Who this list is for

This guide is for readers, writers and festival regulars who want a dependable hotel in Bali for the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival and care about strong guest reviews and included breakfast. We ran the search for two adults, so it fits couples and pairs of friends traveling together. It also helps if you plan to split your trip between festival sessions and time on the coast, or if you want a familiar resort base before and after the program.

One important point first. The festival takes place across central Ubud, in the Gianyar regency, but every hotel in this search is in south Bali, in areas such as Seminyak, Legian, Kuta, Nusa Dua and the Karang Mas estate. If you want to walk between venues, read the section on choosing an area before you book.

Why rooms sell out during the festival

The Ubud Writers & Readers Festival is an international literary and arts festival with talks, book launches, workshops and performances across central Ubud. It draws authors, publishers, journalists, students and readers, and many of them want the same nights near the same venues. Big events pack demand into a short window, so rooms within easy reach of central Ubud usually go first. People who book late often end up comparing hotels farther away, including the larger hotel areas in the south. That is why searching early, and knowing which area you actually want, matters more than usual.

How we picked these hotels

We used Agoda partner search data for Bali, checked on October 7, 2026, for a two-night stay for two adults covering the festival’s opening nights. From the results, we chose properties with high guest review scores at lookup time and breakfast included in the search result, across a range of price levels from budget to premium. We then read each listing’s details, including location, check-in and check-out times, room count and on-site services, to work out which kind of traveler each one suits.

Live rates appear in the table on this page and change often, so we do not quote prices in the text. The review scores and review counts below are what Agoda showed at lookup time and may have changed since.

Choosing an area for the festival

The festival’s home is Ubud, in Gianyar. Staying there puts you closest to the talks, workshops and evening events, and makes it easy to rest between sessions. The hotels in this search are in south Bali, so think of them as a coastal base. They suit travelers who want beach time as part of the trip, who are flying in or out around the festival, or who plan to attend only a few sessions. Before booking any of them, check how you will get from the hotel to central Ubud on your dates and allow for that trip each day. If being on foot between venues matters most, run a separate Ubud search and compare it with this list.

Hotel notes

Kanvaz Village Resort Seminyak

Why: Kanvaz had the highest review score in this search at lookup time, 9.3 out of 10 from 2,779 reviews. At about 2.6 km, it is also the closest of our picks to Agoda’s Bali city-center reference point. Breakfast was included in the search result, free Wi-Fi is listed, and its check-in time is earlier than at most hotels here.

Suitable for: couples who want a Seminyak base and put guest feedback ahead of brand names.

Caveats: the listing gives little detail on room count or opening year, and it has fewer reviews than the big resorts on this list. Read recent reviews for the room type you choose. It sits in the upper-middle of this search’s price range.

Amnaya Resort Kuta

Why: At lookup time, Amnaya showed a review score of 9.2 from 13,630 reviews, one of the strongest pairings of score and review volume in the search. It is a four-star hotel with 116 rooms on Jalan Kartika Plaza in Kuta, opened in 2015. It lists free Wi-Fi, free parking, taxi and car hire, and concierge help with tickets and tours.

Suitable for: travelers who want a mid-sized, well-reviewed hotel at a mid-range price within this search, and anyone who plans to hire a car for festival days.

Caveats: Kuta is in the south, not Ubud, so expect a transfer on each festival day.

Grandmas Plus Hotel Legian

Why: It was the lowest-priced option in this search and still had a 9.2 review score from 8,661 reviews at lookup time. It is a three-star hotel about 4.3 km from Agoda’s city-center reference point, with breakfast included in the search result.

Suitable for: budget-minded readers who will be out most of the day and mainly need a well-reviewed room to sleep in.

Caveats: the search result did not flag free Wi-Fi, so confirm internet access if you plan to write or work. The listing also has fewer property details than the others, so check room size and amenities on the booking page.

The Apurva Kempinski Bali

Why: This five-star Kempinski resort opened in 2019, has 475 rooms, and showed a 9.2 review score from 6,167 reviews at lookup time. The listing includes airport transfers you can book ahead, a shuttle, taxi and car hire, and concierge help with tickets and tours.

Suitable for: travelers combining the festival with a resort holiday in the Nusa Dua area, and anyone who wants help arranging day trips.

Caveats: at about 18 km, it is the farthest of our picks from Agoda’s city-center reference point, and it was among the higher-priced options here. Plan festival days around the transfer.

RIMBA by AYANA Bali

Why: At lookup time, RIMBA had a 9.1 review score from 15,622 reviews, the most reviews of any hotel in this search. It is a five-star resort with 403 rooms in the Karang Mas Estate, with airport transport booking, a shuttle, taxi and car hire.

Suitable for: travelers who want a full-service resort with transport options built in, and who see the festival as one part of a longer Bali holiday.

Caveats: it was the highest-priced option in this search and sits about 13.9 km from the city-center reference point.

Grandmas Plus Hotel Airport

Why: This three-star hotel with 82 rooms on Jalan I Gusti Ngurah Rai in Kuta showed a 9.0 review score from 8,637 reviews at lookup time and was among the lower-priced options. Breakfast was included, Wi-Fi is free, and the front desk offers express check-in and check-out and luggage storage.

Suitable for: festival-goers who want a simple, well-reviewed stop at the start or end of the trip.

Caveats: it is a practical base rather than a resort, and it is in the south rather than near Ubud.

MERUSAKA Nusa Dua, a five-star resort with 455 rooms, and Bintang Bali Resort, a five-star resort on Jalan Kartika Plaza renovated in 2020, also appeared. At lookup time, MERUSAKA showed a 9.0 review score and Bintang an 8.6 score. Both are reasonable backups if our main picks sell out.

How to choose

Start with how much of the festival you plan to attend. If you want to be at sessions every day and stay for evening events, search Ubud directly. Among this list, Kanvaz Village Resort Seminyak is the closest to the city-center reference point and has the top review score.

If you are watching your budget, Grandmas Plus Hotel Legian and Grandmas Plus Hotel Airport are the lower-priced choices and still well reviewed. If you want a balance of reputation and mid-range pricing, Amnaya Resort Kuta is the steady middle option.

If the festival is one part of a longer holiday, The Apurva Kempinski Bali, RIMBA by AYANA Bali and MERUSAKA Nusa Dua offer a full resort setting with transport services. They cost more, so judge them on the whole trip rather than on festival access alone.

Booking timing

Book once you know which festival days you will attend. Our search covered only the opening nights, so if you plan to stay longer, search your full dates, since availability can differ night by night. Rates move as the festival gets closer, so check the table on this page again before you pay, and keep a refundable booking if your plans may change.

Festival booking checklist

  • Free cancellation: choose a rate that allows free cancellation, and note the deadline and the time zone it uses.
  • Taxes and fees: confirm whether the total includes taxes and service charges before you compare hotels.
  • Room type: our search did not specify a room type, so check the bed setup for two adults, the room size and whether there is a desk if you plan to write.
  • Breakfast: make sure breakfast is listed on the exact rate you book, not just on the hotel page.
  • Getting to Ubud: arrange transport to central Ubud for each festival day, either through the hotel’s transfer or car hire service or on your own.
  • Arrival time: most picks list a mid-afternoon check-in, so ask about luggage storage if you land early.
  • Wi-Fi: confirm internet access if you need to work, especially where free Wi-Fi is not listed.
  • Festival tickets: book event passes separately, and use the hotel concierge for tours or tickets where the listing offers it.