HOTELS

The Great Reset: Hotel Komune Bali

WORDS: Steve and Estelle Hunt PHOTOGRAPHY Brian Usher- [email protected] and Supplied by Hotel Komune

We’ve been intrepid travellers for over 25 years now, exploring, traipsing and traversing by planes, trains and automobiles – laden with backpacks and now suitcases – across the world in search of new and exciting experiences.

Our global wanderlust gathering snapshots of lifelong memories has taken us through more than 30 countries and across three continents.

Whenever we turn up somewhere our natural inclination is to explore, discover, and experience.

The inclination to spread our wings was diminished, however, when we were invited by Ocean Road Magazine publishers Brian and Melissa Usher to join them at Hotel Komune  – a majestic and unique resort oasis just north of Sanur on Bali’s east side.

Quite simply, everything we needed was there within the lush, spacious expanse of one of the island’s quintessentially unique and luxurious resorts.

From the pumping waves of the world-renowned Keramas reef overlooking the resort itself to the resort pools, yoga retreats, day spa, expansive dining and wellness options, Komune has that, well, communal, stay-where-you-are and take-it-all-in vibe.

A place to stop life and live, to recede and rejuvenate. Stop. Unwind. Rewind. And begin a great reset from the rigours of our normal existence.

A place to reflect and give yourself – or your better half – a hug, for all the effort in navigating another global traverse: life itself.

Enter the resort’s Wellness Package, one of Komune’s signature offerings, which incorporates daily yoga classes, tailor-made private yoga lessons to suit your needs and health spa treatments and also includes healthy and nutritional meals.

Trust me, this is no Eat, Pray Love. If it was, I would be fleeing to the sanctity and safety of Keramas Reef to find my peace and harmony.

But thanks to an open mind, and a supportive wife who enjoys her yoga, along with the warmth, calmness, professionalism and understanding of the yoga instructors led by the experienced head yoga instructor Dinda, our rookie yoga retreat experiences as relative novices was off to a flyer.

So much so that we have committed to incorporating yoga into our lives when we return to the madness from which we came, and from which Komune provided so much tranquility and solace.

The Wellness Package at Komune is arguably one of Bali’s most unique retreat-type options.

It begins with an introduction to your own wellness concierge who will tailor your Komune experience to suit you!

It’s all about you, but also about crafting a better you.

If this means two three-hour indulgence packages that include body scrubs, massages, reflexology foot massage, flower bath, and a facial, then this is for you.

If it means a four-hands massage where two practitioners massage you from head to toe for a 50-minute indulgence of the senses, then Komune is your nirvana.

The four-hands massage, a first for us, is an absolute must; described as ‘dancing hands’ where two massage therapists perform a choreographed dance of rhythmic strokes and pressure techniques to soothe the body.

The notion of hyperventilating in a sub-zero temperature ice bath has never, well, floated our boats, but, like yoga, this is a truly energising and incredibly invigorating experience that we will encourage ourselves to partake for our betterment on our return home.

Being first timers we were reticent to say the least to brace the icy waters but with an open mind came out with the view that the incredible invigoration of one’s body certainly outweighs are few shallow breaths and pins and needles. And, no we didn’t hyperventilate.

Stepping out of our comfort zones and leaning into new experiences for universal benefit was a refreshing trait for a couple who tend to enjoy our creature comforts.

Speaking of which, if a chocolate and almond scrub is one of the wide range of body scrubs available, then we’re all in.

A couples’ package called the Sea of Love includes two hours of indulgence including tandem massage and facial.

Or, stick to your DNA, keep to your creature comforts and enjoy a specially-prepared rejuvenating bath in the marble bath of your own resort suite or villa, prepared by the staff.

Offers include a relaxing honey and frangipani milk bath, a renewing frangipani salt bath, herbal spices bath to revitalise the senses, recharge the body and get the blood circulation going, and the jungle mix bath, a unique blend of herbs, barks, roots and dried fruit designed to refresh the body and assist in removing toxins.

We stayed in the luxury beachfront pool suites – beautifully appointed rooms with sweeping views of the pumping Keramas surf break and the main resort pool.

Fully air-conditioned, the suites – equipped with a lap pool, mini-bar, and day-bed – are the ultimate resting place from the array of activities.

Ideal for families, the suites also offer a dual key component for the kids. And yes, Komune is the perfect place for families.

Other accommodation options include the Komune resort rooms located in a lovely garden setting and villas with private pools.

There are three pool options including an adults-only, tropically themed resort pool that encourages quietness, relaxation and reflection without any distractions – or kids.

“The whole idea behind Komune was to offer experiences that suit everyone,” says Tony Cannon, who along with business partner and wellness industry leader Tony de Leede are the visionaries behind Komune, which just celebrated its 12th birthday.

“From people looking to just focus on their health and wellbeing, to surfers wanting to base themselves in front of one of Bali’s most well-known surf breaks in Keramas, to families looking for a range of activities that also include the kids – Komune was designed to cater for all of these needs without a clash of civilisations.

“The different dining experiences, the health and wellness centre, the beach, the yoga, the different precincts, provide the opportunity for all types of different experiences for all types of people.”

If Komune offers diversity for guests, it follows this theme with its food – offering one of the most extensive food and beverage menus available anywhere in Bali.

From the beachfront restaurant to the more understated health hub, the vast menu takes on a whole new level of diversity from the traditional to the local, or just the plain healthy.

Headed by Suangga, nicknamed Big Chef, who has been with the property since it opened, Komune is constantly adapting its menu based on customer feedback, creating new cooking ideas and innovation, and sourcing its food from local farms and villages while growing some onsite.

“I have no secret recipes – the recipes just come from the heart,” says the big smiling, big-hearted Balinese chef as he shares with us the philosophy behind the Komune dining experience. Included are traditional Balinese dishes combined with delicious international cuisine.

Indonesian options include The Martabak Telor, a delicious traditional Indonesian breakfast which includes chicken, egg, leek, shallot and garlic wrapped in a spring roll skin; Nasi Goreng Laut – a Balinese classic fried rice with prawns, scallops, calamari, tuna, bok choi, carrot, king oyster, shimeji and skewered seafood; and as an entrée the seafood miso soup, one of my favourites, which includes a selection of tender seafood pieces and mixed Japanese fungi in a light coconut miso blend broth.

The 40-plus vegetarian and vegan dishes provide some insight into the lengths that Komune has gone to cater to all dietary needs. An incredible nine different options are available for a vegan burger.

Meat eaters don’t despair – carnivorous options include lamb shanks, BBQ ribs and Peking duck, pork belly and Australian striploin, grilled Angus quality beef with potatoes and a selection of vegetables.

Other menu items include super food porridge, mung bean pancakes, mung bean dough base plant pizza, island of the Gods salad, pan-seared Komune duck, and chilli basil cumi (tender pan-fried calamari rings in basil chilli butter), fresh barracuda, beef rendang, green seafood curry, seafood risotto, and a range of nutritious poke bowls.

Cooking and mixology classes are also available to help people refine and improve their cooking skills, learn how to cook local Balinese cuisine and make their own cocktails.

The super-health conscious can partake in Komune’s detox cleanse juice program, also known as a juice fast, detox diet. During the cleanse you consume water and seven juices (and often nothing else) for the day. Advocates believe drinking juice floods the body with healing nourishment while flushing toxins and waste.

In the Health Hub you will find The Shot Bar and they are not the shots you might think.

These colourful shots are full of nourishment for the body and incorporate immune boosters such as wheatgrass, ginger, cayenne pepper and activated charcoal which is believed to reduce flatulence, promoting kidney health and lowering cholesterol levels.

A fully air-conditioned gym with personal trainers, regular daily training classes, and first-class gym and weight facilities is a centrepiece for fitness, or you can use the outdoor gym known as Komune’s Muscle Beach – Venice Beach eat your heart out.

Pumping waves in the morning, pumping iron in the afternoon!

And pumping beats in the evening, with live music performed several nights a week by a talented local quartet that plays old rock favourites and a DJ by the pool on weekends.

The quartet is happy to take requests and serenade tables. Or you can even join them for a sing-along which we neither confirm nor deny we took part in.

There are plenty of things to do outside the resort such as a plethora of waterfalls in the nearby Ubud and Sideman, Mt Batur volcano hike and the Bali Safari and Marine Park.

If you’re anything like my wife, a day’s shopping in Seminyak is mandatory. You know the saying, happy wife, happy life! This necessity is made easier by Komune Hotel which has drivers to take you where you need to go.

After day two at Komune we decided to get the shopping out of the way as soon as possible (or I had anyway) so we could immerse ourselves in such a wonderful hotel and resort experience.

The second thing we immediately decided was that we would be returning with the kids. The kids’ club features a fully-fledged skatebowl, free-range chickens for the kids to cuddle,  trampolines; a Free Range Kids’ Park that offers a kids’ club, a full-sized soccer field, and basketball hoop.

And last, but not least, is the heartbeat of Komune – its staff. The typical, warm, gentle, humble, smiling, Balinese whose warmth and welcome is personified by management’s strong training and commitment to customer service.

Having been to Bali many times and over many years, Komune exudes the completeness of a Bali resort experience for which many strive but many don’t or can’t deliver.

At Komune, enjoy the First World in the Third World while retaining the cultural richness, rawness and warmth that attracts hundreds of thousands of Aussies every year to the island of the gods.

Komune is everything and more, and one of the most complete resort experiences we have experienced after years travelling to Bali.

Mantap, in fact!

We will be back.

For Bookings visit: www.komuneresorts.com

How we feel after being here for the week.

Estelle: “I feel totally relaxed. I feel like yoga has helped immensely in bringing me to a level of relaxation I rarely have at home. Being avid travellers, we tend to always go looking for adventure and sightseeing. This time we didn’t. Everything we wanted was here, and it really gave us the opportunity to unwind while still enjoying all the activities on offer.”

Steve: “As an avid surfer, the notion of checking the surf from my beachfront villa to check out a world-renowned surf break, Keramas, is my idea of heaven on earth – a mechanical, near-perfect wave that winds down the reef in front of the Komune Resort. I have never done yoga, until now! Seeing its benefits, I am incorporating it into my local fitness regime at home. The food, facilities, activities and friendliness of the staff was just unbelievable.”

Brian: This is my second visit to Komune and it never disappoints. There is simply no need to leave. You won’t find better food anywhere in Bali and the Yoga program, facilities and instructors are simply the best. Having recently undergone a full hip replacement it was great to have daily Yoga to loosen up and get back in the surf.

Melissa: Staying at Komune is a very relaxing, dreamy experience. The food and extensive healthy menu were delicious, the staff were so kind and helpful. The daily yoga and the four hands massage at the spa were a highlight. Great vibes and energy around the hotel. I can’t wait to visit again.