Javanese wisdom provides inspiration for immersive ocean-facing spa at The Apurva Kempinski Bali
Kempinski Hotels is opening its second Indonesian resort, The Apurva Kempinski Bali, in the upmarket Nusa Dua area on 1 February.
The 475-bedroom beachfront resort, whose name comes from a word meaning ‘unique and magnificent’ in Sanskrit, will include an immersive ocean-facing spa and fitness centre offering treatments inspired by traditional Balinese healing practices, designed to promote balance and wellbeing.
At the front of the resort, overlooking the ocean, The Apurva Spa is located at the front of the resort, overlooking the ocean, and includes 14 treatment rooms, most with ocean views.
A menu of body and beauty treatments has been inspired by time-honoured Javanese and Balinese wisdom. The philosophy is based on the ancient proverb ‘rupasampat wahyabiantara’: true beauty is achieved when outer beauty is in harmony with inner beauty.
Traditional ointments such as lulur, a herb and spice body scrub, are designed to help achieve outer beauty, while activities such as sunrise yoga and meditation will pave the path to inner harmony and balance.
Treatments are tailor-made for each guest based on the four stages of life: teenage, adult, married and post-adult, with different varieties of oil and lulur selected depending on specific individual needs.
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.
Modern Balinese architecture pays homage to the island’s natural landscapes and manmade temples, and the resort features natural-clad stone buildings, bougainvillea-covered terraces and a network of waterways, pools and waterfalls.
The 250-step Grand Staircase, inspired by Bali’s sacred Pura Besakih water temple, runs through the centre of the resort, and provides a stage for nightly rituals.
Interior designer Rudi Dodo of Trivium Design Group has imagined opulent interior spaces created by Indonesia’s finest craftsmen and artisans, which pay tribute to the country’s rich 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 a wide-open and welcoming space with a soaring tiered roof.
Flourishes like the intricate Javanese hand-carved gebyok partitions are symbolic of Indonesia’s prosperous Majapahit kingdom, when the kingdom was a hub of artistic creativity, and the angkringan food cart in Selasar Deli creates a sense of place from the moment guests arrive.
In the guestrooms, exotic woods, local fabrics and typical Indonesian motifs create an understated yet sophisticated atmosphere.
“Spectacular, sensational, curated and serene, The Apurva Kempinski Bali takes the form of a majestic open-air theatre, where centuries of Indonesian culture are distilled and brought to life,” said Michael Henssler, COO Asia, Kempinski Hotels. “We are excited to welcome this outstanding resort to our Asian hotel portfolio: another masterpiece in the Kempinski constellation.”
The Apurva Kempinski Bali becomes the second Kempinski property in Indonesia, and follows two other major openings in the past six months: The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore and Emerald Palace Kempinski Dubai.
Javanese wisdom ocean-facing spa The Apurva Kempinski Bali
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