Where there’s a W there’s a wow!

Jonathan Porter in Bali

 

What can I say about the new W Retreat and Spa at Seminyak on the Island of the Gods, Bali? Except possibly “Wow!’’

What began with a chance glance at an ad in on onboard airline magazine by owner Magda Hutagalung 11 years ago has come to fruition as one of the world’s most unique and quintessentially cool hotels.

Ms Hutagalung says she is proud of what she has achieved, saying she and her team had turned nothing into something.

“I was on a flight to LA when 11 years ago I saw a mag which had W advertising; it looked so great,” she says.

“Now that I have brought the W to Bali it feels like I have turned nothing into something.”

W Seminyak manager Craig Seaward says, there is really no competition in this end of the market for what W is doing.

“Every general manager says his property is unique,’’ he tells Lunch Magazine.

So what separates your property? “The cutting edge design, the uniqueness of the property and the fact that there is nothing remotely like this in Bali anywhere has really distinguished us as a player that really owns this particular space in Bali.’’

Mr Seward says the 7.8ha property was built on the site of an existing hotel.

“We tapped into the water and power – we like to say it’s a recycled product. There is no additional scar on Bali.’’

The 158 rooms include garden retreats, ocean facing retreats, Wow suites, extreme Wow suites as well as one, two and three bedroom villa retreats.

“Also there are our restaurants; Fire and Starfish Bloo. With Starfish Bloo I don’t think there is anywhere else in Bali where there are Indian Ocean waves crashing within 15m of your dining table.’’

Mr Seaward says the W takes its social responsibility to the island seriously, with a recycling project, and by supporting 6000 children in Bali who are HIV positive through its charity ball and other community projects.

The lovely Eva Ziegler who maintains that “W is flirty, cool and sexy, but never dirty’’, says the Wet pool is somewhere people can unplug, which even W’s guests do sometimes.

Ms Ziegler says W Seminyak is the 41st fantastic location where people can go to experience the W brand.

“We are targeting the trendsetters with our hotels as well as retreats. It is basically the people who are interested in the latest, newest, hippest coolest thing and what’s next,’’ she says.

“They are very fashion savvy, very design savvy. As well as having the notion that they have to see and be seen. We are giving them inside access to the world of Wow.

‘The W Seminyak Hotel and Retreat is extraordinary. We want people to escape from the world of the ordinary into the world of the extraordinary. That is our mission.’’

She says there is no danger of W becoming a “cookie cutter brand’’ as the luxury giant expands around the globe.

“We are keeping the boutique feel by having each hotel have its own design personality,’’ she says.

“Each hotel has its own design narrative. It starts with an insight into the location that it is interpreted in a W way, in a playful way, but also in a cutting edge way.’’

One way W is achieving this goal was turning the traditional F&B (food and beverage) concept on its head.

“It’s now B and F – it’s the cocktail culture. It’s about seeing and being seen.”

In order to achieve this W collaborates with bar gurus as well as food gurus and music gurus such as internationally renowned DJ  Michealangelo L’Acqua.

“The mantra here and around the world is whatever the guest wants whenever they want it. As long as it’s legal. We will fulfil every wish.’’

 

“People ask me if it’s a certain age group we are targeting and it’s not, the person can be from 20 to 60 it’s not an age, it’s a mindset.

“Our guests are pushing the boundaries, interested in what’s next – jetsetters who are traveling the world, who want the latest in IT, in fashion and in other fast-changing industries.’’

W Retreat & Spa Bali – Seminyak

Jl. Petitenget

Seminyak,

Bali

80361

Indonesia

 

Phone: (62)(361) 4738106

 

www.whotels.com/baliseminyak

X Catamaran trip to Crystal Bay: guests can book directly with Whatever/Whenever service at W Bali or go to http://www.xsails-bali.com/

 

 

 

 

 

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