Bali’s Historic Resort on the Move
There are now approximately 36 hectares of beach front property
under development in the Western end of Sanur, Bali’s
sedate and well established historic resort town. These include
up to six large villa projects, a brand new 5-star hotel,
the possible re-development upward of the Sanur Hyatt, and
hints of Como Shambala interest.
Unlike other areas of Bali favoured by developers, where hitherto
land has been both cheaper and easier to come by, the Bukit
and Canggu for instance, Sanur has always commanded premium
prices. Put it down to Sanur being a known quantity with good
amenities and infrastructure and an easy familiarity with
foreigners. The neighbourhood you see is what you get, and
more to the point, what it’s likely to look like another
dozen years from now. Beach front or adjoining prices now
vary from Rp 270m to Rp 450m per are, depending on size, desirability
and if already built upon
The western end of Sanur, bounded by what’s left of
the once-magnificent but now disgracefully depleted Benoa
mangrove forest, has become an area of up-market smaller private
residences hidden away down quiet wooded lanes. This leads
into the Jalan Pengembak area with several larger established
estates and properties, as well as being the diplomatic enclave
of choice. But it is in Jalan Mertasari, parallel to the beach
that things are really beginning to move. The street is rapidly
turning into Bali’s Millionaire’s Row. There are
three properties here under development of 2, 3.4 and 3 hectares
respectively up to the existing Sanur Mercure Hotel. The central
property of 3.5 ha being developed by Orient & Occidental,
breaking ground in August next year. It will have a hotel
license and will offer 17, 2 and 3-bed roomed villas with
sea views set on 15 to 23 are at prices varying from US$800,000
to $1.2m.
Jakarta Style....
About half a mile down the beach is the 6 hectare property
under development by PT Restu Maharani, with 400m of beach
front between the Santrian Hotel and Jl. Kesumasari. This
was the property that some two years earlier was said to be
earmarked for a 5-star Marriott-owned hotel. Having obtained
5-star hotel approval from the Regent of Badung the Jakarta-based
company with its history of Suharto family involvement ran
into trouble with the local community by clearing the businesses
that had sprung up along the beach front as if dealing in
wonted fashion with struggling farmers on the Bukit. Things
came to a head last year when the company demolished two shrines
while the community was involved in a major ceremony elsewhere.
A settlement has now been reached whereby the shrines and
access to them has been restored and the local community placated,
in ways that remain unstated. The project can now resume and
I am informed by a somewhat reliable source that a deal has
actually been signed with a 5-star hotel management chain,
though as is usual in such circumstances, they would of course
say that, and nobody can say with whom.
Sanur Hyatt to re-develop?
Directly across the road from this another 5 hectare beach
property stretches from Jalan Kesumasari to Jalan Duyung,
almost up to the western boundary of the Sanur Hyatt., is
being cleared and made ready for villa development.
Which brings us to the venerable Sanur Hyatt itself. A case
of 4-star rooms at 3-star prices set in 5-star gardens if
ever there was one. There are now strong indications that
the entire c.17 hectare property is in play, including several
hectares directly across the road inland from the hotel and
at the Eastern end of it. Some sources claim the hotel is
to be completely re-developed in a combination of hotel and
villa residences. Whether or not this includes a renewal of
the lease and Hyatt management remains a matter of speculation.
Do I hear a plaintive plea from the nether regions of Jalan
Pengembak? Why, yes! It’s Madé Wijaya and he
wants you, whoever you are, to leave his Hyatt gardens alone!
And so say all of us. There’s quite a enough desecration
going on in Bali as it is, without infecting Sanur. We have
enough “life doesn’t get any better than a hobbit
house” as it is.
Como... Que? As Manuel might say...... and, as if to underline
the distinct sense that Sanur is back, news comes that Christina
Ong has been sniffing around Sanur looking for a likely site
for a new Como Shambala property. If true, she will doubtless
have conducted her search from the comfortable if little used
roost husband B.S. Ong’s maintains in Bali’s Old
Dame of bosky managed estates that is Batujimbar. Expect Sanur’s
renaissance to gather pace over the next two years, as high-end
retail outlets move into Jalan Tamblingan, as incoming villa
owners and rentals, 5-star hotel guests, expats and Indonesians
ex-Bali chase the limited housing stock available and expect
to be fed in restaurants with decent food and of pleasing
ambience. How does Ku de Ta translate in snoring, anyone?
Can we expect “Hello Bali!”, aping it’s
betters, to turn itself upside down, back-to-front and inside
out, not to mention recto/verso, to come up with the “The
Snore”? Let us pray..... not.
We’re all “thrilled” at The W
Meanwhile down among the new des-res beachside apartment blocks,
W Hotels announced recently it is to open its first property
in Indonesia in 2009 with the W Retreat & Spa - Bali,
situated on 7 hectares of beachfront land in Bali’s
Seminyak area, within walking distance Bali`s most trendy
boutiques, galleries, restaurants & clubs. Developed by
Indonesian company, PT Dua Cahaya Anugrah, the property will
have 232 rooms including 80 villas. The blurb tells us the
retreat’s 152 guest rooms all provide direct ocean views
and the villas are designed to reflect a traditional Balinese
courtyard featuring a private pool. One’s heart leaps.....
Eloquently articulating the new property-to-be’s philosophy
from a distant continent Ross Klein, President of Starwood’s
Luxury Brands Group, suggested in a spasm of inspired cultural
sensitivity that, “the rich and deeply spiritual culture
of Bali and Seminyak combined with the cosmopolitan style
and energy of Seminyak, will offer a magical mix of sexy destination
and sublime design.” Not only that, he went on to say
guests will also be able to indulge their every whim with
the W brand’s vaunted “signature Whatever/Whenever
concierge service that will provide guests with whatever they
want, whenever they want it”. Well I never! Nice one
Ross, but you really don’t want to believe all you read
in the newspapers about prostitution being made legal any
time soon. Nevada this ain’t.
All involved report themselves thrilled at the news. “We
are thrilled with the entry of the W brand into Bali”
said Miguel Ko, Starwood’s Singapore-based President
for the Asia Pacific area. Likewise Magda Hutagalung, President
& Director of developers PT Dua Cahaya Anugrah, announced
that she too is..... “thrilled” to be opening
the W brand in Indonesia with Starwood. I would like to suggest
that in the interests of cultural diversity, it be required
that hotel PR people and property developers have a copy of
Roget in their offices. Alternatively, the customary and all-too
routine dual statement on such occasions from owner and operator
is not actually mandatory and could be omitted without threat
to the fabric of society.
W Hotels, which is part of the Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Worldwide (who seem to run almost all the hotels in the world
that don’t belong to the Four Seasons, Accor or Hyatt)
also operate St Regis, The Luxury Collection, Sheraton, Le
Meridien and Westin Hotels, to mention some. Starwood opened
the Maldives W Retreat & Spa in September 2006 and is
scheduled to open the W Retreat & Residences-Koh Samui
in 2009. Their St Regis brand opens properties in Bali and
Jakarta in 2008 and 2011 respectively.
Heading for the Hills
And finally, for those wishing to shake off the suburban decorum
of seaside Sanur, the aridity of the Bukit, the relentless
partying of AbFab Bali’s SeminYAK, traffic jams in the
disappearing rice fields of Canggu, or a case of the Ubud
vapours, why not quit Bali’s over-crowded Central South
and head for the verdant hills of Tabanan? From whence comes
news of a massive 50 hectare development in the Penebel area
including a 16 hectare Wellness Resort from VitaLife, designed
by TropLand.
Or, you could head East. Word is another Canyon Ranch type
resort is on the drawing boards in the hills overlooking the
Southern Approaches to Sidemen, set in surroundings to die
for. Let us hope the developers manage to pull up the drawbridge,
that villagers and Cjokordas become so intractable in their
dealings that few venture to follow. Alas, with Klungkung
now but an hour away from Sanur, I fear for East Bali. Do
we really need café society à la KK?
ParacelsusAsia
Comments or queries
ParacelsusAsia@yahoo.com
