By Sara Liss
Resorts Expert, about.com
[post_ads_2]
GHM, the management group behind the famous Legian in
Seminyak and The Chedi Club in Ubud, has unveiled a third resort in Bali
where clever use of space and great food are key draws.
Located
in the former fishing village of Tanjung Benoa in Nusa Dua on the
southeastern coast, half an hour from the new international airport
terminal, the design-driven Chedi Sakala injects a dose of sophistication into a region dominated by family-friendly resorts.
Each of the hotel’s 247 suites are spacious and include a kitchenette.
The two-bedroom, ocean-view suites deliver up to 150 square metres and
feature a separate living room, dining room and walk-in pantry. Infinity
pools with built-in whirlpools and full kitchens highlight each of the
14, two-story pool villas.
Beyond the generous personal space, the
hotel is sharpening a reputation as one of Bali’s most rarified dining
experiences. A harbinger of its lofty ambitions, Sakala Bali
opened on the resort’s grounds two years ago and quickly garnered
acclaim for dishes that marry local product with French culinary
sensibilities, per the expertise of Quebec-born Executive Chef Frederic Boulay (who also happens to make the best burger Bali, according to local lore).
As a complement and a fledgling rival to Sakala Bali for in-house guest affection, The Restaurant
is positioning itself as the preeminent address for Asian and European
staples. Half the menu is dedicated to the interpretation of favorites
from Indonesia, India, Thailand, China and Japan, while the other half
is based on beloved bites from the Mediterranean and the south of
France.
The dining area overlooks the lagoon pool, which is accessible also from the ground-floor Cabana Suites. The hotel also features a sleek, open-air lobby bar with views of the ocean and Sakala Bali’s beachfront infinity pool.
[post_ads]The
destination itself is one of Bali’s most enticing new lures. Long the
province of fishing boats and downscale accommodation, the charms of
this peninsula, from its unrivaled access to water sports activities to
its proximity to the island’s oldest Chinese temple, are set to seduce
upscale guests. Tanjung Benoa was a sleepy peninsula of fishing villages until a few years ago; now the area's restaurants compete with the best of Bali. Bali Bumbu was
the pioneer, a hands-on Balinese cooking school that has become one of
the island’s most popular tourist attractions since it opened in 1997.
In nearby Nusa Dua, the Museum Pasifika offers
a splendid collection of paintings and sculptures by foreign artists
who have lived in the region (Paul Gauguin, Miguel Covarrubias, Donald
Friend). The iconic Uluwatu temple is
a short drive away, near some of the most famous surfing beaches in the
world, such as Padang-Padang — which is also ideal for lazing away a
sunny day.
“We feel we're really drawing the curtain on something
fresh in Tanjung Benoa," said Evan Pavlakis, The Chedi Sakala's general
manager. "And together with our highly regarded sister hotels in
Seminyak (The Legian) and Ubud (The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah), we're
providing even greater entree to the multi-faceted appeal of Bali and
its singular enclaves.”
Among the resort’s more dazzling
attributes is the spa facility, which is expected to debut this spring
behind The Restaurant. Upon entry, guests will make their way
underground, via an 18-metre spiral staircase, to a reception area surrounded by eight treatment rooms filled with the aroma of frangipani petals.
Another
distinguished space, The Chedi Ballroom, occupies 630 square metres
below The Restaurant. It is connected to a foyer accented by stout,
marble pillars and features low-slung ceilings and warm, earth-tone
design flourishes. As versatile as it is visually appealing, the space
divides into six meeting rooms to accommodate all manner of MICE events.
[post_ads_2]
The
venue is in the same structure as the hotel’s secondary lobby, Kids’
Club and Club Lounge, which provides guests with club benefits the
opportunity to check in and out privately.
Though the hotel itself
is new to Bali, the management is not. The Chedi Sakala opens its doors
on Bali as the third hotel on the island managed by GHM, complementing
the renowned Legian in Seminyak and The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah in Ubud.
As
such, the new hotel on Tanjung Benoa is GHM’s most expansive property
to date, and a brand new opportunity for larger groups bent on the
sophistication of a GHM experience.
