Every now and then, we of real grace. We were in Ubud, the art capital of Bali in Indonesia, to attend a wedding. Initially, my group (including my siblings and best friend) and I were going to stay at the palace of a family friend set in the tropical forests of the majestic highlands. My brother Mark, however, suddenly had this brilliant idea to explore the fabulous spa resorts in the area. Among the first ones we checked out were the Amandari, the Legian, and Maya Ubud. As we drove through the breathtaking scenery, our precocious driver and guide made a turn up a tree- lined driveway and graciously requested us to walk through what he termed as the “lost paradise.”

We checked in at the Royal Villa, an impressive three-bedroom residence ideally positioned adjacent to the Ayung River. The prime location afforded a stunning view of the surrounding landscape and river valley. With rice paddies like staircases to heaven as my view, I thought, why couldn’t we have a resort like this in our very own Banaue Rice Terraces? Entry to this two-level villa is past the rooftop lily pond and private meditation areas to a first floor verandah with a daybed and chairs, flanked on either side by a king-sized bedroom and twin bedrooms, each with fantastic bathrooms. The stairway descended to an air- conditioned dining room for six guests next to a large comfortable living room and kitchen. There is a rare collection of Indonesian art treasures, each contributing to the lavish, understated elegance of the villa. The third bedroom and bathroom open onto a private screened patio near the spectacular 470- foot pool and sunbathing terrace.

My sister (a new spa convert since she had her first treatment at Mandala in Boracay) and my best buddy were the last ones to arrive in our villa after the treatment. They both had three hours of spa treatment. My best buddy availed of the Tropical Rain, which he described as the “ultimate spa experience” because the treatment involved a calming, warm red ginger body polish prior to lying beneath the gentle caress of tropical rainfall. My sister, on the other hand, looked glorious after her Healing Herbal Blend where her skin was revitalized using a polish that combined black rice, hibiscus blended with basil, and rosemary mud wrap. And yes, the nurturing herbal bath soak is divine.