First 5-star resort on upper Tanjung Benoa Peninsula harnesses best of unsung location

The Chedi Sakala, heralding a brand new, upscale day for a less frequented but entirely compelling Bali peninsula, is steering toward a grand opening at the end of February on two and a half hectares of lushly landscaped oceanfront property at Tanjung Benoa Beach in Nusa Dua.

Managed by luxury hotel management group GHM, the 261-room resort promises a hospitality experience long on culinary sophistication, sublime wellness opportunities and a room-by-room spaciousness that is otherwise a rarity on the Island of the Gods.

The hotel’s 247 suites each offer a minimum of 58 square metres and include a kitchenette. The two-bedroom, ocean-view suites deliver up to 150 square metres and feature a separate living room, dining room and walk-in pantry. Infinity pools with built-in whirlpools and full kitchens highlight each of the 14, two-storey pool villas.

Beyond the generous personal space, the hotel is sharpening a reputation as one of Bali’s most rarefied dining experiences. A harbinger of its lofty ambitions, Sakala Bali opened on the resort’s grounds two years ago and quickly garnered acclaim for dishes that marry local product with French culinary sensibilities, per the expertise of Quebec-born Executive Chef Frederic Boulay.

As a complement and a fledgling rival to Sakala Bali for in-house guest affection, The Restaurant is positioning itself as the preeminent address for Asian and European staples. Half the menu is dedicated to the interpretation of favourites from Indonesia, India, Thailand, China and Japan, while the other half is based on beloved bites from the Mediterranean and the south of France.

The dining area overlooks the lagoon pool, which is accessible also from the ground-floor Cabana Suites. The hotel also features a sleek, open-air lobby bar with views of the ocean and Sakala Bali’s beachfront infinity pool.

The destination itself is one of Bali’s most enticing new lures. Long the province of fishing boats and downscale accommodation, the charms of this peninsula, from its unrivalled access to water sports activities to its proximity to the island’s oldest Chinese temple, are set to seduce upscale guests of The Chedi Sakala.

“We feel we’re really drawing the curtain on something fresh in Tanjung Benoa,” said Evan Pavlakis, The Chedi Sakala’s general manager. “And together with our highly regarded sister hotels in Seminyak (The Legian) and Ubud (The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah), we’re providing even greater entree to the multi-faceted appeal of Bali and its singular enclaves.”

Among the resort’s more dazzling attributes is the spa facility, which is expected to debut this spring behind The Restaurant. Upon entry, guests will make their way underground, via an 18-metre spiral staircase, to a reception area surrounded by eight treatment rooms filled with the aroma of frangipani petals.

Another distinguished space, The Chedi Ballroom, occupies 630 square metres below The Restaurant. It is connected to a foyer accented by stout, marble pillars and features low-slung ceilings and warm, earth-tone design flourishes. As versatile as it is visually appealing, the space divides into six meeting rooms to accommodate all manner of MICE events.

The venue is in the same structure as the hotel’s secondary lobby, Kids’ Club and Club Lounge, which provides guests with club benefits, the opportunity to check in and out privately.

Construction on The Chedi Ballroom, Kids’ Club and Club Lounge is scheduled to wrap before April.

Though the hotel itself is new to Bali, the management is not. The Chedi Sakala opens its doors on Bali as the third hotel on the island managed by GHM, complementing the renowned Legian in Seminyak and The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah in Ubud.

As such, the new hotel on Tanjung Benoa is GHM’s most expansive property to date, and a brand new opportunity for larger groups bent on the sophistication of a GHM experience.