PEOPLE ARE ALREADY BUZZING ABOUT THE SOFITEL BALI NUSA DUA BEACH RESORT DESPITE IT BEING ONLY IN ITS SOFT OPENING STAGE. WE PAID A VISIT TO THE NEW PROPERTY TO SEE WHAT THIS FRENCH LUXURY HOTEL BRAND IS BRINGING TO THE ISLAND.
Upon entering the BTDC area in Nusa Dua, guests are greeted by the sight of a garden fountain and winding pathways that practically beg passersby to take a leisurely afternoon stroll or go for a jog. This clean and beautifully manicured area is home to some of Bali’s best resorts, including the new Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort.
The resort is already bustling with activity even though the grand opening has yet to take place. From traveling European couples to large conference groups to Indonesian families taking advantage of the school holiday, the guests who choose to stay here are a diverse lot, and to say the resort is “busy” is really an understatement. There is still construction taking place (namely at the Nikki Beach Club, the wedding chapel and the Vietura Aesthetic Lifestyle center) but guests seem to hardly notice the occasional hammering sounds coming from beyond the temporarily-erected barriers.
From what we saw during our visit, the guests looked to be more concerned with getting their fill of omelets, cured meats and cheese, dimsum, curries, and sushi at Kwee Zeen, the 160-seat Pan Asian restaurant where Sofi tel Bali guests take their breakfast.
Located below the resort’s lobby (which is decorated with scenes depicting the “Balinese circle of
life”), the extensive buffet at Kwee Zeen is set up in a circular fashion and the attitude of the staff there is truly commendable. Despite the high traffic, never once did they look flustered. They greeted guests warmly and sat them promptly, moved quickly to clear tables, relieved guests of their food-laden plates (carrying them the rest of the way) and helped “lost” children find their way back to their tables. And they did this all with lovely smiles on their faces.
If this is the kind of service that guests can expect when visiting the Sofitel Bali’s other food and beverage outlets or when using the ballroom and meeting facilities, then they surely won’t be disappointed.
LUXURY AT ITS FINEST
The Sofitel Bali has 415 rooms including 17 private villas. Their standard rooms are known as “Luxury Rooms” and there are 398 in total (the rest of the rooms comprise of suites). These Luxury
Rooms are decked out in an eye catching contemporary style, mixing wooden details with vibrant pops of color such as teal and orange.
The bathroom boasts a marble vanity, a rain shower and luxurious bathroom amenities. It is separated from the bedroom by a beautiful wood-carved sliding door inspired by Indonesian batik. The bedroom has a cozy corner sofa for lounging and wall paneling that is reminiscent of Japanese origami. Out on the balcony, there is an inviting rocking chair and an intriguing hanging rattan cage chair. A portion of the Luxury Rooms also offer lagoon pool access.
The level of comfort and luxury in these rooms would make it difficult for anyone to tear themselves away, but a rumbling stomach never fails to get feet moving. Aside from the all-day dining at Kwee Zeen, there is also the option of dining at the exquisite Cut Catch Cucina (CCC). This is an Italian Osteria, steakhouse and sea grill all in one, and we recommend you try their 350 gram Wagyu Sirloin with 5-6 marbling. This gigantic steak is grilled to perfection, comes with your choice of sauce and side, and will certainly not disappoint.
WELLNESS & MORE
Guests who are focused on well being can balance out their dining indulgences by doing some laps in
the outdoor swimming pools or by paying a visit to the So FIT gym. Afterwards, there’s the So SPA to look forward to, which offers a selection of effective treatments combined with refined French cosmetology. Experiencing the spa is not to be missed.
The cheeky spa menu draws inspiration from a French gastronomic restaurant, with “Starters” like the Balinese Boreh Scrub and “Mains” like Shiatsu or their popular Balinese Healing Massage. The “Dessert” menu offers the likes of Milk & Spice Infusion Body Wrap and Clarins Luminous Eyes treatment.
Also coming soon will be the Vietura Aesthetic Lifestyle center, which promises an entirely different range of services from So SPA. If age defying treatments are your cup of tea, the opening of this center is something that you can look forward to.
We were impressed by the way the Sofitel Bali blended French luxury and sophistication with warm Balinese hospitality, and we hope the superb level of service will continue into the future. If you are interested in experiencing the resort yourself, their “Magnifi que Escape” is something worth considering. The deal starts at Rp. 2,200,000++ and will be running for a limited time only. Contact the resort for more details.
Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort
BTDC Lot N5, Nusa Dua
(0361) 849-2888
www.sofitel.com
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