PHOTOS BY Rusdi Sanad, Ari Wibisono, The Space Storyteller Enterprise
Basked in sunlight and framed by the calm waters of Bintan, we find ourselves at Holiday Inn Resort Bintan Lagoi Beach, just a short stroll from pristine white sand. Here, you are invited into a vibrant coastal retreat where every member of the family can find their own rhythm, whether that means slowing down or seeking out adventure.
When we choose a Holiday Inn Resort, we usually know what to expect. As part of IHG Hotels and Resorts, the brand carries a promise of comfort and familiarity. Yet here in Bintan, you will quickly realise that this resort offers something more. Since opening in February 2025, it has redefined what a family resort experience can feel like.
Your journey sets the tone. After about an hour’s drive from Raja Haji Fisabilillah Airport in Tanjung Pinang or a one hour ferry ride from Singapore, you arrive at a generous entrance where the experience begins to unfold. Two reception desks shaped like boats immediately hint at a deeper story behind the design. Step inside and you are greeted by organic forms and an open lobby that looks out onto a cascading pond, surrounded by lush greenery and layered buildings. During daytime hours, guests can enjoy a gondola ride on the pond. It’s an exciting activity especially popular with children, yet equally capable of creating romantic moments for adults.
“Holiday Inn Resort Bintan Lagoi Beach focuses on a family-oriented tropical experience, centered around a lagoon pool system with three water courts. The design creates a lively and engaging outdoor environment,” says Varissa Srisataporn, director of Tierra Design, the Bangkok based architecture firm behind the resort.
As we move through the resort, we begin to understand how deeply it is connected to its surroundings. Tropical greenery, coastal textures, and the presence of the ocean shape the experience at every turn. You will notice that most rooms and public spaces are carefully positioned to capture either pond view, pool view, or lush landscapes, so that nature remains a constant companion throughout your stay.
Built on 5.3 hectares of land, the resort unfolds across three main zones, each centred around water. The courtyard water systems are not merely aesthetic features. They also play an active role in cooling, filtering, guiding movement, and creating microclimates that shape the overall guest experience.
“Navigation is guided through spatial planning and landscape cues. Key destinations such as the beach, pools, and main facilities act as visual anchors. Pathways, boardwalks, water features, and open spaces naturally guide guests through the site, often leading toward the sea as a constant reference point,” Varissa adds.
As you look closer, the design begins to tell a story of place. Bintan’s coastal communities inspire elevated structures and slender supports, while natural materials and open air spaces respond intuitively to the tropical climate. The surrounding forests, beach vegetation, and ocean views are not treated as a backdrop, but as active elements that shape how you experience the resort.
Across the site, 258 rooms and suites are distributed within six buildings, each offering views of gardens, pools, or ponds. If you are travelling with family, you might find yourself drawn to rooms near the family pool and kids club. “The rooms and suites with direct access to the pools sell out first,” Michael shares.
Inside, the experience continues with a sense of ease and playfulness. “We designed a relaxed, intuitive, family-centric escape with generous amenities and effortless comfort,”explains the representative of PIA Interior Company Limited. “We distilled the forms and rhythms of the mangrove ecosystem into a more legible, family friendly spatial language. Organic lines, branching patterns, soft transitions, and playful cues that children instantly understand.”
During peak holiday seasons, the resort is packed with families enjoying time together. On weekends, the energy remains lively, whilst weekdays introduce a different rhythm. With a ballroom that accommodates up to 200 guests, the resort also caters to mid-scale corporate gatherings. “We’re looking at smaller companies or divisions within companies,” Michael explains.
The ballroom is equipped with energy-efficient, built-in LED technology that allows for flexible ambiance adjustments, making it suitable for a variety of events. Three adaptable meeting rooms, along with a 1.5-hectare beachfront and an amphitheatre, support a wide range of activities. This balance between leisure and business keeps the resort dynamic throughout the week.
Food becomes another way for you to experience the destination. At Warung Pak Lagoi, we are invited into a vibrant all day dining space defined by timber structures, wooden and rattan furnishings, and warm coloured textiles. From breakfast through to dinner, you can explore a mix of local and international dishes. Taste familiar Nusantara favourites such as gado gado or beef rendang, whether you choose to dine indoors or out on the patio overlooking the garden.
If you prefer something lighter, Strawbella pool bar offers refreshing drinks and casual bites throughout the day, shifting into a more social atmosphere as evening arrives. For younger guests, Kokonut Snack Shack by the family pool becomes a favourite stop for sweets and treats. Meanwhile, Ginger Root at the lobby provides a cosy corner where you can slow down with tea, coffee, or pastries.
Staying active here feels effortless. You can move between swimming pools, visit the fitness centre, cycle around the property, or spend time in the entertainment area with games such as pool tables and giant chess. Even a simple walk through the landscape becomes part of the experience, allowing you to take in the details at your own pace.
When it is time to unwind, Sunjivva Spa offers a different atmosphere altogether. Here, you step into a quieter, more contemplative space. Treatments range from facials to body massages, alongside a Dreampod flotation experience, currently the only one available on Bintan Island.
The interior design team decided to weave Zen Garden influence into an otherwise coastal narrative to create a zone of deep stillness within the resort ecosystem. The spa’s quiet gardens, mineral tones, controlled views, and contemplative compositions of stone and plants channel the long understood therapeutic power of nature and biophilic calm.
What we experience here is neither distinctly Japanese nor purely Indonesian. Instead, it becomes a universal language of restoration, one that complements the surrounding lagoon and courtyard landscapes.
However you choose to spend your time, whether exploring, relaxing, or simply being present, Holiday Inn Resort Bintan Lagoi Beach offers a place where you and your family can truly reconnect and recharge.