justinpak
Couples · July 202510/10
I’ll be honest. I’ve always been really skeptical woo woo “wellness” programs being surrounded by them in California. But Como Shambhala has converted me into a believer. Coming fresh off a stress-rel...I’ll be honest. I’ve always been really skeptical woo woo “wellness” programs being surrounded by them in California. But Como Shambhala has converted me into a believer. Coming fresh off a stress-related mental breakdown, my boss recommended I visit the Como Shambhala Estate on our first vacation to Bali. She said it’s the “real deal” which got me rolling my eyes a little on the inside. She was right.
After 25 hours of travel, we arrived at DPS. After exiting customs we walked up to the sea of drivers, taxi touts, and hotel logos laminated onto the back of clipboards. COMO. That was us. The airport transfer was cool and comfortable with fresh cold towels, ice cold waters, and snacks awaiting us before the 90-ish minute drive to the hotel.
CHECK-IN
Once we arrived, we were met with a welcome drink of a healthy green juice and a garland of jasmine flowers. (Ahhhhh…) The grounds are stunning though the main pool and wellness center were still receiving finishing touches to their renovations. Here we met with Setiawan (a.k.a. Wan) who would be our personal assistant for our 4 night / 5 day stay. Wan buggied us down a long narrow stonewalled path until we reached a set of stairs waiting at the end. Here was Villa 6, the one-bedroom pool villa that would be our home away from home.
THE VILLA
Calling it a ‘one-bedroom villa” is a total misnomer (There are 3 total bedrooms.) The top level houses the master bedroom with a wonderful king-sized bed overlooking a private patio. Further in, there’s the absolutely gorgeous master bathroom with a huge marble bathtub overlooking a picturesque garden you can open the windows to and an outdoor shower. Como’s bath products also smell divine. You’d mistake them for Aesop.
Down the stairs is Level 2 where a private infinity pool and jacuzzi sidelines a comfy living space with some big comfy couches, a small kitchenette with a kombucha stocked fridge, and a full bathroom. Outside, there are some lounge chairs and a big shady umbrella for you to dry off after dips in the refreshingly cool waters of the pool.
And further still, there’s Level 3 where there happens to be ANOTHER 2 bedrooms and bathroom. Quite honestly, we spent zero time here and the extra rooms felt sparse and maybe more appropriate if you brought your kids.
THE FOOD
That evening, we had dinner at Kudus House, the on-site Indonesian restaurant where you dine inside a 150 year old Javanese pavilion overlooking the Ayung River Valley. The food was all divine with the standouts being the various sambal options you get with your starters and the beef “Rendang Sapi” that is so perfectly tender and well seasoned. Food is such a core part of the wellness theme here. Everything we ate tasted so nutritious yet delicious. Even at breakfast the next day, you’ll find favorites like the “Real Toast” which puts an even more healthy spin on avocado toast replacing the bread with a densely packed seed loaf. The Whole Meal Pancakes were absolutely delicious without feeling sickly sweet or buttery in the way traditional pancakes are done. The other restaurant, Glow also had some delicious riffs on classics. Try the “Lamb Kofta” starter if you’re a lamb fan and the “Lasagna” made of zucchini. Divine. Look. I’ll be real here. The whole menu almost feels like it’s designed to clean out your insides. I don’t think I’ve had better digestion on vacation literally ever.
THE PROGRAMMING
This is where Como Shambhala Estate and the wellness team really shine. Even if you don’t take any of this wellness stuff seriously, the staff here very much does and is 100% committed to making you feel better as a human being in every sense of the word. They are professionals at it and likely better than you are at your job. We partook in as many of the complimentary activities every guest can participate in. But it was nice to see people on “Wellness Paths” doing private sessions.
First up, we took the 8am Deep Flow Yoga class with Mins Teo, the resident yoga and pilates instructor. The class took place at the Yoga Bale in the middle of the resort overlooking the vast green of the Ayung River Valley. For an absolute novice, I found this class the perfect bit of challenging though seasoned practitioners may want to go for a private session.
The Meridian Stretch Qi Gong class led by the Wellness Director, Kimberly Rose Kneier the next morning was a perfect entry into TCM or Traditional Chinese Medicine and some of the basic concepts. Found this incredibly educational and quite fun. I mean who doesn’t love clenching their hands like a Tiger and releasing Qi balls into the universe.
Yoga Nidra Meditation with Prasanth V. If you have trouble sleeping, you must take this class. My wife and I regularly meditate and Prasanth imparted us with new breathing techniques and ways to body scan that we will absolutely be taking home with us. Also the proof, the couple next to us literally fell asleep.
Estate Walk. The name might imply a casual stroll through Como Shambhala’s grounds but heed this warning. This is a moderate hike down and up a slippery stone lined trail led by Yu Dian on the activities. But for those with the health and fitness, this was a magical walk through the jungle. It’s only an hour but along the way we passed waterfalls, old facilities, and the famed Kadara Spring Pools down the valley below the resort. Here we took a short break with cold towels and glasses of cold water (with lime!) The walk back up is steep but short. Well worth the trek if you’re up and active in the morning. And perfect for stirring the appetite up for breakfast.
THE MASSAGES
I happened to book the “Discover Como” package with our booking which meant 60-minute massages for each of us. Every. Single. Day. Oops. Well, next time I will absolutely be doing the same. How nice is it to just start each day you were going to get a massage? Live a little. The massage staff is out of this world good at their jobs. We got to try a range of styles from the Como Shambhala Signature Massage, Deep Tissue, Taksu, and Indonesian and I would be inclined to do them in that order again. Each massage built on the last so that by Day 4, you could nary find a knot in my shoulders. After the first massage, my wife quipped that she could see the stress melting off my body. By Day 2, I was looking into the Hyperbaric Chamber and Contrast Therapy sessions. This stuff is backed by science to make you feel better.
CONCLUSION
This place is luxury. In that quiet luxury way you expect of other brands, especially that one that starts with an A. But everything from the facilities, to the programming, and especially the staff all feels warm, genuine, and truly focused on their wellness mission. These people take what they do seriously to provide an environment where you can heal, relax, and recover. It takes a light bit of work (seriously, take the classes). If you’re coming for the gram or because you want to splurge, then great. There’s a lot of great properties in Bali that will fulfill that need and Como Shambhala Estate is absolutely one of them. But don’t miss out on the wellness programming here. It’s truly the real deal. We spent our entire stay at the estate and feel no guilt. Because quite frankly, COMO Shambhala is all I want to remember about our trip.Show More
