The Breezes Bali Resort and Spa
“Bali being Herself”
When your beach is hyped as ‘too busy’, that’s when you open your book, order up another drink, keep your chair and umbrella, and sit tight – soon enough you’ll have the place all to yourself.
While one shouldn’t expect to get the gardened grounds of The Breezes Bali Resort and Spa–or the eighty-meter, four-tiered pool – to themselves, the village of Seminyak is strictly a club district, no longer. After the partying hoards stumbled over to Legian and Kuta–or off to ravage another island–new management, under Mr. Praba Maniam, took the moment of silence to align the resort with the big picture: a less fickle neighbourhood and tourist, more in keeping with Bali’s own dharma – an ancient and truer way of being.
Bali’s streets coil in such a way, no single local could know all of their secrets. Walking into The Breezes resort is only the first pleasant surprise as the simple, narrow entrance near the beach on Dhyana Pura Street expands into a designer clearing – an elegant and open-concept lobby with high ceilings, a faultless blend of Bali, old-and-new. Stay a while and the surprises abound from two restaurants offering Pan- Asian and European cuisine under renowned Chef Henry Bloem, or from the sleek laboratory of stress-cracking agents known simply as The Spa at The Breezes, or from a fitness centre offering pilates and yoga, the tennis court, spacious Junior Suites, the Sunken Pool Bar, the Kids Corner, the very useful Guest Activities Department, the sleek Guest Cinema, and staff you’ll find both polite and friendly – never to a fault.
Of the myriad strong characters scattering their something fresh to the breeze, Chef Bloem rides in on his Harley and takes the cake. The half-Dutch Balinese, veteran Chef–twice dubbed best of his kind, nationwide–has recently tuned a flavourful Tapas Menu, lovingly presenting, bite-sized Salmon Gravalax, melt-in-your-mouth Foie-Grass, and of course the Balinese favourite Babi Guling crisp suckling pig. Bloem’s own d’Base Resaurant & Fun Bar boasts a roster of live musicians equalling its menus in taste, including a spot-on Beatles tribute, reggae, and others capable of rocking requests for anything since those golden oldies. Guests and locals alike can look forwards to treats as d’Base Restaurant offers up Sunday Brunch–with a cheap free-flow option for drinks–and many a new and inspired culinary creation.
As for The Spa at The Breezes, dotted with bright coy beneath lily pads, this expansive nook is as relaxing as Executive Assistant Manager Ibu Dayu Basmiari is dedicated and innovative; after all, this refreshing realm is hers to be proud of. Fresh oils and raw ingredients, like turmeric powder and kukui nut, line their shelves. Here, relaxation is evoked through music, the lounging demeanour of the skilled therapists, and the precise and decadent treatments– in designer interiors. Ibu Dayu recently accompanied Spa Manager Ibu Kadek to Malaysia to keep their soothing center entirely up to date with the latest treatments; such as the exotic Ayurveda Shirodara treatment from India, the intricacies of nail art, and more.
Steadily and stealthily and right under our noses, here’s a resort, under an eclectic team, in a vibrant neighbourhood, that has come into its own like a magenta frangipani in bloom. As any old visitor to the area may recognize, these are radical changes in the Seminyak area–and they are changes for the better. The concept is that Bali need not cater to anybody anymore, but rather present herself at her dutiful best–and in all her glory, she’s undoubtedly pleasing to guests and staff, alike.
