Ubud,  a small town in central Bali, is considered by “those in the know” to be the epicenter of the island’s culture. In Ubud, there are many types of accommodations—from tiny backpacker’s hotels to luxury resorts like the Four Seasons. Somewhere in the middle—and our favorite option—are the  houses and villas owned by Ni Wayan Murni. Murni, as she’s called,  is one of Bali’s first women entrepreneurs as well as a serious collector of museum-quality Asian art.

We first heard about Murni from a well-traveled friend  in Palm Beach. “In Ubud,” she said, “you simply must stay with Murni!”  Since this friend’s advice has never failed us, we didn’t hesitate to book a room in Murni’s original guest house, which has the relaxed ambience of a real Balinese home. Murni also has three luxury accommodations on the outskirts of Ubud, called Villa Kunang-Kunang,  For more information, visit www.murnis.com. Reservations are booked by e-mail: murni@murnis.com or jonathan@murnis.com.