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Bali Diary Day 11-13: A small oasis in the heart of Seminyak- The Colony Hotel Bali
After a nice and refreshing cup of coffee on the beach of Karma Reef it was sadly time to leave our small luxury villa and move back to the BIG island Bali. Even though it was only a short stay the staff members were sad to see us leave and walked us back to the boat.
At 11 o’clock in the morning our speedboat ferry was ready for departure. The boat had some nice air-con and during the journey back I could see the volcano again and some smaller islands. After arriving back on Bali again after a short ride of 1,5 hours I took a taxi to my next stop on Bali: The town of Seminyak.
When I entered Seminyak it was a small shock in comparison to tranquil Gili Meno. With no cars and doing everything by foot now there were taxi’s and scooters everywhere. The first thing you’ll notice is the amount of shops that you will find there. Seminyak is Bali’s most fashionable beach, home to the islands most finest boutiques and fashion stores. Make you sure you’ll leave your credit card at your hotel because otherwise it will be an expensive afternoon 🙂
After a short ride trough the city I finally arrived at The Colony Boutique Hotel.
The Colony Boutique Hotel is a three-star boutique hotel, which opened its doors in 2013. The Colony Hotel is located in the heart of Seminyak and is only a short walk away from Petitenget Beach, Seminyak Square and very close to trendy beach clubs like Ku De Ta or Potato Head and some really nice shops and restaurants. Yet the hotel is hidden back off the busy street making it really feel like an oasis away from the hustle and bustle, inside it even looks like one. With the swimming pool in the middle accompanied by trees on either side and grand looking villas around it. It makes you question if you really are in Seminyak or on a lush and green bounty island.
The grounds are compact with just 20 rooms tightly built around a swimming pool and stone pool deck, with an adjoining poolside café and lobby. All rooms are air-conditioned with en suite bathrooms, high-speed Wifi internet, TV with DVD player and mini bar. We were staying in one of the deluxe rooms held in simple and elegant design.
I am a big fan of small and personal properties and this place is just perfect if you want a beautiful, central hotel without staying in a large resort.
I really liked the highly personalized service with friendly staff who gave lots of attention to detail. I also loved the timeless colonial decor, the classy look and feel of the property.
After I familiarized myself with the hotel it was time to hit the streets of Seminyak. With so many good options to go to, it was pretty hard to start somewhere. So the first day I went on a shopping spree and with tons of hip stores there is a lot to choose from. From small fashion boutiques to all the big surfer brands, you will find it here in Seminyak. However the prices are almost the same as back home.
After a nice shopping spree it was time to hit the beach and look for a nice sun downer. I got recommended the MoonLite Kitchen and Bar as an ideal place to watch the ocean and see the sunset. MoonLite Bar is on the top floor of the Anantara Seminyak Bali Resort and offers an amazing view of the sunset. The interior was fresh and funky and most importantly the frozen daiquiri was one the best I ever had. It is also a perfect spot to have a romantic dinner. All the dished we tried, recommendations from the waitress, were fabulous.
We took a stroll down the beach, past the many small beach bars and took a taxi back to the hotel from the main street. The property of The Colony Hotel was all lid up at night and looked very beautiful. After sleeping in, we headed to the lovely pool side café where you can select items from their breakfast menu. We opted for some pineapple pancakes, full English breakfast, pastries and fruit accompanied by fresh juices and Balinese coffee. We could have easily sat there for hours, reading the newspaper while sipping on a cup of coffee. At the café they also offer a light lunch and drinks. Fronting the hotel you can find the URCHIN that offers modern style seafood.
After doing some laps in the pool we returned to our room which was already cleaned and made up and got ready for another day exploring Seminyak. The location is really convenient and again we came by some very nice shops, restaurants and finally ended up by the beach where we rented some surfboards and tried to catch a wave. Seminyak beach offers really good conditions for beginners like us. For sunset we decided to sit down under the colorful umbrellas on some bean bags at the popular beach bar called La Plancha.
For dinner we just walked up the beach to Chez Gado, Gado – another recommendation we got. It is situated right by the beach and has a nice outdoor sitting area with views of the Indian Ocean. The restaurant is specialized in mainly Pan-meditereannean dishes prepared by a Dutch chef. Everyday there is a changing tasting menu created by the chef with local products from the market. We went for the menu and some cocktails and were very happy with our choice.
The next morning after enjoying another breakfast in the poolside café and some relaxing it was time to say goodbye to Tami, who runs the hotel, and to the very gentle team. Next stop for us: Nusa Dua.
Find our more: http://www.thecolonyhotelbali.com
