We find paradise in Potato Head’s Katamama, a luxurious bolthole by the beaches of Seminyak
At the flashier southern end of Bali, you’ll find the urban oasis of Seminyak, a town that spills over with hip restaurants, shops, bars and hotels. Adding to the district’s ever-growing list of boutique hotels is Katamama. The brainchild of PTT Family is a 58-suite resort that lounges right by the powdersoft sands – but that’s not the only reason why you should book a stay there.
51B Jln Petitenget, Seminyak, Bali (+62 361 302 9999, www. katamama.com)
Katamama’s design is decidedly chic and clean, but its soul is still proudly Balinese. Led by renowned Indonesian architect Andra Martin with the aid of other collaborators such as Singapore-based design company Takenouchi Webb, the resort is also the handiwork of local artisans and craftsmen. The warm interiors, hand-pressed raw brick walls, ceramic tableware and even the textiles used are either thoughtfully handpicked or built to order.
Climb the steps to the hotel entrance and you’ll be ushered into Akademi. The cocktail bar, helmed by PTT Family’s director of mixology Dre Masso, is less a watering hole than a library devoted to spirits, with stacks of cocktail books scattered across terrazzo counters and the hotel’s vast collection of local premium liquors lining the walls. There are even a few shelves of arak (a type of Indonesian alcohol) infused with all sorts of good stuff.
After treating yourself to a welcome drink, check into one of seven suites (from $350/night). With the smallest one clocking in at 82 square metres, these rooms will put your cookie-cutter, big-brand ones to shame. We took the Garden Suite, where beautiful hand-dyed upholstery, polished olive floors, contemporary Indonesian art, Le Corbusier armchairs and Poulsen lamps skirt around a king-sized bed and a walk-in wardrobe. And that’s not even mentioning the private balcony that overlooks the property’s garden.
The bathrooms are as well appointed. Dominated by a marble bathtub beside a floor-to-ceiling window that peers out to the sands, the space comes with a monsoon showerhead, his-and-hers sinks and organic toiletries – designed in-house – that’ll leave you smelling like a tropical beach.
But the centrepiece of each suite is the in-room bar. This one’s the real deal, complete with cocktail-making instruments, a full-sized selection of infused spirits, bitters and an ice well. To help you shake up your own tipple, each bar comes with a copy of Masso’s Classic Cocktails at Home, an easy-to-follow recipe book. Of course, if you want to be pampered from start to end, you can always request for one of the Akademi bartenders to mix up a bespoke cocktail while you lounge on your balcony’s daybed.
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