Born from the hands of hoteliers Jolan Tachet and Uus Pujiati and marketing expert Stephane Masset, Le Temple hotel is ready to give guests an unforgettable experience with the combination of unique architecture inspired by Buddhist principles, and magic of Borobudur. Indonesia Design spoke with Jolan and Stephane about the building process.
Why did you decide to build a hotel like Le Temple in Borobudur Village?
Stephane: There is no hotel that serves both business and holiday purposes around here. We wanted to provide both needs in this hotel. Early in 2019, we agreed to start a project together. Jolan and Uus started with a land of 1500 sqm, which now has become the entrance area, with the concept that we had discussed for years.
Jolan: He doesn’t usually mix business with family, but this opportunity is too good to pass for him.
How did you come up with the concept?
Stephane: The architecture concept came in one of my meditations; especially about the functionality and the symbols. A stupa, which we modeled the villas after, combines five Buddhist elements: wind, space, fire, water and earth.
Jolan: By being a Buddhist, he helped us understand more of the architectural heritage of Borobudur temple and interpret it respectfully.
Stephane: And the concept is to wow guests every seven metres, from
the entrance gate to wherever they are walking in the hotel. We hope to impress them in a humble way. The goal is to give them the best experience.
How was the building process being affected by the pandemic? Stephane: We all discussed it together, and I said that we must take the problem as an opportunity.
Jolan: Most of the building process was done in the pandemic. It helped
us to survive because people were looking for places that weren’t crowded, had a lot of privacy and outdoor spaces at the same time. Design-wise, when we decided to do more villas and the big restaurant, we had help from an architect. Sometimes Stephane and I had different ideas with our investor. That’s when the architect came and found a solution for us to meet in the middle.