THE APURVA KEMPINSKI:
A glimpse into Indonesian greatness
Carved off the cliffsides of Nusa Dua, facing the mighty Indian Ocean, is the Apurva Kempinski Bali
Carved off the cliffsides of Nusa Dua, facing the mighty Indian Ocean, is the Apurva Kempinski Bali
With the scent of fragrant oil on my skin, with my limbs still loose from the caring hands of my masseuse, I kept walking within the grand corridors of the Apurva Kempinski, oblivious to the fact that I was already lost. It was past sunset and I was nearing the end of day two of my three-day, two-night stay, so I wanted to see the resort from way down below this cliff it was carved from. I’ve been told that at night, when viewed from the ground, Apurva glows like a palace from the Majapahit empire. During the daytime, however, from the same angle, Apurva resembles Bali’s largest Hindu temple complex, the Besakih Temple near Mount Agung in eastern Bali. Our itinerary, unfortunately, didn’t carry eastern Bali, so if it would be the next best thing, I better at least see Apurva as a representation of the temple before it totally gets dark and I instead get the Majapahit view, which shouldn’t be any less astonishing.
It wouldn’t be until a few hours later, though, that I would actually see a view, after dinner. For the moment, I laughed silently at myself and walked on, too happy and feeling good to even worry. I’m not lost, I thought, I’m a Majapahit princess taking a stroll.
According to general manager Vincent Guironnet, the people behind the Apurva Kempinski wanted “to create something which adds meaning to the destination.” Thus, design elements in the Apurva Kempinski encompass Bali’s culture and geography—rice terraces mirrored by the multi-level layout and gardens, subak irrigation reflected in the landscaping’s waterfalls—and Indonesia’s Islam, Buddhist, and Hindu spiritualities
Vincent has been working in Indonesia for at least 17 years now yet remains modest about his understanding of Indonesians, as I brought up my encounters and conversations with the Apurva staff—their wit, cheerfulness, positivity, and confidence. Vincent said it all comes from the Indonesians’ strength of character: “Indonesians are a powerful people.” That Indonesian power proved crucial for the Apurva Kempinski at the height of the pandemic. Since their opening in 2019, they have remained operational amid the closure of most resorts and hotels. They kept taking care of their team, supported their suppliers, and were even able to meet huge demands in domestic travel, all while adapting and learning.
General Manager Vincent Guironnet
“People have to make strong decisions,” Vincent explained. Ultimately, their decision “resulted in cohesion.” He added, “When Bali started to fully reopen, we were already very active in the market.” With the Apurva Kempinski and its formidable team having successfully navigated a global crisis, they now focus back on their reason for being—to continue encouraging travelers to come to Bali while celebrating the fullness of being Indonesian.
“I would say don’t come to Bali for the beaches. You have beautiful beaches all over the world. But come to Bali to understand the cultural heritage of Indonesia. Because it’s all here,” Vincent said, explaining Apurva Kempinski’s mission to showcase “Bali as a hub for understanding Indonesia.” He added, “We want to take it to the next level—come to Bali to visit Indonesia.”
I totally agree with what Vincent said—Indonesia is indeed powerful—and I felt that power not only through the character of the Apurva Kempinski team but also through being treated by them with the utmost care, making me feel important to them and worthy of the best.
I stayed at the cliff private pool ocean junior suite, a 100-square meter suite that affords a spectacular view of the Indian Ocean and the golden sand beachfront. I had this view through an awesome balcony-terrace with a plunge pool. Even my bathtub had an equally superb view of the cliff and beach. Having this accommodation also afforded me exclusive access to the Cliff Lounge and Cliff Pool. During my room inspections, I was also impressed at how the deluxe accommodations were designed. The grand deluxe room, for instance, while being the basic accommodation, is spacious at 65 square meters and equipped with luxe features like a bathtub. The grand deluxe lagoon room at 80 square meters, featuring a terrace and a bathtub, is also marked by an overall generosity in space and elegance.
Executive Chef Ho Weng Kit
Dining choices at the Apurva Kempinski were also exceedingly impressive. Vincent said they want to debunk a misconception: “In general, in the world, [the thinking] is that hotel food is not the best food, so [our] intention was to always have excellence in our restaurants. You can go to a hotel and have good food, so that’s what we are fighting for.” Based on my experience, they already won the fight.
At Bai Yun, the unlimited dimsum offering is world-class. When complimented about his dimsum being the best, the amazing executive chef Ho Weng Kit simply smiled and said, “I just do my job and respect the freshness of the food.” He sure gave us not just freshness – everything he served was deliciously dazzling. My top favorites were: the refreshing pickled cucumber; saucy bitter melon strips; plump prawn puffs; wagyu spring rolls and vegetable spring rolls; and juicy pieces of beef meatballs, chicken rolls, and shiitake dumplings.
At the Reef Beach Club, I feasted on traditional dishes that showed Indonesian cuisine at its finest. All the unique Indonesian spicy and umami flavors I love were present, but I was tasting them for the first time in authentic Indonesian style. My top recommendations are the hearty soup buntut; garlic and lime tiger prawn skewers; beef maranggi with peanut sauce and sambal colo colo; babi genyol or fried braised pork belly; and that homey nasi goreng with wagyu beef.
On our last night, our group went to Koral Restaurant, beneath an aquarium bearing fishes and sea creatures representative of Bali’s rich marine life. Aside from marveling at the sight of colorful aquatic life, we indulged in a curated set, the Koral Gourmet, in five courses: Koral Carpaccio, which is barramundi prepared from a Balinese marinade, with caviar and cauliflower puree; Fish Rice, which is traditional coconut rice with minced fish; grilled half spiny lobster; Beef Rossini, which is wagyu tenderloin served with Rougie foie gras, truffle beef sauce, and tartuffo chicken velouté; and Chocolate Blossoms, a set of cocoa shortcrust, seasalt caramel, moelleux au chocolat, and Jivara ice parfait, ended with mignardises. How do I sum up such a meal, where the caviar was hypnotic, the foie gras was dizzyingly rich, the lobster was oozing and glistening, the wagyu beef was of the highest grade at marbling 9+, the liquid truffle was sublime, and you take luxurious bites of chocolate after sipping a heady cocktail, also of chocolate?
I could not. I just walked after my companions, emerged from the emerald depths of Koral, then looked up. Finally, there it was, the rest of the Apurva Kempinski right before me, above me, spread over the cliff. It’s nighttime, and I was beholding the Apurva Kempinski not in its Besakih Temple likeness, but in its Majapahit grandness. It really does look like a glowing palace of a powerful empire. As for me, I was just so filled with pleasure, even royal suddenly seemed too small a word. I felt otherworldly, almost holy, godlike.
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