Overlooking the magnificent Indian Ocean, Six Senses Uluwatu is the latest addition to this beautiful hilly limestone region in Bali. The hotel’s exquisite design embraces the local culture and natural materials while keeping sustainability and environmental responsibilities in mind.
Merely entering this incredible resort is an adventure in itself. Upon arrival, you are taken along a narrow road through the forest, with a series of bamboo and feature stone walls welcoming you with open arms. Curiosity grows as you drive further in, as you see the hill with the stand-alone lobby in the centre, offering a glimpse of the Indian Ocean. Every single detail in this resort was meticulously thought-out, and the essence of luxury is eminent all around.
Doddy Tjahjadi and Ahmad Grenaldi, managing director and architectural designer of PTI Architects respectively, were in charge of designing this exquisite resort. Their vision for Six Senses Uluwatu was guided by a modern Balinese approach, with unique aspects of the local culture incorporated seamlessly into the overall design. This was the main brief given, along with one other important aspect: to have a scenic view of the ocean available in all 28 Sky Suites, 73 Cliff Villas, the Retreat and the Presidential villa. In order to do so, the layout features the “Quirky Cliff” concept, mimicking the famous Uluwatu Cliff for the whole site using organic and irregular shapes to create the contoured land topography. The layout features the lobby right at the top of a hill, with the rest of the rooms cascading down to the public area. A golf cart is needed to travel from the rooms to the different venues.
To embrace the surrounding nature, the main exterior wall uses beige coloured limestone, and warm-toned timber was used for the doors and outdoor decks. The villas have dark grey granite floors on the inside to accentuate the locally-crafted furniture made with natural materials. The colour scheme in each room uses earth tones such as blues and browns, emanating an air of relaxation and calm that coincides with the overall concept.
Six Senses Uluwatu boasts an integrated wellness concept for each guest, presenting an innovative approach to wellness through sleep health, clean eating, movement and self-discovery. This concept starts in each room, where you can enjoy a natural handmade mattress and cotton bedding, nourishing bathroom products and healthy snacks. If you want to learn more about your health, you can also get a non-invasive health screening to measure key physiological biomarkers, which allows the resort’s experts to provide you with lifestyle and nutritional advice and design a personalised activity program. Your stay will surely take care of your physical and mental health altogether, from the moment you arrive.
Adding to the incredible concept is their sustainability effort, which is unlike any other resort. They have their own organic garden that provides fresh ingredients for the restaurants, and they also produce their own drinking water that is served in every room and venue. All food and lansdcaping waste is composted onsite and used as a natural fertiliser for the garden, kitchen oil is sold to Lengis Hijau Foundation who uses it to create biodiesel for vehicles, used coffee capsules and cleaning products are re-collected by the supplier to be upcycled and reused, and all shower water and sewage is treated at the onsite sewage treatment plant whose water product mixed with rainwater catchment is reused for landscape gardening and fire hydrant storage. Their dedication to environmental conservation is remarkable.
The whole resort truly feels like an everlasting wellness retreat, with a well-equipped gym, a luxurious spa, a yoga pavilion, a relaxation area, and an array of healthy food options readily available. Included in your stay is a series of yoga and meditation classes available at different times of the day. It’s surely difficult to want to leave this place, especially with the selection of different activities and F&B venues such as Crudo restaurant, Rocka and the Cliff Bar. Guests can even watch a movie under the stars at outdoor cinema by the cliff every night. For special events, they also provide several venues such as the Aarunya Ballroom and the Andakara Lawn, perfect for weddings. The Retreat, the resort’s private four-bedroom estate and the Presidential Villa are also available for private events.
Six Senses Uluwatu has one of the most incredible design concepts on this popular tourist island, making guests feel like they’re a part of nature and enable the feeling of relaxation and peace. Anyone staying at this magical place will surely feel rejuvenated. Utilising the natural beauty and resources that the local area has to offer whilst preserving the environment and promoting sustainability is a concept that should definitely be adapted all over the world.