Bisma Eight is a new luxury boutique resort hotel in Ubud. Rooted in the artisan heritage of central Bali Indonesia, Bisma Eight is something entirely different from what people have come to expect from the island. Started by Tarun Melwani an Indonesian hospitality professional he helped set up a range of hotel and restaurant projects, including Bisma Eight and FOLK Ubud, both of which are family envisioned and managed. TLE spoke to Tarun to find out more about the hotel and their long term goals for the brand.
Your ethos is to help people discover and define what Ubud means to them. How do you go about achieving this?
As a boutique hotel establishment, we started with the core essentials of what it takes to create a luxury guests experience, but we also wanted to help guests adapt seamlessly into Ubud town which is deeply woven in culture and art.
The hotels architectural approach promotes modern aesthetics in seamless harmony with the natural beauty of Ubud. As you saunter through our lobby, a Lord Ganesha shrine and offerings till become a conscious decision to honour the spiritual devotions of Bali in a way that reflect our place within Ubud’s culture. We reinforce this by providing carefully curated information on happenings and whereabouts through both a highly qualified front office team as well as a city guide in our in-room handbook kit.
Private farm-to-fork initiatives, traditional pendet dance classes, kite-making, and specialty Hatta and Vinyasa yoga classes are all offered in-house as a quick taster and as an approach to understanding the real way in which Ubud is defined. We extend these experiences to private bike treks and picnic tours to name a few, with our highly trained tour guides doubling as preservers of a thousand year old culture. They can ecstatically go on for hours and the inspiring stories that are taken home by our guests are a testament to our showcasing the finest of what Ubud has to offer.
What does Ubud mean to you?
Ubud to me has always been a place to wind down, and relax. I originally came from and grew up in the traffic laden and sprawling city of Jakarta and since I moved to Ubud, I even tend to keep visits to the crowded, southern enclaves of Bali to a bare minimum. Being so focused in Ubud has allowed me to cultivate a renewed perspective of life, to understand and appreciate warmer personalities, to slow the frenetic pace of a big city life, and to actually have more time for myself. I think that in itself, is a treasure I took almost a year to discover and appreciate. I feel better about how I can contribute to good change for not only myself but as well as the area as a whole. I am sure that a lot of peoples’ experiences have led to a similar epiphany and I’d like to thank this town for that.
The suites are influenced by both local and international aesthetics. Tell us more about the style of the hotel and the feeling guests enjoy when they stay?
The building was designed as low monolithic structures marrying modern elements such as raw concrete, steel, and glass with iconic Balinese elements like tegel kunci tiles, reclaimed wooden doors from old Javanese and Balinese dwellings, sungkai wooden fixtures, and local copper trimmings that helped to create an aesthetic juxtaposition of softer elements. The minimalism is highlighted through open spaces and a very modular and flexible design throughout the property.
A reflection pond in the centre of the lobby provides a zen-like sensation that works in tandem with a canopy walkway of lush forest plants and overgrowth. Suites are designed to have more of a tropical apartment feel and one of the ways in which we do this is by having all the furniture kept as loose as possible to be able to be moved and to allow customisation like your own living space at home. This is supported by 4 sources of natural light so that the room is always bright, and a pouf and lounge chair have been added to create a partitioned lounge from both the bed and bathroom spaces.
One of the highlights of the room is a Japanese inspired soaking tub made from Canadian cedar along with sustainably scented bath salts we source from the good guys at Republic of Soap. Walkaways are adorned with terrazzo and other forms of reclaimed timber; undulating forest and mountainous views from our temperature controlled pool offer unparallelled, breathtaking moments. It is a very awe inspiring, snuggly, and intimate feeling you get when coming to or leaving from Bisma Eight. At least that’s is what I was told!
Tell us more about the different suites and their personalities?
The Garden and Canopy Suites are located in the same building adjoining the lobby, gymnasium, and signature Copper Kitchen & Bar restaurant; one highlight of these suites are the large living spaces, which can be screened off from the sleeping area, and offer direct access to both a private garden and balcony. Both suites overlook the canopy courtyard leading up towards The Pool Pavilion.
Our Forest Suites are located below the pool deck and offer sweeping panoramic views of the verdant forests of Ubud. With views that evoke a sense of a hidden tree house, guests can end each day with a front row seat looking out over spectacular Balinese forest from a large private balcony. I personally do not have a favourite but if I had to choose one, I would pick The Garden Suite closest to the lobby because the facilities and spaces I use and need the most are but a few steps away.
Who is the Bisma Eight experience most suited to?
We created the space primarily for couples and young families with children because of the laid-back, cozy, and romantic nature of the space but our service surely extends to groups and families, guests wishing for separate beds, connecting rooms, wheelchair accessible rooms and spaces, and anyone just wanting to experience an alternative and affordable luxury offering in Ubud.
Top tips for making the most of your stay here?
If something you come across about the area even slightly takes your interest, then let is know and we can help you out. Ubud has such a charming layout, full of hidden gems and awesome personalities and what you’ll end up seeing and experiencing is always in excess of whatever you initial expectation and imagination might have anticipated.
Web: bisma-eight.com
