Artist On Holiday: W Hotel Bali

This was my daily dose of CMYK from our window, even while on holiday in Bali. Staying at W Hotel in Seminyak was a welcome treat for the senses: from the comfortably modulated beats piped in all corners, to the hint of lemongrass that permeates the air.

Before flying in, I was dreading being cooped up in some stuffy, formal hotel with canned air-conditioning.   So you can imagine my delight when I discovered that all communal areas — lobby, room corridors and lounges — open up to the sweeping view of the Indian Ocean thundering  just a few steps away.

For someone who loves quirky design and colors, staying at the W was such a pleasurable experience.  This is their lobby at sun-down, with perfectly timed mood lights changing at intervals.

The waters of Bali are not to be taken lightly.  I grew up in a land of beaches so I should be used to falling asleep to the sound of the gentle lapping of the sea.  But the sound of the Indian Ocean constantly roars, which explains why you don’t see anyone swimming in open waters and you stumble across signs like these:

While I like the sun, I never really appreciated the concept of sitting under the sun doing nothing. I get a tan because I swim or play tennis.  So it was my first time to do actual sun-bathing and for the first two minutes I felt and looked every bit awkward because I didn’t know how to sit and do nothing under the sun.

So, I decided to do what comes naturally, which is to draw.

From where I sat, I could see our room.  This is the glow we see from the balcony at night:

I have to admit the intensity of the wind whipping against the glass door of our veranda combined with the thundering waves of the ocean gave me a tinge of anxiety for a few seconds. Then I decide to let it go and allow myself to just be.

There’s a lot of natural sunlight and air that kept our room nice and airy.  In the daytime, we are greeted by rays from the bathroom skylight.  For those who think someone might come by to do some window washing, just click the button and a shade covers the ceiling for your peace of mind 🙂

The bathroom space at the W is not found wanting. In fact, it’s safe to assume that the bathroom occupies more than 1/3 of the room but with a lot of area to spare.

The bathroom walls have an option for full glass view with a wall you can pull out from the bedroom if you want more privacy.

Our view fully faces the ocean, which we can enjoy from the daybed and lounge chair in our spacious veranda.  The W also does its share to take care of Mother Earth.  It took me a while to figure out why the room kept getting hot. This sign explains why.

And there’s also this. I’m proud to say that we did cooperate accordingly.

The hotel was bursting with energy and colors everywhere.  Which is probably why I loved the place so much, says the girl who doesn’t like staying in stuffy hotels.

 

By the shore, we made some friends.

Though we chose to spend a lot of time soaking in the beauty of Bali from the W, we had a lot of time to explore the flavors around Seminyak.

The first meal: Babi Guling.  Similar to the Philippines’ famed Cebu lechon (suckling pig) but a lot more fragrant.  Every juicy bite is succulent and bursting with lemongrass  goodness without that usual porky taste that stopped me from eating meat for years.  Compared to lechon, it is served in slivers and not chunks.  It’s probably THE dish that made me decide that, yes, Bali will be a regular trip from now on!

I also enjoyed this fall-off-the-bone beef dish from Bambu, hinting of citrus from lime, probably a sliver of coconut milk and a dash of sweet chili.  But before that, I had this:

Softshell crab drizzled in more sweet chili.  If you’re familiar with Thai flavors, the Balinese palate is very, very similar.

What I appreciate most about Bali  is how tradition is interspersed in every bit of modern flavor, design and sound.

I must to explain that I typically don’t t like watching movie previews or read movie reviews. I like the element of surprise and will watch what I want to watch, regardless of what other people say. My approach to our last-minute holiday in Bali was somewhat like that.  I only had enough info to know where we’re going, but other than that I wanted to just let one thing lead to another.  I had no idea that Seminyak would be both rustic and stylish at the same time, and that there was so much diversity in the area.

You see them everywhere in Bali.  Tiny baskets or trays of flowers on sidewalks, lower porch steps, main entrances or even counter tops of stores. It consists of colorful buds and petals, somtimes crackers, a cookie, candies and you can even spot a cigarette in there every so often.  Our driver explained that all structures have two offerings, one on a higher level, and another on a lower part of a home or establishment. The ones in front is to ward off the bad.

And  finally, who would have thought that one of the best fish tacos is to be found in a place like this in Bali?

One other thing that caught me off guard about the island? The weather.  We traveled on a whim last week where the air was PERFECT, ranging a comfortable 19C-29C (64F to 88F).

 

I am a very fussy traveler so I’m very grateful that my husband put everything together a week earlier to create this breathtaking holiday. From the moment I stepped out of the plane, my first bite of local food and the quiet moments just soaking in the island’s beat and nature, everything was just magical.

It is now officially a favorite.  Bali, we look forward to greeting you each morning very soon.  Ubud up next!