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COMO Shambhala Estate
Ubud, Indonesia · COMO Hotels & Resorts · Grand Luxury
COMO Shambhala Estate opened in December 2005 as the world's first full-service residential health retreat and holiday resort in one, when COMO's founder Christina Ong assumed majority ownership in 2004 and converted a 9.3-hectare jungle property above Bali's Ayung River Valley that had its first residence built as far back as 1994. Water for the 25-metre hydrotherapy pool comes from The Source, a natural spring the Balinese have long held sacred, and the minimum stay on the Integrated Wellness Programme is three nights, with 21 nights advised.
- 30 rooms
- Opened 1998
- Neighborhood: Melinggih Kelod
- Rooms from 452 sq ft (42 m²)
About COMO Shambhala Estate
- When it launched in December 2005 it was declared the world's first full-service residential health retreat and holiday resort operating simultaneously — meaning guests could book it as either a medical-grade wellness programme or a conventional luxury villa stay.
- COMO Shambhala Estate draws fresh water for its hydrotherapy pool from The Source, a natural spring on the property that the Balinese have regarded as sacred for centuries; the estate's 25-metre hydrotherapy pool was built to channel water from this spring directly.
- The minimum recommended stay for the Integrated Wellness Programme is three nights, but the property advises 21 nights for the full therapeutic benefit — an unusually long minimum-stay recommendation for any hotel programme in Asia.
- Entry-level rooms start at 452 sq ft (42 m²).
History
The estate that became COMO Shambhala began as Begawan Giri Estate, developed by Bradley and Debbie Gardner in the jungle above the Ayung River near Ubud, Bali; its first residence, Bayugita, was completed in 1994 and the estate opened in 1998. COMO Hotels and Resorts, led by Christina Ong, acquired the property in 2004 and reopened it in December 2005 as COMO Shambhala Estate.
Billed as the world's first full-service residential health retreat combined with a resort, the estate spreads across some nine hectares of tropical forest with residences, villas and suites, and it remains the flagship of COMO's Shambhala wellness philosophy. A major renovation marked its 20th anniversary in 2025.
The setting
10 km from town of Ubud.
Restaurants and bars
- Kudus House — Restaurant · Indonesian
- glow — Restaurant · Healthy COMO Shambhala Kitchen
Experiences
- Water purification ceremony at Tirta Empul Temple — Purification ceremony at the sacred Tirta Empul Temple, a revered 10th-century site steeped in mythology and religious history.
- Lempuyang Sky temple trekking — Trek to Pura Lempuyang Luhur at 1,175m on Mount Lempuyang, up over 1,700 steps past other temples and long-tailed macaques.
- Herb walk and Jamu class — Walk exploring native plants and herbs used in Balinese healing, followed by a class on making the jamu herbal drink.
- Mindfulness Walk — Walk down stone steps into the Estate jungle to a hidden water garden for swimming and a picnic.
- Daily schedule activities — Daily yoga, Qi Gong, circuit training and mindfulness walks, complimentary during the stay.
- Kedara Water Garden picnic by the Ayung River — Mindfulness walk to Kedara, a hidden water garden with mineral pools along the Ayung River, for swimming or a picnic.
Amenities
- spa
- hydrotherapy pool
- yoga
- wellness programmes
- fitness center
- Sauna
- Hot tub
- Tennis
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star (2026)
- MICHELIN One Key (2026)
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