Bhanuswari Resort & Spa is just a 10-minute drive from Ubud, the “cultural capital of Bali”. Located in the southern foothills of Bali, the property is surrounded by water – rice field irrigation channels, natural spring-fed streams, and the Petanu River, one of the largest in Bali and good for fishing.
The concept for the property goes far beyond traditional hotels. In 1997, before people began talking about “sustainable tourism”, I Nyoman Suweta began planning how to do it. Suweta, now Managing Director of Bhanuswari Resort & Spa, the traditional village leader, for Tengkulak. His dream was to create a boutique resort that would provide jobs in his village. Many of the young people were training for the hotel and restaurant business. But when they graduated and began looking for work, they had a choice of long commutes or moving to the city. Suweta wanted to allow these villagers to both prosper and live at home, maintaining the traditional culture in their extended families.
In fall of 2004, Suweta started meeting investors who had a compatible vision. Less than 18 months later, on 5-January 2006, Bhanuswari Resort & Spa opened and received its first guest.
The resort was designed by Balinese architects and constructed by a combination of Balinese and Javanese craftspeople. Over 85% of the staff reside only 5-10 minutes away in Tengkulak village. All staff members, including management, are Balinese.
The landscaping takes full advantage of the natural beauty of the site. Flowering trees and banana plants were already growing along a spring-fed stream, and coconut trees lined the rice fields. Additional tropical plants and flowers were purchased from local sources and transplanted. An on-site organic garden provides many of the vegetables and spices for the Terrace restaurant. Others are purchased at local markets.
Furnishings in the guest rooms are produced locally from coconut trees, a sustainable resource. Local craftspeople produce all of the artwork. During your stay, you can visit the artist’s studio to select similar items or even commission an original piece. The staff at Bhanuswari will be happy to arrange crating and shipping if your purchases will not fit into your luggage.
If you prefer a more active vacation, eco-tourism options include both rice field walking and adventure trekking. You may elect to save water by hanging up your towels. And you can re-use your bed linens by placing a plastic card with those instructions on your bed.
Bhanuswari Resort & Spa offers on-site lessons highlighting Balinese culture and arts, including wood carving, painting, batik fabric making, music, dance, and Hindu prayer offering. The location provides an ideal environment for workshops on both self-improvement and professional-development. And it hosts seminars led by international experts on creative writing, interpersonal communications, innovative ways of learning, and other important contemporary topics.
As Bhanuswari Resort & Spa expands, both private and family villas will be available for long-term lease or time-share, as well as at daily or weekly rates.
If you are looking for “experiential travel” rather than a simple tourist vacation, you will find it here. Both the property and the staff at Bhanuswari provide a true sense of place. You will enjoy the creature comforts of a boutique resort. And you will meet new friends while exploring the unique culture of Bali.
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