Nusa Dua’s Sanctuary, Bali

Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa offers an ultimate getaway that will bring guests closer to Balinese traditions …

It has been 33 years since the beachfront Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa was first established on the island, yet this hotel is still just as captivating as any of the newcomers. Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa’s history is interesting on its own as it was the very first hotel to be built on the Nusa Dua stretch, even before the BTDC complex was established, and it was President Soeharto himself that officiated its opening in 1983.

Just by looking at the design of the hotel one can see how Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa pays tribute to the Balinese tradition. When I visited the hotel I was truly in awe seeing how the hotel maintains its vision to be true to its Balinese roots.

Each element in this hotel has its own meaning, from the decorations on the tables to the hotel’s temple. However, that’s not the only surprise I found. Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa now has the Palace Club Wing, an exclusive addition that offers the ultimate luxurious getaway that will treat guests just like a royal, which I discovered over a beautiful weekend…

A Royal Stay

Unlike other guests who check in at the main lobby, Palace Club’s guests can check in privately at the Palace Club Lounge. Comfortable sofas are provided, and a welcome drink and a cold towel are given to refresh one’s energy as the staff assists with the check in. I personally found their welcome service to be more personalized, as the staff who assisted me with the check in was the one to escort me to my room.

The Palace Club Wing has four different types of room; Palace Club Room, Palace Club Lagoon Access Room, Palace Club Suite and Palace Lagoon Access Suite. I stayed at the Palace Club Suite, which is designed with high-quality wooden furniture and intricate Balinese design. The room is also so spacious that it made me feel spoiled in an instant – it has its own guest powder room, a pantry, a dining room and a living room.

Adjoining the living room, separated only by a Balinese designed door, is the bedroom with a king-sized bed that was so comfortable I slept like a baby all through the night. The bedroom also has a walk-in closet and a bathroom with marbled floor. The bathroom is even more unique as there is a window right next to the bathtub – a little tip from me is to open that window and set the flat TV in the bedroom to face the bathtub, and just relax with warm water in the tub while enjoying your favorite TV show. Relaxing in a hot tub has never been better than that! The Palace Club Suite also has its own terrace with daybeds with the view of the hotel’s manicured garden.

Food Haven

The Palace Club’s guests have a lot of privileges that shouldn’t be taken for granted. One of them is daily afternoon tea at the Palace Club Lounge that is available from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and exclusive evening cocktails from 5.30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Trust me, relaxing at the Palace Club Lounge is not to be missed as guests will be pampered with selections of delectable light bites and fresh drinks while enjoying the view of the hotel’s temple and pond where a flock of ducks are often found swimming. I couldn’t get enough unwinding at this part of the hotel as it is really so peaceful that I could hear almost no sound but the ducks quacking. And so I was really glad that the Palace Club’s guests get to enjoy breakfast at the Palace Club Lounge as well.

As for lunch and dinner, Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa has a number of restaurants, each one having its own distinctive style, so there is always something for everyone to eat at the hotel. Raja is a fine dining restaurant offering Balinese dishes, while Maguro is an Asian bistro highlighting fresh sushi and sashimi. Next to the pool is Sandro’s Pizzeria with alfresco Italian dining, while the Tamarind Kitchen & Lounge is nestled by the beach overlooking the ocean and offers international cuisine.

Be Balinese

Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa has not just successfully created a serene place for guests to stay, but also offers a number of activities that will bring guests closer to Balinese traditions. From a beauty class to a fruit carving class, and an introduction to scuba diving, this hotel has it all, but it was the Balinese dance class that attracted me the most.

Almost all Balinese women can do Balinese dance – at least they know the basics. So it wasn’t hard for the hotel to find a Balinese instructor to teach the guests all about Balinese dance. In fact, they appointed one of their workers who has been working at the property for more than a decade to conduct this class professionally. The class took place at an open bale next to the swimming pool. A Balinese song was played through the sound system as the instructor started to teach me the basic steps of a Balinese dance, which I have to say wasn’t as simple as it looks. The dance involves some movements that are similar to squats, but after a while the steps are not that difficult to follow.

I was also lucky that during my stay the hotel staff held a Full Moon ceremony in accordance with the Balinese ritual to honor the Full Moon. The ceremony took place at the hotel’s temple, and guests were more than welcome to join – of course each one of us needed to wear a sarong for a true Balinese experience. And after spending a day learning some Balinese traditions, it was only right to spend the next day lounging at the beach on one of the daybeds provided by the hotel and taking a dip in the tranquil ocean.