HILTON BALI RESORT, BALI, INDONESIA

Posted in Projects on 9 November, 2017

Hilton Bali Resort is famous for its location atop a 40m cliff facing the Indian Ocean, which offers spectacular views and a stunning private beach. Tonje Odegard from SPACE went to see the resort’s newly added luxury villas…

Located in the prestigious Nusa Dua area in the southern part of Bali, the Hilton Bali Resort now offers 19 new luxury private pool villas in addition to their existing 389 rooms.

Surrounded by lush greenery and overlooking the Indian Ocean from a 40 metre high cliff, the setting is remarkable, secluded and tranquil. There is a beautiful rule in Bali that no construction is allowed to be taller than a coconut tree, and with the Hilton Bali Resort built into the cliff, it technically makes it the tallest building in Bali.

In addition to stunning views and a great location, the beachfront resort offers no less than six dining outlets, extensive meeting and events spaces, a large swimming pool complex, a fitness centre, a spa department and an observation deck from the on-site Cliff Tower.

Organically designed, the overall impression is that ‘contemporary design meets traditional Balinese décor’. The huge resort features dark woods, beach-inspired tones and natural materials. The three separate buildings, connected by pretty bridges, are all designed in Japanese-style architecture using natural stone as material. After Hilton rebranded, however, both interiors and architecture have received a more Balinese influence.

The lobby is massive and is a grand welcome to the resort, giving off the beautiful ocean view. Pretty and intricate lace lamps hang from the ceiling, adding a soothing feel to the room.

An atmospheric waterfall has been created to flow from the lobby and down to the lower grounds and create a great ambience of being in a natural environment. 

The Nusa Dua Villas

One of the resort’s latest additions is the 19 private pool villas located roughly around 50m from the main resort building in the Nusa Dua Villa Compound. Situated in an exclusive and luxurious two-hectare compound with a dedicated entrance, offering complete tranquillity and privacy, the villas are inspired by tropical beach huts. Interior details include bamboo, slanted thatched roofs with exposed wooden beams on the inside, and colours inspired by the beach. The one, two and three-bedroom villas come with private pools as well as spacious indoor and outdoor lounging areas.

Designed by Grounds Kent Architecture Australia, the overall look is contemporary, yet it blends in with the surrounding environment. Award-winning interior design consultancy firm James Park Associates (JPA), based in Singapore, is responsible for creating elegant interiors that are infused with traditional Balinese ornaments and bright colour details of orange, red and turquoise. The beach-theme is apparent in the textures of carpets, throws and pillows, which are rough, but complemented by smooth leathers, silky stitches and shiny embroidery. 

Each of these private sanctuaries combine modern amenities with local Balinese charm and the 300 square metre one-bedroom villa, for instance, features a lush, tropical garden with an indulgent cliff-edged swimming pool, a semi-open gazebo with an outdoor living area, and a spacious terrace overlooking the ocean. The restful ambiance is reinforced by the king-sized beds, beautifully carved daybeds, and a huge, free-standing, egg-shaped bath tub. Giant floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors allow the atmosphere from the living room and the outdoor terraces to blend seamlessly together.

The contemporary interior design with Balinese touches and artwork reflects the local area well and the use of colours is subtle and clever. A spacious walk-in closet and powder room leads to a luxurious bathroom with his and hers sink, huge vanity counters and organic bath amenities. A fantastic chandelier hangs above the tub, and there’s a separate double rain shower room. The bathroom also opens up to the jungle-like garden outside, which has an outdoor rainfall shower.

The Presidential Pool Villa is an exclusive retreat complete with a private swimming pool and two-storey pavilions. The 700 square metre villa is fully equipped with two master bedrooms, one twin bedroom, a spacious living room, dining room and kitchen.

The majority of the guestrooms in the main resort building offer an ocean view and they are all designed in the same organic way as the villas. They are kitted out with modern comfort amenities, and spacious private balconies or terraces.

The spa

Mandara Spa offers relaxing and rejuvenating Balinese-style treatments from their eight semi-open outdoor private spa villas. The resort also offers a beautifully designed temple for tranquillity, spirituality and cultural exchange.

Eating and drinking

Hilton Bali Resort has six different places to eat. Shiki Japanese Restaurant is the resort’s main eating venue on the lobby level and offers authentic Japanese dishes in a contemporary ambience with an ocean view. This restaurant also has five private dining rooms. Shiki is right next door to Delicatessen, a cute snack-like café.

The Shore Restaurant & Bar has design inspired by a ship on stilts and is built over three floors. Offering an array of Asian and international dishes, the atmosphere is casual with indoor, outdoor and semi-outdoor dining options by the beach.

On the lower lobby level you can find Brasserie des Célébrites, which serves up a cracking breakfast in a lush, green environment. La Terrazza is located on the same level, but serves Italian-inspired dinners on the semi-open terrace overlooking the gardens.

Also located on the lower lobby level is Paon Bali Resto & Bar, which has an open kitchen showing off the cooking of a wide variety of authentic Balinese dishes and dishes from the a la carte menu.

The tropical atmosphere the hotel finds itself in and the strong Balinese traditions the island holds is reflected in the design of the Hilton Bali Resort and the warm service delivery. The private pool villas are definitively the resort’s crown jewels and are well worth a visit. Beautifully designed, they managed to capture the epitome of tranquillity and serenity, which is what Bali is all about.