Hotel Serai blends naturally into Bali landscape<\/p>\n
By Kunang Helmi Picard<\/p>\n
DENPASAR (JP): Getting away from the crowds in the Paradise of
\nBali is everyone's dream, but sometimes folks from home seem to
\nshare a vacation with you. What are Mr. and Mrs. Smith doing
\nhere? And Bali was meant to be the perfect hideaway on the other
\nside of the globe, or at least an island's length away! Wasn't
\nCandi Dasa supposed to be really secluded, far from Kuta, Legian
\nand all those tourists?<\/p>\n
Luckily for those who feel harassed, Buitan beach on Amuk Bay,
\neast of Candi Dasa, along the coastal road to Amiapura, remains
\ncalm, providing a welcome contrast. At the rate the island is
\ndeveloping, the site may risk turning into a spot favored by
\nothers. However, the unspoilt habitat is still the perfect
\nsetting for escaping daily hassles. Added to that is the Balina
\nSerai Hotel. Nestled in a secluded niche between the beach and
\nthe beginnings of the hills behind, the hotel seems to merge into
\nthe former coconut grove and surroundings.<\/p>\n
Not surprisingly, it has become a popular retreat for
\nresidents and tourists alike due to the spacious gardens dotted
\nwith palms and pale rose-beige thatched two-story buildings.
\nBuilt for relaxation and intimacy with only 56 rooms and two
\nluxury suites, the three-star rating is that of understated charm
\ncoupled with excellent service. Up the hill is big brother hotel,
\nfive-star Aman-Kila, where those who long for an occasional
\nglamorous sunset cocktail, or even celebrity watching, are able
\nto do so without feeling guilty about overstepping the
\naccommodation budget.<\/p>\n
This is yet another clever concept of the General Hotel
\nManagement company directed by noted hotel magnate Adrian Zecha.
\nThe five, four and three-star hotels of the chain will remain
\nneighbors within a perimeter of about 20 km along the coast as a
\nfour-star Chedi is planned on the same beach near the Serai.<\/p>\n
On the practical side, Balina Serai is proving to be a
\nconvenient base to explore the lesser known Eastern regions of
\nBali. However, for those who are not always active when it comes
\nto actually leaving the premises of this hotel, sport facilities
\non the premises and in the adjacent maritime environment vary.
\nBesides swimming in the pleasant 20-square-meter pool situated in
\nthe former coconut grove, wind-surfing, water skiing, snorkeling,
\nscuba diving and deep-sea fishing are also possible. Indeed the
\n\"back to nature\" concept of the hotel encourages such thoughts.<\/p>\n
Function<\/p>\n
The Balina Serai hotel, designed by Singapore-based
\narchitectural firm Kerry Hill already known on the island for the
\nexclusive Aman Nusa, might be considered by some to be bland, yet
\nothers see it as an \"exercise in form-meets-function\". The
\narchitect's main aim was clearly to provide a guest with a
\nfeeling of living in the midst of nature without being too
\nexposed to the elements and other guests. One even detects an
\necological approach to the hotel's design as there is no trace of
\nany high-tech in its construction and building materials. The
\ndeceptively simple geometric buildings centered around the square
\npool fulfill their roles without appearing too functional, thus
\ncontributing to the creation of a pleasant environment. However,
\ngetting from one building to the other when it rains in this
\noften windy area may sometimes prove to be a problem. The
\narchitects did not conceive any covered passages, which exposes
\nguests to the elements.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless the hotel complex manages to be casual, yet
\nrefreshingly simple with an \"open to nature and ocean\" feel about
\nit, creating an elegant and calming hybrid Balinese-Californian
\nstyle. Certainly there are none of the pervading pseudo-ethnic
\ndecorative Balinese touches here. Too many gilt details and
\ncarvings tend to swamp the structural lines of the \"nouvelle
\narchitecture\" on the island because the traditional notions of
\nbalance between nature and dwellings discussed by Jean Couteau
\nrecently in his article on Balinese architecture are ignored.<\/p>\n
The Balina Serai would be ideal for a group of friends on
\nholiday as communication is made easy, but the latticed
\npartitions between balconies on the top floor do not quite
\nguarantee enough visual privacy. Balconies on the ground floor
\nhave plastered walls which remedy this conceptual flaw. Communal
\nrooms with soaring ceilings in the traditional wantilan or
\npavilion style are built open to balmy ocean breezes. Here, as in
\nthe rooms themselves, furniture and decoration are pared down to
\na minimum without appearing sparse. Visibly the accent is placed
\non natural indigenous materials, otherwise termed ecological, an
\nidea which is rapidly gaining popularity worldwide. Coconut wood,
\nrattan, reeds and a specific grass from the area play a major
\nrole. The entrances to the rooms are graced by rectangular ponds,
\ncontributing to the impression that the buildings float on water.
\nBuildings inside and out are painted in a pale, yet still warm
\nrose-beige, soothing to the eye and blending well into the
\ngardens. These are kept green and simple without a profusion of
\nflowers by landscape designer Jay Lannigan.<\/p>\n
Lighting<\/p>\n
Not surprisingly, the furnishings are accentuated by touches
\nof turquoise, reflecting the ocean lapping at the beach nearby.
\nLighting throughout the communal areas is discrete, providing a
\nmild, yet clear source of light for all functions. Entering the
\nprivate rooms, a sense of luminosity without the attendant glare
\nis immediately noticeable. Built-in cupboards and other fixtures
\nreduce clutter. A cleverly installed built-in bench, made of a
\ncement mixture and colored the same warm beige-pink as the
\nsmoothly polished cement floors, continues the sand color schemes
\nof the unpolished beige marble used in the bathrooms. Although
\ndetails throughout are kept to the minimum, one still notices
\nthat the quality of the materials and finishings was a major
\nconcern.<\/p>\n
In the reception area, the front offices and the restaurant,
\nTenganan basketwork filled with a variety of exceptional shells
\nare visible, together with ancient dulang (wooden basins) filled
\nwith perfumed cempaka (Michelia champaca) flowers or ancient
\nceramic pots with ikebana flower arrangements, forming striking
\ncounterpoints to the minimalist simplicity of the interiors. The
\nrestaurant is a traditional Balinese pavilion permitting
\nundisturbed views of the surroundings, the ocean and Nusa Penida
\nisland in the distance while dining. Individually painted plates
\nin blue and yellow Mediterranean-style motives contribute to
\nenhancing the interior design together with the stylish rattan
\nfurniture. Happily the prices on the menu are also very easy-
\ngoing and the delicious bistro cuisine invented by Singaporean
\nchef Zeinal Abidin Hassan offers excellent value for one's money.<\/p>\n
Service by the young Balinese staff members is generally
\nefficient and they are willing to please the clients. So, what
\ncould else could one hope for? Complete privacy with an island
\nentirely to oneself is not feasible here, but with prices ranging
\nfrom a deluxe room at US$105 and a suite at US$175 the client
\ncannot complain too seriously about not getting enough value for
\nhis money. The only danger is that one may take a shine to being
\npampered and may not even bother to visit the interesting sights
\nin the regency of Karangasem. Some guests have been known to
\nenjoy cocooning themselves in the Serai. But then flexibility and
\nfreedom are prime assets of real leisure and should be possible
\nin an appropriate architectural structure.<\/p>",
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