The Diary of a Hotel Addict
Alila Villas Uluwatu: Glamorous Green Globe Resort
© 2010, yohanes.budiyanto
The Alila Villas Uluwatu is a truly spectacular resort. It is by far the most breathtaking hotel I've ever seen in terms of design. When most luxury hotels and villas in Bali are capitalizing and over-exploiting stereotypical Balinese cultures by superficially (and literally) using a thatched roof to legitimate a "local feel", Alila Villas Uluwatu braves the norm and goes to a place where no one has ever stepped foot before. Not only it goes contemporary, but it runs the extra-mile and goes green.
For those who are still trapped in the era of Princess Diana walking down the aisle of St. Paul's Cathedral, the term green here does not literally means putting several green shrubs, palm trees, and acres of green carpets as a validation of being ecological sustainable. Unfortunately, most developers still exploit this term in its most literal sense and strive to convince potential buyers that a portrait of a garden means green living and thus they are saving the world. Yeah, and Men were from Mars and Women from Venus, and we can fight poverty for good.. big terms without realistic implications..
Alila Villas Uluwatu has a clear vision from the start and executed it well. It aimed at becoming a modern resort that is both environmentally sustainable and certified by Green Globe, and achieved it in 2009 as the island's first. With Asia's prominent award-winning architect at the helm, WOHA of Singapore, it is very assuring that the resort has been meticulously designed to follow the right criterias of a Green building; and the result is simply stunning. Being green has not hindered Alila to become just as glamorous, sophisticated and irresistable.
Not only all materials were sourced locally, alot of them were recycled materials that were gathered from auctions within the country, i.e.: old timber telegraph poles and wood railway sleepers. Local volcanic stones (Batu Chandi) is also being used as natural insulation for roofs but at the same times provides aesthetic purposes. And this goes on with water conservation, water heating system, and so on.
Alila Villas Uluwatu does not only rely on inner beauty to impress. It's physical beauty is just as mesmerizing. It's like finding a brainy supermodel that does real charity work and helps the poor pro bono.
After getting lost a couple of times before reaching the resort due to its remote location, I finally arrived and was instantly blown away by the design. It is like no other resort. It looks as if I'm walking on a set of a sci-fi movie. It's breathtaking, visionary, modern and beautifull all the way. Well, granted it doesn't scream Bali (thatched roof, etc), but it's great to see a nice change with a substance. Absolutely unforgettable..
ALILA VILLAS ULUWATU
a Green Globe Certified Resort
Pecatu, Bali
General Manager: Sean Brennan
Executive Chef: Stefan Zijta
Architect: WOHA
Alila Villas Uluwatu: Glamorous Green Globe Resort
© 2010, yohanes.budiyanto
The Alila Villas Uluwatu is a truly spectacular resort. It is by far the most breathtaking hotel I've ever seen in terms of design. When most luxury hotels and villas in Bali are capitalizing and over-exploiting stereotypical Balinese cultures by superficially (and literally) using a thatched roof to legitimate a "local feel", Alila Villas Uluwatu braves the norm and goes to a place where no one has ever stepped foot before. Not only it goes contemporary, but it runs the extra-mile and goes green.
For those who are still trapped in the era of Princess Diana walking down the aisle of St. Paul's Cathedral, the term green here does not literally means putting several green shrubs, palm trees, and acres of green carpets as a validation of being ecological sustainable. Unfortunately, most developers still exploit this term in its most literal sense and strive to convince potential buyers that a portrait of a garden means green living and thus they are saving the world. Yeah, and Men were from Mars and Women from Venus, and we can fight poverty for good.. big terms without realistic implications..
Alila Villas Uluwatu has a clear vision from the start and executed it well. It aimed at becoming a modern resort that is both environmentally sustainable and certified by Green Globe, and achieved it in 2009 as the island's first. With Asia's prominent award-winning architect at the helm, WOHA of Singapore, it is very assuring that the resort has been meticulously designed to follow the right criterias of a Green building; and the result is simply stunning. Being green has not hindered Alila to become just as glamorous, sophisticated and irresistable.
Not only all materials were sourced locally, alot of them were recycled materials that were gathered from auctions within the country, i.e.: old timber telegraph poles and wood railway sleepers. Local volcanic stones (Batu Chandi) is also being used as natural insulation for roofs but at the same times provides aesthetic purposes. And this goes on with water conservation, water heating system, and so on.
Alila Villas Uluwatu does not only rely on inner beauty to impress. It's physical beauty is just as mesmerizing. It's like finding a brainy supermodel that does real charity work and helps the poor pro bono.
After getting lost a couple of times before reaching the resort due to its remote location, I finally arrived and was instantly blown away by the design. It is like no other resort. It looks as if I'm walking on a set of a sci-fi movie. It's breathtaking, visionary, modern and beautifull all the way. Well, granted it doesn't scream Bali (thatched roof, etc), but it's great to see a nice change with a substance. Absolutely unforgettable..
ALILA VILLAS ULUWATU
a Green Globe Certified Resort
Pecatu, Bali
General Manager: Sean Brennan
Executive Chef: Stefan Zijta
Architect: WOHA