Balinese Adventure Part 32
Michael Taylor’s 30 day Balinese adventure has ended in real time, but it continues in Cyberspace. Today he reminisces about the Rimba, his penultimate stop on the Island of the Gods.
The Rimba Jimbaran Bali by Ayana was supposed to be the last stop on my 4 week sojourn in the Island of the Gods, but fate has different plans in store for me.
A few days into my Balinese Adventure, I hear about Silent Day, a.k.a. the Balinese New Year. One thing leads to another (more on that in a future post) and I decide to extend my stay by 4 nights to experience this solemn event.
So the Rimba turns out to be my penultimmate stop. As a result, I’ve still got another week before “returning to reality” as my dining companion puts it over dinner on my 2nd night at the property.
Recycled Timber and Exposed Concrete
On my tour of the property, I am told that some of the Asian guests think that the hotel is still under construction because of the recycled timber and exposed concrete.
“When will they finish painting the hotel?” they ask.
Oh, well … No accounting for taste. I LOVE the weather-beaten look. I think the hotel is drop-dead GORGEOUS!
6 Multi-tired Swimming Pools
The resort is set amid 8 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens atop a cliff overlooking Jimbaran Bay in Southwestern Bali in the distance.
There are 6 multi-tiered swimming pools, including one on the roof. Unfortunately, I don’t find time to swim in any of them owing to my tightly packed schedule.
But I’m not complaining. The hotel and a sister property have put together a fantastic itinerary for me. Included are dinners, cocktails, spa treatments, and an unexpected surprise.
But more on that tomorrow.
My Spacious Room
The hotel has 282 rooms and suites. I am housed in a spacious 70 square metre suite, which seems larger than my flat in Hong Kong. Let me clarify … It IS larger than my flat in Hong Kong …
There is a comfortable living space with a bed, a circular sofa, a flat screen TV, a work space (thank goodness, I DO have to work while I’m here), a large walk-in closet, a luxurious bathroom with a circular bathtub, and a spacious balcony with a spectacular view of the hotel’s grounds, its nurseries, a forest, and the ocean beyond.
I hate hotel rooms with mini-bars placed awkwardly under the televison cabinet, so I really appreciate the little alcove that is set into one corner of the room.
There is a small refrigerator with a counter on top, which has a coffee maker and water heater, and the stuff you need to make coffee and tea with.
There is also a circular table where you can prepare your drinks and snacks.
Unique – Rooftop Bar
After checking in and unpacking on my first afternoon, I head to the Unique – Rooftop Bar, where several mojitos, some very yummy sliders, and a spectacular sunset await.
And there is also a very pleasant surprise!
A bartender that I met on my last trip to Bali is working at the bar. We have stayed in contact via Facebook, but I didn’t know he was working here.
We take one look and each other and say, “Is that YOU???”
So I receive a very warm welcome – together with those yummy mojitos and mouth-watering sliders. Will I have room for dinner?
The place seems to be filling up as the afternoon progresses. Is it because of that spectacular sunset that I have been told about? This does seem like the place to see and be seen.
Glass Enclosed Bakery
After dark, I make my way to To’ge, the hotel’s all day eatery, which lays out sumptuous buffet breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. I have dinner there tonight – and breakfast there on the following 2 days.
To be brutally honest, hotel buffet restaurants can be much of a muchness. There often isn’t much to distinguish one from another.
What I like about THIS place is the glass-enclosed bakery, where you can watch bakery chefs making croissants and other pastries in front of your very eyes.
After breakfast on my second day, I have a tour of the property. Then I have lunch at the Ah Yat Abalone, the hotel’s Chinese restaurant.
Following lunch and a tour of the property, I am taken by shuttle to the hotel’s sister property, the Ayana Hotel and Spa.
Click here for more pictures of the Rimba Jimbaran Bali
Where
Rimba Jimbaran, Bali, Karan Mas Estate, Jalan Karang, Mas Sejahtera, Jimbaran, Bali, Indoneisa. Telephone: (62-361) 846 3868.