Expect to be greeted at the Sofitel Nusa Dua Beach Resort with a chorus of bonjours—the French hospitality brand prides itself on melding its national culture with each property’s local intrigue. Fully capitalizing on its beachfront real estate in Bali’s exclusive Nusa Dua resort enclave, the hotel’s 397 rooms center around grassy wave-like knolls and a rectangular stone-covered fountain that extends toward the shore. Inside, the environment is detailed with all things French. Concierge staff don Javanese ikat uniforms designed by Indonesian designer Priyo Oktaviano, woven with gold and cut to emulate French military jackets. Parisian labels Hermés and Lanvin supply amenities amid guest bathrooms bedecked in Indonesian patterns. On evening strolls before you tuck into bed, staff wish you bon soir and selamat malam—such is the experience at the Sofitel Nusa Dua.
The banyan tree-inspired entry features a circle of life wood carving.
The Look: The first thing guests see upon entering is a massive wood rotunda, meant to represent a banyan tree. At its top, wood panels carved by Yogyakarta artist Agus Suharyanto depict a trimurti scene of the circle of life. Throughout the hotel the Sofitel’s signature kawung batik, one of the oldest batik motifs once exclusively worn by royalty, appears in wall panels, carpeting, and wood latticework. London-based architects WATG are behind the hotel’s colossal pillars that flank guest wings, reminiscent of natural elements, like branches of a tree.
The manicured interior of the hotel.
The Rooms: The sprawling property is divided into wings named after Indonesian instruments—from angklung to bonang to cengceng. The interior’s manicured gardens and pools are overlooked by the choicest rooms, which start from a generous 47 square meters—the 22 suites start from 88—all featuring mod-cons like soak bathtubs and Illy coffee machines. Rooms are decorated in elegant muted grays and dark woods; there’s ivory-hued granite in bathrooms. Indulge in the Sofitel’s signature MyBed bedding, with imported down feathers in the duvets and mattress toppers.
A pool access Plunge Room on the ground floor.
The Appeal: Treatment rooms at the So Spa are bedecked in dramatic floor-to-ceiling batik art hangings and a sheath of metallic wicker panels. French cosmetics brand Clarins consulted on the hotel group’s line of spas to create its signature massage and facial treatments. The ultra-hydrating facial uses natural katafray extract to leave skin glowing; the contouring body treatment promises slimming using the South American vine uncaria tomentosa. Cropped robes lined with more batik keep spa-goers stylish before and after treatments in the zen relaxation hall.
A couple’s treatment room at the So Spa.
The Surrounds: Claiming Nusa Dua’s last stretch of unclaimed beach, the Sofitel has no shortage of luxe neighbors, which can put privacy at a premium on the resort’s shores—retreat to the collection of 17 villas for utmost seclusion. With the completion of Bali’s toll road, the hotel is just 30 minutes from the airport.
The exterior of the resort’s presidential villa.
For those in the know… The long-awaited debut of Indonesia’s first Nikki Beach is slated for the fourth quarter of this year on the shores of the Sofitel property. The stylish beach club promises to shake up Seminyak’s monopoly on nightlife with glamorous day parties and international DJ talent. Also expect the addition of a medical spa and wedding chapel by the year’s end.
Jalan Nusa Dua; 62-361/849-2888; Sofitel Nusa Dua Beach Resort; rooms from US$200
