When beauty counts

By Grace Emilia

Indonesia has both hell and paradise. There are places in wreck and ruins due to violence, while there also places regarded as the most beautiful on earth.

JAKARTA (JP): Over the years, many of Indonesia's resort properties -- mostly in Bali -- have received prestigious awards from international travel magazines and tourism boards in the best of the best categories.

The March 2001 edition of the New York-based Travel + Leisure, for instance, included three resorts in Bali in their "Top ten best value hotels in the world".

While for "Top ten best value hotels in Asia", four resorts in Bali were chosen.

In January 2001, the London-based Conde Nast Traveler gave a resort in Jimbaran perfect score in the service and design categories among hotels in Asia, Australia and the Pacific.

Twenty six thousand readers of the magazine voted for that resort. Also in the latest Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Mart in Singapore few days ago, a resort in Ubud, Bali, received the "Best Individual Hotel" award.

The list goes on as numerous resorts in Bali, Lombok and other parts of the archipelago have received awards.

"Like badminton, the chances of winning tourism awards are always there as basically Indonesia is very rich in beauty," says Pontjo Soetowo, chairman of Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association.

The resorts also offer good value for money as currently the rupiah is weak against the U.S. dollar.

What is a good resort?

What differentiates a resort from an ordinary hotel and what does good resorts have in store for its patrons?

Michael Wandow, product manager of Pacto Tour, an inbound tour operator, says the value of a resort is defined by the market which buys it.

"The domestic and Asian markets regard a good resort as one which is close to entertainment and shopping centers, and has well-equipped facilities and amenities such as TVs, bath tubs, hair dryers, refrigerators etc..

But the market from Europe in general pay little attention to such things. A beautiful beach, plenty of sun and tranquility are more important. Sometimes it does not even matter to this market that a resort has no TVs, though they would prefer to have such standard facilities," Wandow explained.

However, location is a crucial factor for a resort.

"Should it be located in a mountainous area, there should be a good view of the mountain. Should it be in the beach area, direct access to the beach will be of great value" Wandow continued.

According to Wando Suripto, director of sales and marketing of Sheraton Bandung Hotel and Towers, "The atmosphere at the resort must be relaxed as the guests are here for a holiday.

There should be no need for formal attire. Even the staff's uniforms should be informal to set a holiday mood."

"But most important", Suripto went on, "is the architecture and landscape of the resort. It should not be one towering building only, but include spacious gardens that reflect the local culture."

Knowing that having spacious gardens are most vital, Hotel Santika Manado, which is the biggest diving resort in North Sulawesi, only built 101 rooms in its 10 hectares plot of land.

"If it were a city hotel, we could have build more than 300 rooms on such a huge plot of land," commented Rosana Tamin, corporate sales manager of Hotel Santika Group.

No wonder in the 1980s, world-class architects and garden artists were in demand to design world-class resorts and gardens, especially in Bali.

According to the book Great Hotels & Resorts of Indonesia, Peter Muller was the architect who pioneered the design for smaller properties to blend with their natural and cultural environment.

His designs for the Oberoi Bali in Kuta and Amandari in Ubud are now widely followed on the island.

Another feature of importance to resorts are spas.

Minister of Culture and Tourism I Gede Ardika said Indonesia had chosen "spa" as this year's marketing theme.

"Spa and lulur are part of our tradition. As we are focusing on cultural tourism, this is one good product to sell." the minister said recently.

The minister may not have to work hard to encourage resorts to sell attractive spa programs as many hotel operators in major cities in the country are already offering such services.

In Bali where spa houses are abundant, hotels are trying hard to sell spa facilities, especially if they cater to the Japanese market, which is the biggest in Bali.

"To accommodate the many young Japanese ladies who visit our hotel, we enlarged our spa facilities last July," said Craig Senior, director of sales and marketing of The Ritz Carlton - Bali.

He appears serious in promoting its spa facilities, paying attention to even its design.

The reception area, for example, is the foyer of an 1800's Javanese teak wood house, which is believed to have belonged to the royal family of Demak. The house was dismantled and reconstructed in Bali.

The spa villas and five massage rooms feature outdoor baths and showers set amid a private garden and lily ponds. Its tropical design elements include alang-alang (thatched roof), Balinese doors in traditional colors, limestone carvings, teak woodwork, colonial style terrazzo floors and Javanese antique furniture. They are all designed to create the atmosphere of serenity.

Yes, serenity is what people are looking for nowadays.

"I spent my last holiday in Nusa Dua Beach Hotel. I enjoyed it because the atmosphere was tranquil and the service was good." says Victor Indajang, a Jakarta-based banker.

Sports

Resorts lucky enough to be situated close to sporting facilities, will use sports as a marketing strategy.

As Santika Manado is located near Bunaken, which is the dive haven in Indonesia, it cooperates with a diving company to promote the hotel, and of course, Bunaken.

"We offer a free boat service to take our guests to Siladen Isle in Bunaken," explained Tamin of Santika Group.

Sheraton Mustika Yogyakarta Resort and Spa recently launched a new package for golfers because it is located at the Merapi Cangkringan Golf Course.

"I'm sure golfers will be interested in the package because we have the best golf course in Southeast Asia," said Emma Octaviona of Sheraton Mustika.

Novotel Bogor, which located near 10 golf courses, receive many golfers as its guests.

Antonie Sirot, the general manager, said golfers account for about 60 percent of their guests.

"They mostly come with their families. While the parents are playing golf, the children enjoy themselves in Dolfi Kid's Club," Sirot said.

In brief, beauty, service and tranquility are the key words for resort hotels to lure guests and survive.