In Reply to: Ubud places and more posted by Kevin on Tuesday, 27. April 1999 at 01:26 Bali Time:
We just returned last week from 10 days in Bali with my 3 year old, my wife and my mom. We stayed at the Lastri House near Oka Wati for 60,000 rps ($7.50) per night plus breakfast. The family that runs the place was very nice. they have two kids my sons age, and they got along very well. There is a beautiful garden. It doesn't have a pool or rice field view, but it was comfortable. We used the pool at OkaWati for only 10,000 rps and enjoyed their view. We were quoted $50 per night at Oka Wati. The family also runs the Cafe Gaia on Jalan Raya, and Nyoman will drive you there if you like. Its only a 10 minute walk. They have a great juice bar and make great sandwiches on delicious brown bread, in addition to the traditional fare.
There are so many home stays in Ubud, you don't really need a reservation. Just try to get there early in the day so you can walk around and find a nice place. Check out both the Lonely Planet and Moon Publications books for ideas.
I would also recommend the cooking class put on at the home of the woman who runs the Casa Luna restaurant. The food we helped prepare was delicious and once I track down the ingredients here in the SF Bay Area, I hope to recreate some of the dishes.
We took a trip up to the north coast and splurged at a resort at Sambirenteng, called the Alam Anda, run by a German. It is pricey, with a bungalow costing $50 or so. But it was great, and they have a dive center. The coral reef is just 30 meters off shore. I did a 40 minute dive for $30 plus a $12 rental fee. Additional dives are only $15. Snorkeling is great there too!
Good luck.