The Anvaya connects luxury to Bali at street level with five star ease.
Tucked in to a tiny cove at the southern edge of Kuta is an architectural gem of a resort with clear lines that connect street life to the Indian Ocean.
With a pristine private beachfront of golden sand against crystal clear waters and a postcard perfect traditional Balinese jukung boat gently riding the low waves and a big blue sky overhead, The Anvaya is luxe-by-sea.
Contemporary Bali has never looked so good.
The name Anvaya in the ancient Sanskrit language means connection and the resort makes a connection between the streets and the ocean. Connecting the outside bustle where commerce rules to five-star splendour.
Clean lines and tasteful elegance is the foundation notion from which this space was created with a large and airy central lobby that connects two accommodation wings behind tropical gardens and a flowing pool from which lucky ground floor residents can access directly from their room’s balcony via a few small steps.
The interiors draw in the traditional decorative elements from Bali Aga – the people who populated the island before Hindu settlement – and classic and modern Balinese design motifs. The Anvaya is a large hotel with close to 500 guest rooms that include opulent villas, suites and graceful deluxe rooms.
Eight pools have attendants and staff ready to cater to every wish and floating pool toys will support some fluid aquatic down time. Daily activities including yoga and pool-bound strength and condition classes are available along with a permanent volleyball net/water polo court is set in one of the pools.
Personal trainers are on hand to help create a fitness program that will compliment a healthy vacation. The resort also has a neat gym with treadmills, stationary bikes and weights. A kids club is the destination for little ones for some indoor entertainment with experienced carers’ after a long day of poolside play while parents withdraw to the Anvaya’s sumptuous spa for some pampering.
An early morning walk on the beach will lead you directly into Kuta as the day slowly wakes up. Spot the morning groups of surfers hitting the mellow waves and professional surf life saving clubs from coastal Australia teaching groups of local beach lovers the art of saving lives or horse riders exercising their steeds. It’s an energising endless length of beautiful golden sand that is beautifully maintained by the hotels that line it. Stop for a coffee as the beach bars gradually open and morning turns into a vibrant day with sarong sellers, hair braiders, surf instructors, women offering sandy massages and hawkers flashing every kind of exotic goods from handcrafted kites to copy watches.
As the day folds into dusk, The Anvaya has a premier position on the beach to watch the stunning spectacle and internationally famous Bali sunset. As the sun kisses the sea the entire colour spectrum of golden orange, soft pink, blazing red and baby blue take hold of the sky.
Sands @ Wine Cellar overlooks the Indian Ocean and offers tapas that reflect a fusion of Bali and the Mediterranean with some hints of Californian cuisine. It is also the space for the buffet breakfast where vast tables of delicacies from the Indian sub continent, China, Europe, England and the USA are found.
The Anvaya is known for its outstanding island cuisine at its signature restaurant Kunyit – which is the Indonesian word for that most extraordinary super food of all, turmeric.
Kunyit is an open-air, street side destination with a gorgeous central bar and twinkling candlelights. It’s a great spot for people watching given that it’s elevated above the sidewalk so it also protects diners from prying eyes.
Don’t expect the ubiquitous chilled hand towel here. Kunyit presents a whole new experience of hand washing with your wait staff gently pouring heady mix of lemon grass oil infused water from a clay kettle over your hands with run off caught by a well place wooden bowl. Hands are dried with soft towels and the menu is presented along with a welcome drink of Loloh Cemcem – a delicious mix of palm sugar, tamarind and hog-plum leaves.
The menu is an exploration of dishes from across this amazing archipelago with favourites such as slow cooked crispy duck, minced fish wrapped around a stick of sugar cane, luscious pork belly and Bali’s own celebratory dish Babi Guling – stuffed suckling pig.
Dinner is well matched with a menu of curated cocktails using local produce including ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and lemon grass with premier spirits and hand crushed juices.
The Anvaya is a calm and exclusive retreat from the hives of activities that surround it including shopping malls, Waterbom Bali, busy markets, cinema’s and tailors and day spas, while being right in the middle of the action.
