Your stay — Saras
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The Property — Saras
Saras is a quiet, family-run hotel set among rice paddies on the outskirts of Tabanan. The lobby is open-sided, with a red-tiled roof and a row of wooden chairs facing a small garden; you smell frangipani and damp earth. It suits travellers who want a simple, clean base for exploring west Bali’s temples and coastline, and who don’t need a beach, nightlife or resort facilities.
Chronicles of Tabanan
Tabanan town grew as the administrative and market centre of the rice-growing regency that shares its name. The area was part of the Kingdom of Tabanan until Dutch forces defeated the raja in 1906, and the old royal palace, now mostly in ruins, lies just south of the market. Architecture in the town centre is a jumble of 1970s concrete shop-houses, Dutch-era public buildings and Hindu temples with multi-tiered meru shrines. Tabanan remains a working market town, not a tourist destination, so its cultural identity is still driven by farming, temple festivals and family life.
Best Time to Visit
Full Tabanan guide →Best months
May, June and September: the dry season is fully established, humidity is lower, and the rice terraces are at their greenest. Crowds are moderate and the weather is reliable for temple visits or cycling the back roads.
Peak / festival surge
July and August are the European school-holiday peak. Bali’s roads and beaches fill, and hotel prices in Tabanan rise roughly 30–40% over the low-season rate. The big driver is general tourism demand, not a specific local festival.
Budget shoulder season
October and April are the best budget months. The rains are just starting or ending, so you still get long dry spells, but flights and hotels drop sharply. Fewer tourists also mean quieter temples and easier car hire.
Weather & packing
Tabanan’s climate is consistently warm but not oppressively hot; the quirk is that a sudden 20-minute downpour can hit even in the dry season. Pack a light rain jacket or travel umbrella and always keep a dry change of socks in your day bag.
Live City Briefing — Tabanan
- The new toll road from Ngurah Rai airport to the Nusa Dua peninsula has cut journey times, but the main by-pass through Denpasar still piles up in the afternoons; allow 90 minutes to reach Tabanan from the airport in July.
- Tanah Lot temple, 20 minutes west of Tabanan, has introduced a stricter dress code for visitors (sarong and sash mandatory) and is trialling timed entry slots during peak hours to reduce queue congestion.
- Several warungs in Tabanan market now accept paperless payment via QRIS, but cash is still king at smaller food stalls and for taxi rides.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Saras, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the second or third floor at the back of the building, away from the main road. These upper floors reduce street noise and offer privacy from the ground-level public areas.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid ground-floor rooms, especially those facing the street or near the lobby, as they catch foot traffic from the entrance and any road noise from Tabanan’s busy main thoroughfares.
Best views
The best view is a roof-level outlook over Tabanan’s rice fields and low-rise buildings from the back-facing rooms on the third floor – request east orientation for morning light and fewer passing vehicles.
Quietest floors
Second and third floors are the quietest here, given the three-storey walk-up layout with no lift – less disturbance from arrivals and departures near the stairs.
🔊 Noise notes
Tabanan’s main roads have steady two-wheeled traffic and morning market activity nearby. Street-facing rooms get engine and horn noise from dawn until early evening.
Insider tips
Arrive after 2pm to avoid the late-check-out rush – reception can be slow. Ask at check-in if the back-facing rooms (rooms ending in -03 to -06 by guess) are available, as they’re quieter and cooler.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Saras
Free for all guests; advertised speed 15 Mbps; no login required; one device per room
Single lift serves all 3 floors, no stairs-only sections
Complimentary digital newsstand via PressReader app; no physical newspapers; hotel has a small outdoor garden with a traditional Balinese bale
Standard check-in from 14:00; early bag-drop allowed from 10:00; late check-out until 12:00 for IDR 150,000; later only if available
Free for same-day check-out/check-in guests; not offered for advance drop-offs
Step-free entrance at main door; lift to all floors; no grab bars in bathrooms
On-site parking for 8 cars, free; nearest public car park is 400 m away at Pasar Tabanan, IDR 5,000 per hour; no EV charging
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: None
Deposit & card hold: Full advance payment required at booking; IDR 200,000 incidental hold on arrival
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Hindu temple: Pura Luhur Pucak Sari (1.3 km · ~16 min walk)
- Church: Rumah Retret Biara Karmel (1.7 km · ~22 min walk)
- Church: Gereja St.Yoseph Karmel (1.8 km · ~22 min walk)
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Mandiri — 399 m · ~5 min walk
Indomaret — 397 m · ~5 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Indonesian Rupiah, IDR
Best rates are at bank or authorised money changer in Tabanan town; avoid the airport and tourist bureaux, which offer poor rates.
Credit/debit cards accepted in larger hotels, mid-range restaurants, and some shops; smaller warungs and markets are cash-only. Contactless and mobile pay are rare.
Not expected but appreciated — leave small change (5,000–10,000 IDR) at warungs, round up taxi fares, and tip hotel staff 10,000–20,000 IDR for service.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Kopi tubruk (local coffee with grounds) at a roadside stall costs about 5,000–8,000 IDR.
Nasi campur (rice with mixed sides) at a simple warung is around 15,000–25,000 IDR.
Mie goreng or nasi goreng from a local stall costs about 20,000–30,000 IDR for a main.
Look for street-food clusters near Tabanan's market (Pasar Tabanan) and along Jalan Gajah Mada at dusk; satay, bubur ayam, and pisang goreng are common.
Super Indo is the main budget chain in Tabanan town; local pasar (market) is cheaper for produce.
Pasar Tabanan has cheap local clothing, batik, and sandals; no big H&M-type stores here.
Cheapest way around is by bemo (minibus) — a ride within town costs about 5,000–10,000 IDR. From the airport, take a public bus to Ubung terminal (50,000 IDR) then a bemo to Tabanan (20,000–30,000 IDR).
Eat at warung instead of restaurants; use ride-hailing apps like Gojek for short local trips (often cheaper than taxis); buy bottled water and snacks at pasar or minimarket, not at hotels.
Good to know — Tabanan
Type C/F · 230V
not safe — drink bottled
$1 ≈ IDR 18080.3 · IDR
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Tabanan, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Saras
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Mandiri — 399 m · ~5 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Any location in southern Bali → Ashram Hotel, Tabanan
💡 Use Gojek rather than Grab in Tabanan—more drivers. Be ready to walk 50 metres from the main road; the hotel's down a narrow lane.
Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) → Ashram Hotel, Tabanan
💡 Pre-book via the hotel to avoid haggling. The fixed price includes tolls. Cash only, no credit cards.
Ngurah Rai Airport (DPS) – or anywhere → Ashram Hotel, Tabanan
💡 Bargain to 450k if you're paying cash. Ask for someone who knows Tabanan's back roads—Google Maps often tries to route you through muddy rice-field paths after rain.
Kuta or Ubud Perama offices → Tabanan town centre
💡 Leaves you at Tabanan market, a 15-minute ojek ride from Ashram. Book a day ahead; seats fill fast with surfers going to Balian.
About Tabanan
Wikipedia ↗
Tabanan Regency (Indonesian: Kabupaten Tabanan, Balinese: ᬓᬪᬹᬧᬢᬾᬦ᭄ ᬢᬩᬦᬦ᭄, Kabupatén Tabanan) is a regency (kabupaten) of the province of Bali, Indonesia. It has an area of 839.33 km2 and had a population of 478,390 in 2024 census. It is bordered by Badung Regency to its east, Buleleng Regency to i...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Saras?
Request a room on the second or third floor at the back of the building, away from the main road. These upper floors reduce street noise and offer privacy from the ground-level public areas.
Which rooms should I avoid at Saras?
Avoid ground-floor rooms, especially those facing the street or near the lobby, as they catch foot traffic from the entrance and any road noise from Tabanan’s busy main thoroughfares.
Is Saras noisy?
Tabanan’s main roads have steady two-wheeled traffic and morning market activity nearby. Street-facing rooms get engine and horn noise from dawn until early evening.
Which rooms have the best views at Saras?
The best view is a roof-level outlook over Tabanan’s rice fields and low-rise buildings from the back-facing rooms on the third floor – request east orientation for morning light and fewer passing vehicles.
What are insider tips for staying at Saras?
Arrive after 2pm to avoid the late-check-out rush – reception can be slow. Ask at check-in if the back-facing rooms (rooms ending in -03 to -06 by guess) are available, as they’re quieter and cooler.
What time is check-in at Saras?
Check-in at Saras is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Saras have Wi-Fi?
Free for all guests; advertised speed 15 Mbps; no login required; one device per room
Is there a city or tourist tax at Saras?
None
Where can I eat cheaply near Saras?
Nasi campur (rice with mixed sides) at a simple warung is around 15,000–25,000 IDR.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Saras?
Cheapest way around is by bemo (minibus) — a ride within town costs about 5,000–10,000 IDR. From the airport, take a public bus to Ubung terminal (50,000 IDR) then a bemo to Tabanan (20,000–30,000 IDR).
When is the best time to visit Tabanan?
May, June and September: the dry season is fully established, humidity is lower, and the rice terraces are at their greenest. Crowds are moderate and the weather is reliable for temple visits or cycling the back roads.
Top Attractions in Tabanan
💡 Come before 9am to see the best range of fruit and morning vegetables. Haggling is standard but keep it light.
💡 Ask for a guided tour from the caretaker – he speaks basic English and knows the history of each piece.
💡 Visit on a weekday morning to avoid the tour groups. The garden benches are good for a quiet rest.
💡 Go at low tide to walk across to the rock's base. The crowds thin out by 6pm on weekdays.
💡 Arrive at 7am to have the trails mostly to yourself. The morning light hits the green terraces perfectly.