Kempinski Hotels opened The Apurva Kempinski Bali in the upmarket Nusa Dua area of Bali, Indonesia. The Apurva Kempinski Bali is the second Kempinski property in the country, and follows two other openings in the past six months: The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore and Emerald Palace Kempinski Dubai.
Inspired by Indonesian culture, art and identity, the resort has 475 guestrooms, suites and villas in a beachfront setting; six restaurants, bars and lounges with views and indoor/outdoor dining venues; an ocean-facing spa and fitness center; a 60-meter swimming pool and a separate kids' poo; and a family club. For events, business meetings and weddings, The Apurva Kempinski Bali has a 1,076 square meter (11,582 square foot) pillar-free ocean-view Grand Ballroom and meeting rooms with ocean vistas.
The Apurva Kempinski Bali cascades down the hillside like one of Bali's iconic rice paddies, emerging from the cliff tops and gradually making its way down to the Indian Ocean.
Architect Budiman Hendropurnomo of UK-based Denton Corker Marshall drew inspiration from the rice terraces and their centuries-old “subak” irrigation system to create the concept for the property.
Balinese architecture pays homage to the island's natural landscapes and manmade temples, in a symphony of natural-clad stone buildings, bougainvillea-covered terraces and a network of waterways and pools. Waterfalls emerge from the landscape, flanking the resort's grand staircase. The 250-step walkway, inspired by Bali's Pura Besakih water temple, runs through the center of the resort.
Interior designer Rudi Dodo of Trivium Design Group imagined the interior spaces created by Indonesia's craftsmen and artisans, which pay tribute to the country's design heritage, while adding modern touches that anchor The Apurva in the present day. At the crown of the resort, the pendopo-style lobby is an open and welcoming space with a tiered roof that draws the eye up to the cosmos. There are also intricate Javanese hand-carved gebyok partitions, which are symbolic of Indonesia's Majapahit kingdom, and the angkringan food cart in Selasar Deli that creates a sense of place from the moment guests arrive.
The guestrooms use exotic woods, local fabrics and Indonesian motifs. There are large windows for views of the ocean and surrounding landscape.
Starting from 65 square meters (700 square feet), accommodation at The Apurva Kempinski Bali has views. At the upper end, a selection of 43 one-, two- and three-bedroom exclusive villas offer up to 1,379 square meters (14,843 square feet) of space, with private pools and lounge areas, tropical gardens with outdoor showers and access to the Villa Lounge. Spread across the resort, 162 exclusive cliff top and oceanfront Junior Suites and 14 specialist suites have private plunge pools. The remaining 256 Grand Deluxe Rooms ranging from 65-80 square meters (700-861 square feet) have décor featuring traditional Indonesian patterns and views.
For dining, the property has Koral, Bali's first aquarium restaurant; Japanese restaurant Izakaya by OKU; Selasar Deli in the lobby; Pala Restaurant & Rooftop Bar, which has live cooking stations; and the oceanfront dining venue Reef Beach Club. Also available is poolside bar Kubu Pool Bar.
Other amenities include the Apurva Spa.
For events, the property has the 1,076-square meter (11,582 square foot) pillar-free Grand Ballroom that can accommodate 900 delegates, and smaller event spaces and boardrooms. The 2,200-square meter (23,681 square foot) ocean-facing lawn offers space for al fresco events.
The Apurva Chapel is a 100-seat glass-fronted venue that has views of the Indian Ocean. Next door, the three-bedroom Nusantara Presidential Villa is spread out over two floors, with 1,379 square meters (14,843 square feet) of living space and an 18-meter infinity pool.
Vincent Guironnet is the GM of The Apurva Kempinski Bali.
Photo credit: The Apurva Kempinski Bali Resort