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INDONESIA

239

July14

families, with beds for four, while others

are more “romantically” themed, such

as the Plantation Villa with its outdoor

shower and scenic balcony views. The

grandest of them all – the palatial Bella

Vista Villa – comprises three adjoining

villas and two adjacent freestanding

villas, and boasts a colossal presidential

suite and a private pool with a view of the

mountains. I’m told that the president of

Indonesia is a regular visitor – and I can

understand why.

No matter which accommodation you

choose, each is equipped with modern

conveniences likeWi-Fi internet, television,

air-conditioning and the like, but what

struck me most was their luxuriously

simple interiors and stunning views across

plantation, jungle and volcanoes.

The Facilities

MesaStila is well known for its wellness

retreats. Guests can choose from a

number of packages, such as Escapism,

which includes a full spa package, and

Fitness and Weight Management, which

includes an appraisal, a meal-plan, a

daily steam bath and private fitness

training. The team also runs special

programmes, such as endurance

cycling through the surrounding terrain.

Yoga retreats are led by the resident

yogi master; sunrise classes are held

in an outdoor pavilion overlooking the

expansive jungle.

For kids, the team at MesaStila can

tailor a full activities package to keep

them occupied, including arts, crafts

and fun sports. Other optional activities

for families include mountain biking,

jungle gym, trekking, traditional martial

arts or aqua gym in the large infinity pool

that overlooks the nearby mountains,

Andong, Merbabu and Merapi.

As you can imagine, I wasn’t going to

leave without checking in to MesaStila’s

famous spa, which reportedly boasts

the only Turkish-style hammam in Asia. It

didn’t disappoint. Thecylindrical hammam

steam room ticked all the boxes, featuring

spacious seating and authentic tiling.

Following that, my one-hour Javanese

body massage was utterly blissful –

perhaps the best I’ve had in Asia.

The Verdict

MesaStila oozes traditional old world

charm, seamlessly incorporating its

activities and accommodation within

a magnificent natural landscape. The

result is a wholesome experience with

a real “back to nature” feel – so much

so that, despite only having a weekend

visit, I left feeling thoroughly relaxed and

recharged.

Tours to Try

Borobudur temple visit:

You can opt

to visit stunning Borobudur temple

at sunset, sunrise or during the day

(and even throw in an elephant ride

through the surrounding grounds).

Horse-riding:

Did I mention that

MesaStila also has its own stables?

You can practise horse-riding on

site, or ride though the villages with a

qualified local instructor.

Mountain-trekking:

Be guided

on a day trek up one of the many

photogenic mountains surrounding

the site.

All tours can be arranged directly

through MesaStila.

Getting There

SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore

Airlines, operates weekly flights from

Singapore to Semarang. MesaStila is

situated between Semarang, Jogjakarta

and Solo airports. The drive from

Semarang airport takes an hour on

average, whereas from Jogjakarta or

Solo it takes two hours.

Offer for

Expat Living

Readers

The Collektion Hotels & Resorts

is currently offering

Expat

Living

readers exclusive rates

at MesaStila, from US$160 per

night. This includes breakfast

for two, daily scheduled

activities and afternoon tea. For

enquiries or to book, contact

6689 1042 or email info@

thecollektion.com, mentioning

the

Expat Living

offer

.

The private pool at

the Bella Vista villa