Most villas put the pool at the end of the garden. A handful do something different: they run the water straight through the living space, so the pool becomes part of the house rather than something you walk out to.
A pool that runs through the house, not beside it
In this kind of design, the lap pool passes between the living areas and the bedrooms. You sit on the sofa and the water is an arm's length away. You step out of bed in the morning and you are already at the pool's edge. There is no "going to the pool": the pool is simply where you live.
It changes the rhythm of a holiday more than you would expect. People swim four or five times a day rather than once. Children drift in and out of the water all afternoon. Evening drinks happen with your feet in the pool rather than around a table.
Why open-plan works so well in Ubud
Ubud sits inland, in the hills, which makes it noticeably cooler and greener than the coastal resorts. That climate is what allows this architecture to exist: walls can slide away completely, and the living room, the kitchen and the garden become one continuous space. The water in the middle cools the air as it moves through.
The best examples pair the open plan with real craftsmanship: teak joinery, local stone, woven art, and planting dense enough that you never see a neighbour. The result feels less like a hotel and more like a private Balinese house.
The practical questions people actually ask
Is it safe with young children? It requires the same attention as any villa pool, with the difference that the water is always in sight rather than out in the garden, which many parents find reassuring rather than worrying.
Are there mosquitoes? Moving water does not attract them, and villas of this standard have screened bedrooms and daily housekeeping. Evenings outdoors are generally comfortable.
Does it stay private? That depends entirely on the planting and the walls. Look for photographs taken from inside the living space outwards: if you can see the neighbours in the picture, you will see them in person.
One example: Villa Beltza, Pengosekan
- 4 en-suite bedrooms, up to 8 guests
- Private pool running through the heart of the villa
- 4 minutes from Ubud centre and the Monkey Forest, 5 from the market
- 4.89/5 on Airbnb (Airbnb Luxe) and 9.8/10 on Booking.com
- Daily housekeeping, high-speed Wi-Fi, fully equipped kitchen, local concierge team
- On request: private chef, in-villa Balinese massages, floating breakfast, scooters delivered to the villa, private driver, babysitting
What guests notice first
The comment that comes up again and again is that photographs undersell it. Reviewers on Booking.com describe the pool as feeling "unique and special" inside the living room, and note that its length is impossible to judge from pictures. One recent Airbnb guest put it simply: the photos do not do it justice.
At Villa Beltza the design goes one step further: the kitchen is set half a level down, with a window that looks out beneath the surface of the pool. It is a small architectural detail, and it is usually the first thing guests photograph.
Frequently asked questions
Is a pool inside the living room really practical?
Yes, in a tropical climate. The living areas are open-sided, floors are stone or teak and drain naturally, and housekeeping comes every day. The main difference is that you swim far more often than you would with a pool at the end of a garden.
Is it suitable for families with children?
It suits families well because the water is always within sight from the living space rather than out of view in the garden. As with any villa pool, young children should never be left unsupervised.
Where can I find a villa like this in Ubud?
Villa Beltza, in Pengosekan, is one example: a 4-bedroom villa for up to 8 guests whose private pool runs through the centre of the house, with a semi-sunken kitchen looking out under the water.
How far is it from the centre of Ubud?
Villa Beltza is about 4 minutes from Ubud centre and the Monkey Forest, 5 minutes from the market, 15 minutes from the Tegalalang rice terraces and roughly 1 hour 15 from Denpasar airport.