On our last day in Bali, we decided to stay within the resort and enjoy its amenities. No more running around! The pool beckons.
Picking Nikko over the other hotels was an easy choice - it is owned and run by family - and we couldn't be more glad that we came here. The resort is gorgeous. From the location to the landscaping, the hotel always reminded us that we were on vacation in paradise. Balinese gamelan music wafted through the hallways, and you could catch the scent of frangipani even against the salty ocean air. Every elevator lobby had a stunning panoramic view of the pool below and the ocean, it's no wonder we kept missing our elevator. Our room was minimalist and modern; we were on the 10th floor and had a great view of the ocean. My mum and aunt shared a room on the 1st floor, which - get this - had a sliding glass door that led right to the pool. Yes! We had a basket of fresh tropical fruits in our room, which was much appreciated.
For breakfast each morning, we had a choice of American or Japanese. I was quickly addicted to the coffee and homemade yogurt at the Brasserie, and the silky smooth rice porridge at Benkay begged for seconds and thirds.
The gardens were beautifully laid out; anywhere you stand would practically make a great picture. (Placed on a cliff overlooking the ocean, it's hard to go wrong.) My one regret was not visiting their chapel, Wiwaha. One of the managers gave us a pair of Wiwaha champagne flutes anyway, but I wish I had visited the chapel to remember the glassware by.
A picture tells a thousand words; these are some photos we took:
E and I, being the solar-deprived Pittsburghers we were, decided to soak up some sun on the beach with our umbrella drinks. We might have been skimpy with the sunscreen lotion... it had been less than an hour, but later we realized we had been scorched. Hubby looked like a lobster and I had funny streaks on my legs (where I missed the sunscreen). Lesson learned: always use protection.
Before we learned about our need for aloe, we visited Mandara Spa for a spa sampler session. At the reception, we were treated to ginger tea and cool mint-scented towels - not a bad start. We were asked to pick among 4 aromatherapy oils for our massages, and then were escorted to a private villa. It was E's first spa experience and he was adorably shy about disrobing. First on the menu was a foot scrub - big bronze basins with rose petal water, lots of sea salt, and some essential oil. Then we moved to the massage table for a thorough (and authentic!) Balinese massage. Lastly, a warm bath was drawn in a huge stone bath in the garden, with lots of rose petals (we had fun with them); towels were laid out, and each of us got a tray with a pot of ginger tea and shortbread cookies. The whole thing lasted 2 hours.
(Being a photo freak, I had to take pictures of the spa too, of course:)
Hubby soaking in the bath
We really enjoyed our stay, even though we wished we had more time. Onward to Jakarta! (To be continued...)
No comments:
Post a Comment