Beguiling Bali

Beguiling Bali

by Michael Krape

Seven years ago the island of the gods was bedeviled by an act of madness. Today, Bali is again the place where Australians gather to worship.
Have their prayers been answered?

In the aftermath of 2002, Bali became a four-letter word. In the minds of some, the once idyllic island had been reduced to a killing fi eld; a place where a dearly loved people had betrayed the trust invested in them. In truth, the Balinese were not the instigators of this or the later bombings in 2005. These deeply spiritual people were driven to despair as they saw a mass exodus from their island. In their simple, quiet way they kept their counsel and prayed for the people whose souls wouldnever leave.
Eventually people did return, but many brought their anxieties with them. Some refused to be cowed by terrorism, others refused to sever their connection to the Balinese people, while the majority came because of the cheap packages and endless bargains in Kuta, Legian, Sanur and Ubud. Much in Hindu Bali has changed. Security is more evident and there are tourists who still harbour a grudge against the Muslim-dominated archipelago. By and large this resentment is misplaced.
I made a pilgrimage to Bali to see for myself how the island has responded seven years on.
I expected to find more of the same - a theme park for the fun-loving with a new coat of paint.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Bali is more sophisticated than I remember it, and more confi dent about its place in the world. Investment is striking; new hotels are everywhere, beaches have been beautifi ed and the backpacker mentality that drove earlier tourism has given way to a more equitable spread across the standards.
With time, and the focus of world events shifting elsewhere, Bali has resumed doing what it does best. Delivering service with uncomplicated elegance. However there were lessons learned and Bali is the better for it. Whereas simplicity was the overriding ethic, now there is a greater emphasis on skill. The Balinese are an understated people and this remains true in the hospitality industry, it is just that they have learned what the Europeans have known and delivered for generations.
The greatest revelation of all is at the luxury end of the market. Surprisingly, the Europeans are more aware of what Bali has to offer than we are; yet it sits on our doorstep and is the envy of travellers ‘in the know’.
Firstly, there is abundant choice. I visited five up-market resorts, but time permitting I could have seen 50. All are categorized as five star, but some would be worthy of at least one more.
Secondly, there is market segmentation. The world may be chastened by the economic meltdown, but it does not mean that travellers will accept less because of it. There are dedicated spa resorts rather than resorts that offers spa and massage programs.
There are hotels that are business-like in their functionality and segue easily to the street, but the attention to detail in the rooms, public spaces and foodservice is impeccable. Andthere are resorts that are entirely self-contained.
You could be in the middle of a busy resort town like Nusa Dua and have no concept of neighbours.
Thirdly, major chains and boutique brands alike are heading to Bali. If you want a litmus test on the political and social health of a destination, follow the path beaten by the big boys.
If it is safe, and likely to remain so, you will find them investing.

St Regis, Nusa Dua

This is one of the newest and most luxurious resorts in Bali. I can wax lyrical about its facilities, but my benchmark for a great hotel is based on the little details that, in composite, make for a compelling story.
Breakfast at St Regis is like no other in my experience. It is included in the price and you have the option of a la carte dining or the bountiful buffet that Asia does so well. Breakfast for some is a time for quiet reflection; others seize the moment and fuel up to ensure they power through the difficulties, challenges and possibilities that life is likely to throw at them over the next 12 hours.
Either way, having made your selection, you do not expect waiters to periodically visit your table with the most delectable tasters imaginable.
It might be a single oyster prepared with the refinement and flourish of a great seafood restaurant. There is no clarion call to try, no inducement about the great chef who prepared it.
One minute they are next to you, the next they are gone. (Minus the oyster, I might add).

Accommodation: 123 guestrooms including 79 suites, 42 villas and 2 residences.
Cost: From AUD$980 plus 21% service charge and government tax.
Website: www.stregis.com/bali

Como Shambhala Estate, Ubud

I abhor the word ‘wellness’ in relation to retreats, spas and all things healthy. My fi fth grade English teacher would have rapped me over the knuckles had I even breathed it. (Admittedly that was in the late 1950s before computers, Paris Hilton and Friday night football).
However…I will tolerate it here. Como Shambhala Estate is many things, but most of all it is the true expression of bespoke. It is a residential health retreat where every guest meets its Ayurvedic trained doctor who will create a program unique to the individual.
From that point, everything you do is yours alone.
The epitome of this literally runs counter to the idea of how hospitality is delivered. In my case (see Writing the Wrong of Living Large), I was the closest thing to a basket case the doctor had seen in some time. While Dr Deepak Deginal would never say it out loud, I can only assume this was behind the monastic, minimalist menu I endured for three days.
Having said that, it was prepared by one of Australia’s fi nest chefs, Chris Miller (late of Sydney’s Rockpool), working with highly-credentialed Balinese colleagues. Every guest who agrees to a personalized menu will be catered for. Yes, there is a superb menu available to all, but Chris and his brigade will throw it to the wind if that is what is required. It is enough to make a bank manager choke on his balance sheet.

Accommodation: 21 suites contained within five residences, 5 retreat villas, and 4 private villas with no two alike.
Cost: From AUD$390 plus 21% service charge and government tax
Website: www.cse.comoshambhala.bz

Karma Kandara, Uluwatu

Having the best beach in Bali is a great start, but having a private open-sided inclinator to take you down the 100 metre cliff face is the real buzz. Even better, you can run wild along the beach and then throw yourself exhausted into the Nammos Beach Club at the base of the cliff for a stiff drink.
There are 46 pool villas of different configurations and outlook dotted around this clifftop eyrie.
You could easily imagine yourself in a small Aegean village, but with facilities and services that are faultless.
The Karma Spa – de rigueur in this part of the world – is unique in one notable respect. Your treatment is delivered on a private platform perched high above the Indian Ocean and open to the elements. And therein lies the dilemma.
To make the most of a massage it is good form to close one’s eyes. But with a view to die for, every waking moment is an experience to savour.

Accommodation: 46 pool villas ranging from two to five bedrooms
Cost: From AUD$800 plus 21% service charge and government tax
Website: www.karmakandara.com

Bvlgari Resort, Uluwatu

There is something appealing about staying in a place whose brand is best known for luxury fashion, high end jewellery and fragrances. One of only two Bvlgari hotels in the world (the other is in Milan), this resort captures the essence of the brand in ways that words cannot do justice.
The design ethic that informs the resort is consistent with the distinctive style one expects from a Bvlgari product.
Do not expect ‘bells and whistles’ that you will not find at other luxury resorts. That is not the point here. You are entering a world of excellence, and no matter where you are – in your beautifully-appointed villa, in one of the resort’s two restaurants, the spa or poolside – you are consumed by a vision that has made Bvlgari one of the most desirable brands in the world.
If you want to impress your friends, learn how to say the name: Bullgari, or Boolguri. Both are correct. Remember, knowledge is power.

Accommodation: 59 villas plus the remarkable Bvlgari Villa.
Cost: From AUD$1,700 plus 21% service charge and government tax
Website: www.bulgarihotels.com

Kayumanis Nusa Dua

It has a round bed. In the honeymoon suite!
Goodness only knows if it is a metaphor for marriage or part of a game couples play before settling into a life of tedium. Either way, everything about this resort smacks of originality.
By most standards this is a small resort with only 20 villas. The identifying feature is the architecture. It is breathtakingly different, and for those of us who tire of the predictable it is the place to stay.
The other advantage is the existence of two sister properties on the island, at Jimbaran and Ubud. Experience tells us that people like to sleep around on holiday (that is, to move to different destinations), and the exacting standards of the Kayumanis brand will engender confidence that the shift between properties will be seamless.

Accommodation: 20 villas including 16 onebedroom
and 2 two-bedroom villas, a three bedroom suite and the one bedroom Kayumanis honeymoon suite.
Cost: From AUD$640 plus 21% service charge and government tax
Website: www.kayumanis.com