In such a fast paced world it’s reassuring that some things remain the same. Images: Lucky 8.
Kayumanis Sanur is the kind of property that endures like a good relationship. Reassuringly luxurious and consistently Balinese, this collection of one, two and three-bedroom villas set in verdant tropical gardens feels like how a home in Bali should – quiet, lush and private.
Personal touches are everywhere. Balinese offerings await outside your door, the mini bar is free and restocked daily, the service is discreet and welcoming. Even the initial tour of the villa – usually a chore borne with a forced smile – was a joy as a delightful member of the hotel staff walked me through the property’s amenities.
The gardens are a dream. Framed by traditional Balinese gates that lead to your home away from home, they are green beyond belief and feature stunning traveller palms and tall trees. The hotel’s restaurant sits among this scene, open to the breeze and sounds of nature.
Specializing in upmarket Balinese cuisine, Gong restaurant promises a sensory dining experience, and delivers. The menu is driven by market-fresh ingredients and seasonal delicacies infused with local herbs and spices for added flavour. Every dish is a journey that unveils the exotic secrets of Bali’s culinary heritage.
This is a property that feels small but offers a lot. Privacy and luxury are at its core. Villas are large, with separate sleeping and sitting pavilions, a private pool and garden … even a kitchen. It feels like you could live here, spending your days lost in a novel away from the screen-dominated world. The compound is set in the west of Sanur, securely secluded by a high wall and an attentive staff. If it’s the beach you crave, then they have that covered too.
Recently opened earlier this year, Kayumanis Seaside Sanur is a colonial style restaurant and terrace set directly on Sanur’s golden Sindhu Beach. Bringing a note of sophistication to the surrounding venues, it’s a versatile destination offering indoor seating, a shaded terrace, open-air table settings and double daybeds facing the Indian Ocean.
Structurally, the bistro is inspired by a classic Indonesian home with a vaulted ceiling and two breezy verandas reminiscent of a bygone era. An inviting entrance is enhanced by painted tiles and mood lighting that casts a subtle glow as evening descends. There is also an open concept bar and working kitchen where all food and drinks are prepared in full sight.
After lunch and a beach lie down it’s back to your private villa for a massage. Kayumanis Spa Sanur provides a comprehensive menu of traditional Balinese healing and beauty treatments that explore the ancient Hindu belief that balance is the very essence of overall wellbeing. One standout is their Bamboo massage, a therapy that dates back to the kingdoms of ancient China.
As a natural element, the Chinese believe that bamboo has the power to cure physical, mental, emotional and spiritual ailments. This form of massage stimulates blood circulation and helps eliminate harmful toxins.
Dinner at Gong beckons. In keeping with the very local flavour of the property, Kayumanis offers a Balinese rijsttafel, a real culinary pleasure and a chance to sample some of Bali’s best cuisine with a selection of the island’s most flavoursome dishes presented in one grand meal. Accompanied by steamed yellow rice and spicy condiment, this tasty array of dishes is a heritage from the era when Indonesia was under colonial Dutch rule.
Post dinner it’s back to the villa for a peaceful night, then to awake once more among the birdsong in this extremely sweet and special place..
Read more about Bali’s amazing villa properties here!