JOURNAL

Notes from the island.

Hotels, chefs, and places worth knowing about, written by the two of us, not a content team.

Como Shambhala Estate at dusk
STAYS

Como Shambhala Estate: not one hotel, but several

The jungle retreat where Como's spa and cuisine were born, a walk down to natural river pools, and a massage that quietly resets your benchmark.

Tanah Gajah at night
STAYS

Tanah Gajah: the last hotel Adrian Zecha never quite left behind

Overlooked since it lost the Chedi name, but the staff who trained under Zecha never left, and neither did the philosophy.

Koi pond walkway at Como Uma Ubud's reception
STAYS

Como Uma Ubud: the hotel that felt like a warm blanket

Centrally located, quietly minimalist, and frustratingly all-round perfect. A Como property that pulls you toward the island rather than away from it.

Four Seasons Sayan valley
STAYS

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan: a world of its own

An extraordinary hotel that isn't extraordinary for everyone in the same way. On architecture, wellness, and knowing which kind of good you're looking for.

Capella Ubud jungle stairs
STAYS

Capella Ubud: a magnificent hotel that could be anywhere

One of the most inventive hotels on the island, and a reflection on what spectacle can and can't give you.

The St. Regis Bali Resort pool
STAYS

The St. Regis Bali Resort: a masterclass in excess

Atlantis Bahamas energy, transplanted to Nusa Dua. On bottomless breakfasts, nightly fire dances, and an award-winning wine list.

Amandari pavilion at night
STAYS

Amandari: the original, and still the best argument for restraint

The 1989 blueprint for Bali's boutique resort era, and a staff member quietly moving a parasol so nobody would ever have to see it happen.

InterContinental Bali Resort gardens
STAYS

InterContinental Bali Resort: the best deal in Bali, hiding in plain sight

A guilty-pleasure five-star that shares an architect with Tanah Gajah, and opened the same year Four Seasons redefined Bali luxury entirely.

START HERE

Tell us the shape
of your trip.

No packages to choose from. A few lines about who's coming, when, and what you're curious about is enough. Wayan and Sven build the rest around that.

MESSAGE US ON WHATSAPP →
USUALLY REPLY WITHIN A DAY · BALI TIME (GMT+8)