The Banyan Tree Resort and Spa is a new clifftop development, located in Ungasan, Bali, Indonesia. It opened on 22 January 2011, and is situated in a secluded 10ha site on top of a 70m-high cliff on the southern Ungasan peninsula, overlooking the Indian Ocean.
Although private, the resort is near the busy tourist beaches of Kuta, Seminyak and Sanurand, and the Uluwatu Temple. The resort’s design was based on a village concept and has 73 luxury villas spaced around a central pavilion, or bale, where the hotel facilities and spa are based.
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Each villa is located in its own private landscaped garden and boasts sea views and the latest facilities. Each villa has a built-in sunken bath, an open-air shower, a private infinity pool and an outdoor jet pool. The resort is a 35-minute drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport.
Banyan Tree Resort and Spa finance and design
Construction of the resort began in October 2006. It was developed by Banyan Tree Resorts and Hotels in conjunction with Indonesian developer PT Surya Semesta Internusa (its subsidiary PT Sitiagung Makmur owns the resort).
The resort project required an investment of $30m and was financed with an owner ‘leaseback’ scheme, which means that any investor who would like to purchase a property at the resort will have to invest anything from $650,000 for a one-bedroom suite to $2.7m for a presidential villa.
These units would then be leased back to the resort to rent it out to guests at suite rates, starting at $600 per night. The developer has extended guarantees of an 8% yield for the first two years of the investment, which will then be followed by a revenue-sharing scheme between the resort and the owners.
Accommodation
Banyan Tree Resort and Spa houses five types of villa: the Pool villa (one-bedroom), the Cliff Edge Ocean View Pool Villa (one-bedroom), the Sanctuary Villa (two-bedroom), the Cliff Edge Ocean View Sanctuary Villa (two-bedroom) and the Presidential Villa (three-bedroom).
The resort’s one-bedroom villas occupy 240m2 on a 399m2 plot, while the two-bedroom villas have a floor space of 315m2 on a 530m2 plot. The Cliff Edge Ocean View Sanctuary Villa has a floor space of 565m2. The three-bedroom villas have a floor area of 680m2 on a 1,150m2 plot.
The architects for the resort were Peddle Thorp Architects in conjunction with PTI Architects. The interiors were designed by Wilson and Associates, of the US, while the landscaping for the villas and resort was designed by EDAW of Australia.
Facilities at the Banyan Tree Resort
The Banyan Tree resort is set in a natural forest and uses traditional architecture and finely landscaped gardens.
Resort facilities include the Banyan Tree Spa (which offers its own range of products and Eastern-based therapies), executive meeting rooms, a ballroom, a children’s play area, a supersized infinity pool, a gymnasium, a cascading swimming pool, the Banyan Tree Gallery and two fine restaurants (including the Cliff Top Fine Dining and Bar).
The resort has a wide range of local and international cuisine in its six restaurants and bars: the Tamarind restaurant, the Lobby Lounge, the Pool bar, the Ju-Ma-Na restaurant, the Ju-Ma-Na bar and the Bambu restaurant.
The hotel provides facilities for children in the form of the Turtle Club, which is suited for children aged from four to ten years.
The resort has its own private beach offering snorkelling, surfing and a range of water sports (access by private road from the resort).
One-bedroom villa and extras
Although the Banyan Tree’s one-bedroom units are the least expensive option, they have been constructed with a range of luxury facilities.
Each villa has a foyer, a living room and a dining area with a fully equipped pantry. Sliding glass doors open from the living room onto a 40m2 veranda, which also has a 4m by 10m infinity swimming pool with a built in jet-pool.
A marble bathroom offers either a full-size bath and glass-enclosed shower or a traditional open-air Bali-style shower. The bedroom has a walk-in closet, a king-size bed, solid wood parquet floor, sofa and variable lighting system.
The Presidential Villa also has a billiard table, a 25m infinity pool, a piano, a library, a spa treatment room, separate wet and dry kitchens, and maid’s quarters.
Contractors
The architects for the Banyan Tree resort were Peddle Thorp Architects in conjunction with PTI Architects.
The interiors were designed by Wilson and Associates of the US, while the landscaping for the villas and resort was designed by EDAW of Australia.
