Andaz Bali takes inspiration from traditional Balinese traditions and aesthetic.

Sanur, Bali, welcomed a new resort in the middle of 2021, Andaz Bali, and extended an invitation to The Jakarta Post to experience the resort firsthand. Andaz is part of the Hyatt hospitality brand, and this is its first property in Asia. Its name gives away how Andaz is positioned within the mega hospitality group: it translates to “personal style” in Hindi. The promise is that each Andaz hotel around the world has its personal style. This is in contrast with the Hyatt Regency brand (Hyatt Regency Bali sits right next door to Andaz Bali), which is more about similarity and familiarity of offerings within all properties around the world. Living up to its name, Andaz Bali draws from its surrounding Sanur neighborhood: the sights, sounds and aesthetic. The overarching theme of the resort is Andaz’s reinterpretation of a traditional Balinese village and its way of life.

Borderless tradition

Any 5-star accommodation goes above and beyond to make the check-in process seamless. This is after all, a guest’s first experience with the hotel, and usually a guest comes after a long flight going through the airport feeling tired. To win this first impression, Andaz Bali designed its lobby and check in booths differently. Instead of approaching the check-in booth, we were escorted to sit on the lobby sofas and later approached by a front desk officer for check-in. In this main lobby we did not see the typical guest-facing front desk officers and reception booths. There is, however, a square reception booth placed roughly in the middle of the lobby, but it is designed with front desk officers facing inward toward each other, with their backs to guests. This seamless design in the lobby eliminates the sense of a “border" between staff and guests – all inspired by the traditional Balinese bale banjar (community hall).

Lighting up the lobby are lights designed with traditional fishing bamboo net covers; Sanur after all is still an active fishing village. The hotel staff also wear a variety of colorful modern batik uniforms – there is no color uniformity each day as each staff member gets to choose to wear what they please from a selection made available.

Village square

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