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The niche hotel owner and operator Pansea Orient-Express Hotels
is to open its latest resort property, the Ubud Hanging Gardens in Bali,
on July 1st this year.
Surrounded by ancient trees and gravity-defying terraced gardens,
the resort nestles on a hillside overlooking the Ayung River gorge.
Perched adjacent to steep rice terraces looking out to a temple (Pura Penataran Dalem Segara) on the opposite hill, the
property’s 38 villas are all constructed in contemporary Balinese style with thatched alang-alang roofs. The villas are set high on wooden pillars with king-sized four-poster beds, indoor baths,
outdoor showers and dramatic individual plunge pools with adjoining Bales.
The garden, conceived by the landscape architect William Warren, together with John Pettigrew,
comprises exotic trees and essences of the tropics - cocoa, coffee, fruit trees, durian, rambutan, lychees, a variety of tropical bamboos, flame trees, bird of paradise flowers and
orchids.
The Villas
Each of the Villas has an infinity pool, a traditional pavilion for relaxing called a balé , an open air shower, an interior bathroom with Pansea Orient-Express Hotels’
signature bath in terrazzo (hand moulded and polished with stone) and a huge bedroom with a four-poster bed and mosquito net.
The resort has three categories of Villas: 30 deluxe Pool Villas, of approximately 100m2, 6 deluxe Suite Pool Villas of 160m2 and two 2-bedroom Family Pool Villas of
160m2 (including the room, deck, pool, bale and bathroom.) The Villas are primarily finished in precious woods, with Merbau flooring inside, Benkirai outside, and
wooden furniture with sculpted doors in the Balinese tradition. The mosquito net holder is styled in the form of a traditional Balinese bed, and on the deck a large Paras
stone pot is decorated with papyrus.
The vast elliptical infinity pool, composed of two parts one above the other facing the valley, emphasizes the natural curves of the hillside and the surrounding rice
terraces.
Béduur Restaurant
The restaurant features the delights of both Balinese and French cuisine. It enjoys a dramatic view of the other side of the valley, a dense curtain of tropical vegetation
surrounding a temple and looming over the Ayung River gorge.
Diatas Pohon Café
The Café looks down over the gorges of the Ayung River, and its terrace appears to be poised on gigantic treetops, a
uniquely restful ambience in which to enjoy the light and healthy cuisine served here.
Bukit Becik Bar
The resort’s bar is located near the main pool and the river, and offers an excellent setting for a relaxing long drink at sunset–be this a freshly squeezed fruit juice or
something more indulgent.
Ayung Spa, by Ytsara
The Ayung Spa, set close by the Ayung River, shares the beauty of the view and the sounds of nature – the rainforest, waterfalls and birdsong. Here, guests
can indulge in exotic treatments in three riverside Spa Villas. On the other side of the river is a sacred spring, where traditional Balinese ceremonies are organized by the villagers. As at
their spa at the Napasai on Koh Samui (Thailand), Pansea Orient-Express Hotels work hand in hand with Ytsara at the Spa.
The Ayung Spa offers three
pavilions dedicated to relaxation and well-being. Each pavilion comprises two large spaces: one with two
massage beds and a Balinese sofa, the other with a dressing area and bathroom with a bath that, surrounded by water, looks out onto the river.
The Ubud Hanging Gardens provides all of the services typically provided in an international hotel of this quality, together with some original activities:
• Balinese cooking courses
• A botanical highlight walk, under the auspices of a specialist, to explore local botanical elements and their therapeutic uses.
• Ytsara treatments at the Ayung Spa.
• Yoga with Jane Robinson. Courses will take place on the deck that overlooks the river in the heart of the rainforest. During her many studies Jane Robinson gained
great insight into traditional Yoga during the 15 years she spent with the master Swami Ventesananda, in India.
The
resort is only 15 minutes from the centre of Ubud, where free shuttle buses are available for guests. Transfers may be made from the airport or indeed to and from
the group's beachfront property, the Jimbaran Puri Bali, in approximately 90 minutes by car.
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