When beauty counts

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.