Bali meets France at this beautiful jungle resort
The hard teak flooring in my one-bedroom Pool King Villa is a work of art. It's a magnificent foundation for the room's contemporary Balinese artworks and textiles. The 120-square-metre space, accessed using a key card made from recycled wood, is glowing thanks to the wraparound ambient light that frames the rattan panel over the king-sized bed and softly illuminates every corner.
The ensuite features a standalone bath and shower, and is crafted in quality stone. I'm a die-hard snacker, so appreciate that the fruit bowl is replenished every day. Likewise, the smart TV actually works and is already hooked up to Netflix.
Food + drink
The French know their audience: I sight a jar of Vegemite at the buffet at breakfast restaurant Kepuh on the first morning. There's a fresh juicing station and barista coffee, quality pastries and croissants and mostly Asian and Indonesian hot options. All-day restaurant Kelapa overlooks the main pool and the chef makes a mean, tricked-up iteration of soto ayam (fragrant Indonesian chicken noodle soup). Head to fine-dining spot Kokokan for aperitifs and live tunes every week. The restaurant serves up fussy French fare, such as foie gras and beef, and the sommelier is Balinese. If you don't feel like rolling out of bed, room service is very reasonably priced.
Out + about
There's not a lot in the immediate vicinity, but depending on traffic, Ubud can be reached within 15 to 30 minutes. While there, check out Balinese artworks at the Neka Art Museum and stop in for small plates at wood-fired concept Honey + Smoke by acclaimed Bali-based chef Will Meyrick. The hotel offers a host of complimentary weekly activities, including yoga, rice paddy walks and cooking classes.
The verdict
An elegant stay that seamlessly marries the best of Balinese and French cultures, albeit with a conscience. Its social responsibilities are especially felt in the hiring of Balinese staff in roles that have long been filled by foreigners in Bali.
Essentials
One-bedroom Pool King Villa from IDR6,700,000 ($637) a night. Seven rooms accessible. Banjar Tanggayuda, Jalan Taman Sari, Kedewatan, Kecamatan Ubud and Kabupaten Gianyar. See kappasenses.com
Rating out of five
★★★★
Highlight
Loading
The hotel employs a company to recycle its plastic and cardboard, shares 50 half of its crops with neighbouring villages and composts organic waste.
Lowlight
My villa faces the restaurant and the landscaping isn't yet dense enough, so my aspect, which includes a plunge pool, is not as private as I'd hoped.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
West Australian
12 hours ago
- West Australian
A family thought the sculpture on their piano was a ‘fake' Rodin. Now it's sold for more than $1.5 million
A sculpture by French artist Auguste Rodin — which had disappeared from public view for almost 120 years and was thought to be a copy — has sold for €860,000 ($A1,507,783.20) at auction. Le Désespoir (Despair) — which shows a female figure sitting on a rock holding one foot, with her knee hugged to her chest — was rediscovered at the end of 2024 after last being sold in 1906, French auction house Rouillac said. Rodin, who lived from 1840-1917, made several versions of Le Désespoir. This particular sculpture was modelled in 1890 and sculpted from marble in 1892-1893. Measuring just 28.5cm by 15cm by 25cm, the sculpture was originally modelled to form part of Rodin's monumental work The Gates Of Hell which features more than 200 figures and groups. The previous owners — a family from central France — had no idea of its value and had displayed the sculpture on top of a piano alongside family photos, auctioneer Aymeric Rouillac told CNN. 'They said 'it's a fake, it's a copy',' Rouillac said, adding he nevertheless decided to investigate further. The details of this sculpture are striking, Rouillac told CNN. 'The back, the muscles, they are perfect,' he said. 'You can feel every vertebra in the spinal column.' Following his own investigation, Rouillac took the sculpture for assessment by the Comité Rodin, which maintains a catalogue of the artist's work. Comité Rodin founder Jérôme Le Blay told CNN he was immediately struck by the 'exceptional' piece. 'I realised in a second that it was real,' he said. 'I had absolutely no doubt.' This particular example is 'extremely well made,' Le Blay said, adding it dates back to a period when Rodin was dedicating a huge amount of time to making a small number of sculptures. Rodin would have worked with assistants who would have carried out the initial work on a piece of marble, before he performed the final stages, he explained. According to Le Blay, the sculpture dates to 'one of the best moments of Rodin's career' before his growing fame meant he started to produce more and more works after the turn of the century. Upon his death, Rodin left his works to the Musée Rodin in Paris, as well as granting it permission to continue producing his bronze sculptures. While many of these posthumous bronzes go under the hammer each year, marbles are much harder to find, Le Blay said. Most of Rodin's marbles are owned by the Musée Rodin or by other large museums around the world. 'Marbles in private collections are rare,' he said, adding this piece has a 'kind of magic' due to the fact it has reappeared for sale after such a long time. In a 'passionate' auction, the top bid was made by a young banker from the US West Coast, according to the auction house.
Perth Now
12 hours ago
- Perth Now
Family's ‘fake' art piece sells for more than $1.5 million
A sculpture by French artist Auguste Rodin — which had disappeared from public view for almost 120 years and was thought to be a copy — has sold for €860,000 ($A1,507,783.20) at auction. Le Désespoir (Despair) — which shows a female figure sitting on a rock holding one foot, with her knee hugged to her chest — was rediscovered at the end of 2024 after last being sold in 1906, French auction house Rouillac said. Rodin, who lived from 1840-1917, made several versions of Le Désespoir. This particular sculpture was modelled in 1890 and sculpted from marble in 1892-1893. Measuring just 28.5cm by 15cm by 25cm, the sculpture was originally modelled to form part of Rodin's monumental work The Gates Of Hell which features more than 200 figures and groups. The previous owners — a family from central France — had no idea of its value and had displayed the sculpture on top of a piano alongside family photos, auctioneer Aymeric Rouillac told CNN. 'They said 'it's a fake, it's a copy',' Rouillac said, adding he nevertheless decided to investigate further. The details of this sculpture are striking, Rouillac told CNN. 'The back, the muscles, they are perfect,' he said. 'You can feel every vertebra in the spinal column.' Following his own investigation, Rouillac took the sculpture for assessment by the Comité Rodin, which maintains a catalogue of the artist's work. The detail on one of the feet of the sculpture. Credit: Guillaume Souvant/AFP via Getty Images Comité Rodin founder Jérôme Le Blay told CNN he was immediately struck by the 'exceptional' piece. 'I realised in a second that it was real,' he said. 'I had absolutely no doubt.' This particular example is 'extremely well made,' Le Blay said, adding it dates back to a period when Rodin was dedicating a huge amount of time to making a small number of sculptures. Rodin would have worked with assistants who would have carried out the initial work on a piece of marble, before he performed the final stages, he explained. According to Le Blay, the sculpture dates to 'one of the best moments of Rodin's career' before his growing fame meant he started to produce more and more works after the turn of the century. Upon his death, Rodin left his works to the Musée Rodin in Paris, as well as granting it permission to continue producing his bronze sculptures. While many of these posthumous bronzes go under the hammer each year, marbles are much harder to find, Le Blay said. Most of Rodin's marbles are owned by the Musée Rodin or by other large museums around the world. 'Marbles in private collections are rare,' he said, adding this piece has a 'kind of magic' due to the fact it has reappeared for sale after such a long time. In a 'passionate' auction, the top bid was made by a young banker from the US West Coast, according to the auction house.
7NEWS
15 hours ago
- 7NEWS
A family thought the sculpture on their piano was a ‘fake' Rodin. Now it's sold for more than $1.5 million
A sculpture by French artist Auguste Rodin — which had disappeared from public view for almost 120 years and was thought to be a copy — has sold for €860,000 ($A1,507,783.20) at auction. Le Désespoir (Despair) — which shows a female figure sitting on a rock holding one foot, with her knee hugged to her chest — was rediscovered at the end of 2024 after last being sold in 1906, French auction house Rouillac said. Rodin, who lived from 1840-1917, made several versions of Le Désespoir. This particular sculpture was modelled in 1890 and sculpted from marble in 1892-1893. Measuring just 28.5cm by 15cm by 25cm, the sculpture was originally modelled to form part of Rodin's monumental work The Gates Of Hell which features more than 200 figures and groups. The previous owners — a family from central France — had no idea of its value and had displayed the sculpture on top of a piano alongside family photos, auctioneer Aymeric Rouillac told CNN. 'They said 'it's a fake, it's a copy',' Rouillac said, adding he nevertheless decided to investigate further. The details of this sculpture are striking, Rouillac told CNN. 'The back, the muscles, they are perfect,' he said. 'You can feel every vertebra in the spinal column.' Following his own investigation, Rouillac took the sculpture for assessment by the Comité Rodin, which maintains a catalogue of the artist's work. Comité Rodin founder Jérôme Le Blay told CNN he was immediately struck by the 'exceptional' piece. 'I realised in a second that it was real,' he said. 'I had absolutely no doubt.' This particular example is 'extremely well made,' Le Blay said, adding it dates back to a period when Rodin was dedicating a huge amount of time to making a small number of sculptures. Rodin would have worked with assistants who would have carried out the initial work on a piece of marble, before he performed the final stages, he explained. According to Le Blay, the sculpture dates to 'one of the best moments of Rodin's career' before his growing fame meant he started to produce more and more works after the turn of the century. Upon his death, Rodin left his works to the Musée Rodin in Paris, as well as granting it permission to continue producing his bronze sculptures. While many of these posthumous bronzes go under the hammer each year, marbles are much harder to find, Le Blay said. Most of Rodin's marbles are owned by the Musée Rodin or by other large museums around the world. 'Marbles in private collections are rare,' he said, adding this piece has a 'kind of magic' due to the fact it has reappeared for sale after such a long time. In a 'passionate' auction, the top bid was made by a young banker from the US West Coast, according to the auction house.
