel residences. A stone’s throw away is Como Beach Club, one of the best beach clubs in Canggu, where the view of Echo Beach and its spirited waves never get old, be it day or night. While my room is being prepared, I find out that the hotel is running a margarita promotion for Cinco de Mayo, so of course I have to have one while soaking in the scenery. Chin chin.

At Como Uma Canggu, there are 52 rooms and suites, 55 bigger one- and two-bedroom residences, and 12 duplex penthouses with their own private pools. This time, I’m staying in a one-bedroom residence on the third floor, which spans 90 square metres. Again, I am calmed by the room’s clean interiors and neutral colour palette, lifted with a touch of homeliness, thanks to the rattan screens enclosing the master bedroom. Best of all, my large private balcony offers a panoramic view of both the Indian Ocean and the lagoon pool, making it the perfect place to sit in the mornings with a cup of coffee.

Bathrooms are their own private sanctuaries, and it’s no different here. Stepping into the spacious bathroom, my eyes are immediately drawn to the gargantuan jacuzzi, set in marble and gently lit. I know what I’m going to do at night—a long hot soak bolstered with bubbles, perhaps with a glass of prosecco that’s waiting for me on the counter of the kitchenette.

Don’t know what to do in Bali? Como Uma Canggu will plan day trips for you, including day trips to Ubud and a culture tour at Tampaksiring. As for me, I go on an evening visit to Tanah Lot, a rock formation that’s home to a Hindu temple called Pura Tanah Lot. Though visitors are not allowed inside the temple, I am happy enough to appreciate the view, admiring temples that have stood for centuries and standing amongst rocks that the waves crash against. Besides, I get to touch a holy snake at a nearby cave, which is supposed to protect the temple and grant me my wishes. 

Echo Beach is a prime surfing location, so taking surfing lessons is a no-brainer. My lessons start in the lagoon pool rather than the sea, which is studded with too many rock formations for it to be safe for an absolute beginner like me. Fortunately, my instructor, Shane, is patient and effective; by the time my hour is up, I’m leaping onto my surfboard with enthusiasm and heading off with a hunger to take on the real waves on the shore. 

Read more: Editor’s Diary: A relaxing wellness escape at Jumeirah Bali

Staying at a Como property also means you get to focus on health with its Como Shambhala Retreat, with its focus on holistic wellness. Fitness classes, including reformer pilates and Vinyasa yoga, are available every day, alongside a well-equipped gym. I’m booked for suspension training, which, depending on who you ask, is an excellent method of muscle training or an elaborate torture device designed to torture your core. In the thick of it, I’m more inclined to think the latter, but how my body feels afterwards is more like the former.

After all this, a trip to the Como Shambhala Retreat is a must, where I know I will be well taken care of. I arrive for the Como Shambhala Massage, the hotel group’s signature full-body massage, for 90 luxurious minutes. Everything in the therapy room puts me at ease, from the gentle music and slightly dimmed lighting, to the foot ritual of a salt scrub and warm water on my feet that opens every massage at a Como property. As for the massage, I could have easily fallen asleep, if it weren’t for my therapist’s knack for finding all the knots and chinks in my body. Rounded off with a steaming cup of ginger tea, I feel more relaxed than I’ve been in years.

With its pristine views of Echo Beach, I make sure to wake up early for the sunrise before heading back to Como Beach Club for breakfast. Though you can order a breakfast item from the à la carte menu—I order eggs Benedict one morning after a punishing suspension workout—I prefer to load up on coconut yoghurt from the beach club’s breakfast buffet, which I top with fresh fruits and tropical jams. I also find the viennoiseries here particularly good, with a crisp exterior and a flaky interior, so I can’t help but pinch a pain au chocolat to go. 

For the rest of the day, Como Beach Club offers both Indonesian classics and international cuisine—see margherita pizzas rubbing shoulders with tacos and Thai-style beef. I try the nasi goreng, which enjoys a sweet savouriness from the kicap manis and packs a punch with its sambal. The beef rendang, topped with fried shallots and served with achar, also manages to find balance in flavour. Elsewhere, burrata garnished with lemon basil and served with grilled sourdough should make a great starter, and the split jumbo prawns are plump and fresh.

When I find myself in need of something healthy and refreshing, however, I head down to Glow Juice Bar, where a range of substantial salads await, including gado gado, an Indonesian salad. I opt to mix that with a zucchini salad with semi-dried tomato and lemon. Washing it all down with a fresh whole coconut, the meal is fresh, hearty, and nourishing.

If you’re looking to explore the area, make sure to hit up the resort’s general manager, Henry. He knows what’s worth checking out, and he can help you make any reservations you want. 

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