< PreviousIndonesia’s undisputed holiday haven is warmly welcoming visitors once more. John O'Ceallaigh explores four of the island’s most idyllic properties Bali High AD_047_148-153_Escape_Stay Bali_12635356.indd 14804/10/2022 10:58:35 PMadmiddleeast.com 137 Stay ESCAPE The infi nity pool at Buahan, a Banyan Tree Residence, fl oats above the jungle canopy. AD_047_148-153_Escape_Stay Bali_12635356.indd 14904/10/2022 10:58:49 PMESCAPE Stay 150 admiddleeast.com Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape Embedded in the densely forested mountain- tops of northern Ubud, Buahan is remarkable – and a touch demanding: this resort’s ‘no walls, no doors’ design concept means every public area and each of the 16 guest balés (or lodges) is open to the elements. This immer- sion is Edenic during the day, when the babble of the Ayung River and splatter of waterfalls provides an ethereal soundtrack for sublime, spiritually minded spa treatments. From the stellar infi nity pool, swimmers can admire tendrils of morning mist drifting listlessly across lush jungle canopies that stretch endlessly across the valley fl oor below. As darkness falls, curtains and mosquito nets are drawn across balés’ living rooms and grand, handsome beds as a means of keeping out the substantially sized grasshoppers, moths and butterfl ies for whom this primor- dial landscape has forever been home. While those with a pronounced aversion to insects and frogs won’t sleep easily, for every- one else the clean mountain air, surprisingly cool evenings – balés are perched at between 600 and 700 metres above sea level – and an array of feel-good outdoor activities means slumber comes surprisingly easily (but bring ear plugs as the jungle can be noisy). Following stints in distant high-end resorts, locally born head chef Eka Sunarya has come home with a deep appreciation of this region’s abundant produce and distinct culinary heri- tage: beautifully presented meals are endless- ly delicious and might feature discoveries such as candle nuts, sunberries and tamarillo. Beyond the magnetising beauty of the land- scape, there are plenty of aesthetic touches to admire, too. Each balé includes a standalone copper bathtub and intricately detailed wood- en headboards handcrafted by Javanese arti- sans; at the peak of the property, the tumbling organic garden is fl ush with fresh vegetables alongside blooms of starfl owers and begonia. escape.banyantree.com AD_047_148-153_Escape_Stay Bali_12635356.indd 15004/10/2022 10:59:04 PMDesa Potato Head A decade in the making, Desa Potato Head is the fi nal expression of Indonesian entrepre- neur Roland Akili’s longstanding ambition to create a beautiful, multifaceted Balinese resort that has since become a byword for sus- tainability and ingenuity in hospitality. The property’s attention-grabbing headline act is its lively Potato Head Beach Club, complete with daybeds, DJs and sunset-facing infi nity pool, but the vibe is markedly more mellow during morning yoga classes in the courtyard or at evening sound-healing sessions held in the cocoon-like Sanctuary. Building on the property’s positive rela- tionship with local communities, activities on off er also include workshops in regenerative farming, while a recycling lab shows the inge- nious ways the team transforms potential waste into objects of beauty: here 30kg loads of plastic are melded into rainbow-fl ecked chairs while cooking oil is converted into the 2,000 candles used monthly throughout this sprawling address. Many of the objects found across the resort’s studios and suites boast a similar backstory, without compromising on aesthet- ics and usability. Some featuring roof terraces with private hot tubs, the expansive suites are homely and cater well to families and groups of friends; the modern, generously propor- tioned studios feature Japanese-style wooden tubs and double-height ceilings, while much cosier (but still beautifully designed) options can be booked more aff ordably. The studios form part of a new complex designed by OMA’s David Gianotten, which also includes numerous bars, an amphithe- atre, music-recording studio and the multi- sensory plant-based restaurant Tanaman, where diners receive experimental dishes as sounds and colours shift to elevate the fi ne-dining experience. Also awaiting arrivals are a co-working space and library (a handy resource for longer-stay digital-nomad guests considering making a move to Bali perma- nently), Indonesia’s fi rst zero-waste restau- rant, Ijen, and multiple arresting art installa- tions, alongside a coterie of helpful and energetic staff that is palpably delighted to welcome international guests to Bali again. It all feels inventive, truly well-intentioned and just, well, lovely. potatohead.co P H O T O : K E V IN M A K ; T O M M A S O R IVA AD_047_148-153_Escape_Stay Bali_12635356.indd 15104/10/2022 10:59:36 PMESCAPE Stay 152 admiddleeast.com Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve Hotel obsessives know to expect great things when they check into one of Ritz-Carlton’s ‘Reserve’ properties. That categorisation is retained only for the Marriott brand’s very best resorts and applies to only fi ve addresses globally. First-timers arriving at Mandapa will immediately understand why it deserves this designation. Set 100 metres above the weaving Ayung River, the elevated reception area overlooks a verdant valley, where gardens are a riot of canary-yellow frangipani and red ginger, and gentle walkways are threaded around old rice paddies. It is an immensely serene and restor- ative setting that emanates positive energy – an eff ect that’s amplifi ed by the attentive and switched-on staff . The spa is superb, and emphasises spiritual wellbeing in a way that chimes convincingly with the character of Bali even if it’s not the type of thing you’d ordinarily expect from a Marriott property. Local healers, gifted at providing emotional support and guidance, are in residence fre- quently – open-minded travellers will fi nd their intuitively led treatments revelatory. Elsewhere, the resort’s four dining venues include Ayung-facing Sawah Terrace, which serves Indonesian specialities such as slow- cooked beef cheek in a tamarind-scented ren- dang curry. Couples clamour to secure a table in one of the bamboo pods that line the river- side at Mediterranean restaurant Kubu, where grand degustation menus include the likes of lobster with walnut hollandaise. Excellent accommodation options round the off ering off beautifully. The resort holds 35 sprawling suites and 25 private pool villas. Each contains handpainted panels depicting pastoral and traditional scenes, while plush beds are swaddled in colourful Balinese tex- tiles. With huge private pools and blooming gardens, the villas truly feel like sanctuaries. And as a butler is always on call, some guests could conceivably while away a couple of days here without venturing into the rest of the resort at all. ritzcarlton.com AD_047_148-153_Escape_Stay Bali_12635356.indd 15204/10/2022 10:59:58 PMJumeirah Bali Every clear evening is a showstopper at Jumeirah Bali. Perched just a few steps above the accurately named Dreamland Beach, this elegant resort is perfectly positioned to cap- ture endlessly diverse but reliably spectacular sunsets. New arrivals quickly learn that con- vening over sundowners at Maja bar, or from the loungers that radiate around the resort’s two tiered infi nity pools, is an essential daily activity – there’s something exhilarating and life-affi rming in observing surfers summit crashing waves as the Indian Ocean turns into a molten slick of golds and crimson. Inspired by Indonesia’s Hindu-Javenese heritage and history, the resort itself is also astonishingly beautiful. Designed by Grounds Kent Architect and Jean-Michel Gathy (who has a long-proven intuition for creating impactful properties that somehow still man- age to feel welcoming), its 123 villas cascade down a hillside where paths are bordered by bursts of bougainvillaea and a pergola is gar- landed with swirls of hibiscus. The handsome villas are vast, cosseting and user-friendly: the bathrooms’ centrepiece is a standalone tub; the generously sized pool is the perfect tem- perature; and beds are blissfully comfortable. Bali’s deserved reputation for friendly ser- vice is also fi rmly in evidence here, though the Jumeirah team is ahead of many competitors when it comes to proactivity and effi ciency – impressive considering this is one of the island’s newest luxury properties. Dining is also a delight: Previously one of Hong Kong’s most well-regarded chefs, Vincent Leroux oversees a portfolio of impressive restaurants and bars that stand out for their consistency. All-day Segaran serves gourmet breakfasts and a Balinese-inspired afternoon tea (where the scones are infused with caramelised apple); a lavish Sunday brunch is rapidly growing in popularity; and culinary events include market-day visits by local street-food vendors. For dinner, the main draw is Akasa Gastro Grill, where steaks are cooked over coconut wood and a sprawling terrace again off ers another perspective on the lithe surfers who bob happily in these temperate waters from the fi rst light of dawn until darkness eventually snuff s out the last embers of dusk. jumeirah.com AD_047_148-153_Escape_Stay Bali_12635356.indd 15304/10/2022 11:00:15 PMLAST WORD Architecture 154 admiddleeast.com Digging Deep A short drive south of Hiroshima takes you to Ube, a port city in Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture that was once a coal mining town. Here, architect Junya Ishigami has envisioned something quite exceptional: a golden hued cave that sits below ground level, invisible from a busy arterial road that skirts the site. Interpreting tried and tested construction techniques anew, he dug holes into compacted earth – their profi les and distribution pre-determined via 3D modelling – and fi lled them with concrete. After curing, the earth was removed to reveal the cavernous shape and glass panels were isntalled at strategic loctions. Ishigami was so taken by the mud deposit on the concrete that he abandoned his original plans of washing the structure clean; instead, he used a traditional Japanese method of repairing walls to harden the deposits. The result? A home that appears made by nature, not man . jnyi.jp SHAPE SHIFTER: Through precise 3D modelling, the studio was able to confi gure the interconnected cave-like volumes. AD_047_154_Last word Dubai Moon_12639047.indd 15404/10/2022 11:05:09 PMNext >