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TRAVEL
284
November14
The hotel
Whereas The Oberoi Lombok is set
along a quiet stretch of coast, The
Oberoi Bali is a 10-minute walk from
the centre of Seminyak and close to
heaps of bars, restaurants and shops. It
was a complete change of atmosphere
for me, as I cruised down Seminyak’s
dusty, bustling streets thinking, “I’ll shop
there”, “I’ll eat there”, “I’ll shop there” and
so on. But as I turned into the hotel’s
private lane, calmness descended over
The Oberoi’s stylish pocket of popular
Seminyak. The stunning beachside
resort has been a part of Seminyak’s
coastline for decades, with trendy clubs
like Ku De Ta and Potato Head popping
up next door in the meantime. Unlike its
ever-changing surrounds, though, The
Oberoi has an established position on
the shore, with 15 acres of immaculate
gardens, striking architecture and
opulent Balinese furnishings creating
a grand effect.
As you can imagine, I was delighted
to discover that the resort also featured
tiled stonework and thatched roofs,
the focal point being the large pool
and its chic yellow-patterned parasols
overlooking the public beach. The sea
was a different story in Seminyak, with
dramatic waves crashing in – attracting
surfers rather than snorkellers.
The room
Having spent an improbable amount of
time being horizontal in a private villa, I
was hoping to be marginally more active
in Bali, given The Oberoi’s central spot,
and so I booked a Lanai room. The
single-storey suite was decked out in
lavish dark wood and Balinese artwork,
with an outdoor terrace and bathroom
set in a private walled garden.
The food
I can’t pretend I wasn’t tempted to
make use of my room service in Bali
(I had the same inclusive set-up), but
the hotel’s signature restaurant, Kura
Kura, had incredible reviews, plus it
overlooked the amphitheatre, which
starred talented Balinese ladies telling
local tales through dance. There’s also
the fact that I had previously spotted
a roaming waiter with a huge bread
basket. Three loaves (white, brown and
walnut) and a sushi
amuse bouche
later
and I was munching on a lamb
rogan
josh
, which featured a whole lamb shank
in curry sauce I’d sell my boyfriend for.
The activities
Aside from the vast beach and funky
atmosphere, one of themain reasons that
people flock to Seminyak is the shopping.
The streets are lined with cute, single-
storey boutiques flogging anything from
art to flip-flops. Many Seminyak stores
are independent, so it’s easy to find
unique items when it comes to clothes
and shopping for your home. And while
I spent a lot of time snapping up lanterns
and other cheap knick-knacks for my
apartment, I only went for one posh
maxi-dress from the fashion boutiques,
as the prices were still pretty punchy.
Instead, I hit the huge market and binged
on bargain frocks, sarongs and sandals.
As all women everywhere will agree,
carrying more than three shopping bags
at once is simply terrible, so it was about
time I tested out The Oberoi Spa. Tucked
into the corner of the resort, its open-air
massagepavilions have a huge, carp-filled
pond wrapped around them. (It doesn’t
get more relaxing than drifting off to the
sight of fat, happy fish rolling past.) Having
floated out of the spa after a traditional,
deep-pressure Balinese massage, I may
or may not have snuck back for a Thai,
no-oil, stand-on-my-back-and-pull-my-
arms-behind-my-head massage.
Clockwise
from left:
My
Lanai room
at The Oberoi
Bali; the
hotel’s view
of Seminyak
beach;
walking the
Uluwatu
Temple;
traditional
dancing at
Kura Kura