With the arrival of the 'condotel' and 'villatel' concepts in Indonesia's property sector, players are offering more investment options in different holiday destinations.

Not only is Bali a popular holiday destination but the Island of the Gods also has its own attractiveness when it comes to property investment.

The Bali chapter of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reported that the number of foreign tourists visiting Bali in December last year had increased 11.54 percent compared to the previous year. The island currently has 56,971 rooms in more than 2,000 hotels, according to the Bali branch of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI).

In the realm of property, many seasoned players see lucrative business opportunities in the markets of 'villatels' (villa hotels) and 'condotels' (condominium hotels).

Agranusa Signature Villas is the latest addition to the list of villatels located in Nusa Dua, Bali. Targeting middle- to upper-echelon investors, Agranusa has been developed by the Prima Propertindo Group, the property developer responsible for The Nest Hotel, which was built with the condotel concept in mind. Providing the same level of service found in four-star hotels, developments at Agranusa are available in two types: two-bedroom and three-bedroom villas.

A similar development is the Majestic Water Villas in Uluwatu, which offers the unique concept of a water village. This Prioritas Land Indonesia property consists of 32 luxury villas, available in two-bedroom and three-bedroom options, all of which are managed by Premier Hospitality Management. What makes these villatels even more lucrative is the presence of a restaurant, spa and wedding hall, which will generate additional income for the villas' owners.

Both properties are set to commence operations next year.

From the service providers' point of view, villatels and condotels are considered a propitious investment. The Golden Tulip Group owns and manages over 140 hotels worldwide and is planning to open six more in Indonesia this year. Three of them are in Bali.

'In Golden Tulip, we offer franchises and embark on contract services with local companies. It's good to be the owner on one side and a manager on the other. Owning hotels provides a stable income and stable profits,' said Pierre-Frédéric Roulot, CEO of the Louvre Hotels Group, which owns the Golden Tulip Group.

The Golden Tulip Group currently operates the only condotel in Batu called Holland Park. Located within Jatim Park, Secret Zoo and Batu Night Square, the 258 exclusive rooms are divided into suites and sky villas.

'We select countries based on several criteria. One is the size of the country. We aim for big countries because we intend to open a lot of hotels. Indonesia provides fantastic opportunities because you can have luxury hotels and resorts as well as three-star, standard and budget hotels,' Pierre said, explaining Golden Tulip's decision to invest in Indonesia.

While service is an important element that helps define a property, the group believes that a local touch gives the property a different feel. 'Golden Tulip aims for international standards with a local flavor. That's the DNA of our developments around the world. We offer international standards because we have been hoteliers for 50 years but at the same time, we don't want to say that we know everything. We have joint venture partners around the world and these partners define our products.'

The three Golden Tulip properties opening in Bali include the Tamansari Jineng Condotel on Sunset Road, Kuta, which is slated to start operating in October. The condotel is built in a traditional architectural style, offering a plunge pool for families to relax. The different types of rooms on offer are the Presidential suite, Executive suite, Junior suite, Premier, Deluxe and Superior rooms. Each room is furnished with traditional décor, such as carved wood panels, paintings, silk wall hangings and stone sculptures.

Speaking of private villas and their services, the Banyan Tree Ungasan is one villatel not to miss. Part of the Banyan Tree Group, the Ungasan property offers 73 luxury villas located on top of a cliff in southern Bali. There are one-bedroom and two-bedroom villas available with a choice of ocean or garden views, as well as a three-bedroom Presidential Villa.

'The highlight of each villa is a generously sized, private infinity pool, which starts from 10 meters in length and is perched on the cliff edge overlooking the horizon. Carefully selected furnishings combine contemporary design with touches of Balinese artistry,' said Luh Maharani, senior public relations manager at the Banyan Tree Ungasan.  'The Presidential Villa also comes with a dedicated spa treatment room and fitness area.'

A favorite with customers is 'the villa pool's ocean view in the highest category of villas. The one-bedroom villas feature unobstructed ocean views with a private 10-meter infinity pool, jet pool and Balinese bale,' Luh added.

The Banyan Tree is also equipped with five-star resort facilities such as an infinity pool overlooking the Indian Ocean, a gym, a Turtle Club for children, library, spa, yoga classes and a selection of restaurants including Ju-Ma-Na. No less interesting is the resort's Balinese-themed services, such as grobogan (fruit arrangements) and palm leaf arrangements.

The Banyan Tree extends its services to beyond the usual food and spa holiday.

The resort is also scheduled to open the Dove Wedding Chapel. Designed by Sarjono Sami, the cliff-top chapel has a contemporary design, and is decorated with three hundred ornamental white doves on the side of the building. The chapel aims to provide happy couples with a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

'We are thrilled that couples will be able to seal their love against one of the most gorgeous cliff-side views in Bali,' Anne Busfield, the resort's general manager, said.

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