SEMINYAKHASLONG
beenBali’sbuzziest
neighbourhood.It hums
withbustlinghotels,
restaurants,storesand
clubs,andwhirswithtraffic
fromscooters,taxisandshuttle
buses.Whichis allverywelluntilyou
cravea littletranquillity.In thepast,you
mighthaveescapedtoCanggufora
vinyasaretreat,ortoUbudforspiritual
enlightenment.Buta recentarrivalin
Seminyakmakesit easyforyoutohave
yourricecakeandit eatit,too.
If,likeme,youliketheideaofbeing
adjacenttotheactionyetcossettedin
a relaxedsetting,thenHotelIndigoBali
SeminyakBeach might be your favourite
newhaven.
Theresorthas 270 well-conceived
roomsplus 19 breathtakingvillaswith
privatepools.Itseclecticinteriors,a
blendoftraditionalelementsandplayful
touches,evokethepulsatingdistrict
outside.Yourfirsthintis theinvitinglobby.
It’sarrayedin intricateBalinesewoodwork
andfilledwithbrightlycoloured
furnishings,goldlightingfixturesand
myriadobjects,fromdragonmasksto
monkey figurines, by local artisans.
Attheendoftheelevatedentryhallare
staggeringviewsoftwopools(thereare
fourintotal),tropicalgardensandthe
beckoningIndianOcean.I arrivedon
a respitefromchillyMelbourne,soI wasn’t
dilly-dallyingatcheck-in.Inmyroom,
sheddinglayersofclothing,I appreciated
howmuchthedesignershadcrammed
into 50 squaremetres.Therewasa walk-in
wardrobe,anelegantlytiledshowerand
a generousbalconywitha daybed.After
anoceanswimanda walkaroundtheleafy
property,stoppingtoadmirethe‘secret
garden’poolwithitsdramaticallyhigh
walls,I gotchangedfordinner.
Thehotelhassevendiningoptionsand
SalonBaliis itsmostadventurous.Here,
NicPhilip,thepreternaturallycalm
Australianexecutivechef,candohismost
experimentalcooking.Philip,whoarrived
in Baliafterstintsin London,Copenhagen
andSingapore,is expandingthenotionof
modernIndonesiancuisinewithinventive
dishessuchasquailgorengwithpeanut
dashiandyoungpapaya.AtSugarSand,
thehotel’sbeachclub,Philipoverseesa
Nikkei-stylemenu(Japanese-Peruvian
fusion)withofferingssuchasredsnapper
cevichewithhuacatayandtiger’s milk – a
citrus-based marinade.Thenextmorning,followingan
endorphin-boostingworkoutin thegym
anda herb-lacedbodytreatmentatthe
spa,I campedoutbythepoolfora few
restfulhours.I triedtoordera cocktailI
hadenjoyedthenightbefore,butfailed
miserablyin myfoggyrecollection.Soon,
a gaggleofhelpfulstaffgatheredtosolve
themystery.Turnedoutit was‘TheFirst
Ritual’,anenergisingmixofarakinfused
withsambiloto(a localherb),grape
reduction,tonicwaterandslicesoforange.
Ittastedlikea Balineseholiday.
Fuelledbymynewsignaturedrink,I
madeit tothebustlingopeningpartyfor
SugarSand.It’sIndigo’sanswertobeach
clubssuchasKuDeTaandPotatoHead,
completewithinternationalDJs,butit
didn’tfeelassceneyasthosevenues.By
dayyoucannaba poolsidedaybed,and
atnightyoucanmarvelatthepsychedelic
sunsets.Laterthatevening,I didfinally
leaveHotelIndigofora tasteofSeminyak’s
legendarynightlife,butI madeit backin
recordtime.Everything I desired was
already in reach.GeorgeEpaminondasstepsoutoftheSeminyakbustleandintoa new
arrival strong on style, elegance and the promise of tranquil times.delicious.com.au/travel
Formoreluxuriousretreats
in exciting destinations.Bali high@georgeepam138 delicious.com.au