Bali resorts are heading for a more promising year<\/p>\n
Rita A.Widiadana
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nNusa Dua, Bali<\/p>\n
The word \"resort\" always conjures up a picture of a serene and
\nintegrated holiday site surrounded by white sandy beaches or a
\nlush mountainous panorama where you can escape from your hectic
\nlife in the city and take a deep breath to rejuvenate your body
\nand mind.<\/p>\n
And Bali offers dozens or maybe hundreds of such resorts
\nacross the island, from beach areas to secluded sites high up in
\nthe mountains.<\/p>\n
In the past few years, Nusa Dua, Sanur, Kuta and Ubud were
\nfamous for their excellent hotels and resorts. But now, a large
\nnumber of similar facilities are sprawling in several newly
\ndeveloped areas like Jimbaran near Nusa Dua with its famous Ritz
\nCarlton hotel, Four Seasons resort and now the planned
\nPatMase residence resort.<\/p>\n
Candi Dasa in East Bali has been growing as an alternative
\nresort offering beaches and cultural attractions including the
\nTenganan Penggringsingan Bali Aga ancient village.<\/p>\n
In the northwest of Bali, Pemuteran, located between Jembrana
\nand Singaraja regencies is now growing as an attractive holiday
\ndestination boasting beautiful spots for scuba diving and other
\nwater sports.<\/p>\n
There are some opulent hotels and resorts operating in the
\narea such as the exclusive Matahari resort and spa, Menjangan and
\nmany others.<\/p>\n
Mark Griffith, general manager of Le Meridien Nirwana Golf and
\nSpa Resort said that Bali has probably the most diverse range of
\nresorts in the world. \"Each has its own uniqueness and a special
\nthing to offer to worldwide guests.\"<\/p>\n
Griffith said his resort is located outside the conventional
\ntourist hub of Nusa Dua or Ubud. Located near Bali's holy temple
\nof Tanah Lot in Tabanan regency, around 45 kilometers north of
\nDenpasar, the resort offers a world-standard golf course, well-
\nequipped functions and convention rooms as well as an exotic spa.<\/p>\n
\"Ours is an integrated resort. You can do business here while
\nenjoying the beauty of the surroundings, including playing golf,\"
\nsaid Griffith.<\/p>\n
He said that last year, Bali was badly affected by the Sept.
\n11 attack. \"Every hotel and resort in Bali suffered a significant
\ndecline because everybody was afraid of traveling,\" he said.<\/p>\n
During the last three months of 2001 and the first quarter of
\nthis year, the hospitality industry in Bali was very slow. \"But
\nfrom April to early June, our business has been running quite
\nwell,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Griffith said that his resort did not host the United Nations-
\nsponsored Preparatory Committee IV meeting but the positive
\nimpact of the event is likely to be tremendous.<\/p>\n
\"We hope that other international and regional institutions
\nwill consider Bali as a choice of venue in the future,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Ian E. McKie, general manager of Bali Hilton International,
\nsaid that Bali was very badly affected but is picking up now.<\/p>\n
\"We expect everything will be going right in the coming
\nmonths,\" McKie said.<\/p>\n
He said foreign visitors are now coming back to Bali but
\nairline companies have yet to reopen their routes to Bali. After
\nthe Sept. 11 tragedy, a number of airlines temporary halted their
\nservices to some countries in Asia, including Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Within Nusa Dua resort complex is a five story hotel and
\nresort building with 538 rooms. Located on a 11.5 hectare plot of
\nland along Nusa Dua Beach, the hotel is equipped with various
\nfacilities including a giant lagoon, 300 meters of beach fronts,
\na new 18-hole golf course, fitness and spa center, swimming pool,
\ncovered tennis courts, squash courts, games room and various
\nwatersports.<\/p>\n
If business is calling, the Grand Ballroom is large,
\nencompassing a foyer for up to 700 guests for meetings, seminars
\nor receptions. \"Like other hotels and resorts in Nusa Dua, we
\nrely on both holiday and convention packages,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Nusa Dua resort complex has hosted the United Nations-
\nsponsored meeting, the largest ever held on the island involving
\nover 6,000 participants from across the world. Most participants
\nstayed at hotels nearby the Bali International Convention Center,
\nBICC, the venue of the meeting which just ended on Friday, June
\n7.<\/p>\n
I Gede Parmita, director of sales next door at hotel Nusa Dua
\nBeach, said that the hotel, the oldest in Nusa Dua, has no
\nbusiness meeting rooms or convention rooms. \"But, we have really
\nbenefited from our location, which is next to the BICC. Many
\nparticipants and committee members were staying at our hotel,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
As a self-operated hotel, Nusa Dua Beach has to work harder
\nthan international-chain hotels that are linked to their
\ncounterparts around the world, Parmita said.<\/p>\n
\"If convention business flourishes in Bali, our hotel will
\nbenefit much more,\" he said. To promote his hotel, he has also
\nset up joint cooperation with foreign and local travel agents.
\n\"It is the power of the word of mouth. Our guests are frequent
\ntravelers to Bali,\" Parmita said.<\/p>\n
In the busier settlements of Kuta and Legian, the newly-
\nrefurbished Hotel Padma Bali, operated by Sekar Alliance Hotel
\nManagement, boasts its new design and atmosphere for guests who
\nwant to enjoy the hustle and bustle of Kuta and Legian, but want
\nto stay at a peaceful resort.<\/p>\n
\"Our hotel is like a resort in other areas in Bali but we are
\nlocated very near to the tourist and business center of Kuta,\"
\nsaid Tjiepjanto Soejanto, the general manager of the hotel.<\/p>\n
Perched on a 6.5 hectare plot of land, Hotel Bali Padma is one
\nof the largest hotels in the Legian area, a favorite tourist spot
\nin Bali.<\/p>\n
In Ubud, Bali's opulent art village, the Abian Resort and Spa
\ncaptures the mood of the island's countryside.<\/p>\n
The resort offers unique packages such as village tours,
\npaddyfield trekking, Balinese dance lessons, cooking classes,
\nmeditation, wood carving. Staying in luxury hotels and resorts
\nmay be everyone's dream. But it is not a dream to own a resort in
\nBali. PatMase residence resort in Jimbaran gives you a rare
\nopportunity to own and run a resort. \"We are now developing
\naround 40 villas to be sold or rented to those willing to own
\nthese properties in Bali,\" explained Yunni Soewignjo, director of
\nsales and marketing at this Ciputra Group of hotels.<\/p>\n
Each customer can buy one of the villas for their private
\nresidence while in Bali. \"Or they can rent it through our hotel
\nmanagement under the Swiss Bell Hotel group,\" Yunni said.<\/p>\n
All this goes to show that Bali is a haven for exotic and
\nunique resorts. Welcome to Bali.<\/p>",
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