Aug 16, 2011

Do you remember the last time you went on a tropical island holiday? Lying on the beach or lounging by the pool all day? In the heat island that is Tokyo I sometimes find myself recalling the wonderfully relaxing times we had at the Ayana Resort and Spa in Bali. The hotel has several pools and a pretty little beach. Here are some tips on making the most of...

Aug 11, 2011

The sweltering heat of the summer sun is beating down mercilessly on every reinforced concrete building in the city. While we try to take comfort in 28 degrees Celsius coolness from the air conditioning (all the while wishing we could cut down this part of our carbon footprint), I sometimes fantasize about getting rid of the air conditioner altogether and...

Jul 5, 2011

Formerly the Ritz Carlton Bali, five-star AYANA Resort & Spa re-branded itself under new management in 2009. I thought that it would be a good experience to stay at a freshly relaunched hotel that chose a well-known Japanese graphic designer, Hiromura Masaaki, to create its resplendent new logo. We stayed at a Resort View Room, a beautiful 48 sqm (517sqf)...

Jun 18, 2011

This is not about sunset at one of Bali’s most iconic bars, the Rock Bar at the luxury AYANA Hotel and Resort. So much has been written about watching the sun set on this unique outdoor cocktail lounge that it makes one want to write about something else: the Rock Bar at night. Decidedly much less busy late at night than early evening, the Rock Bar is an...

Jun 2, 2011

During our stay at AYANA Resort and Spa in Bali, we were thinking of where to have dinner one day and picked up some tips from available hotel literature. My husband loves seafood so the Kisik Seafood Grill and Bar was an immediate candidate. The hotel’s in-house magazine glowingly described the restaurant as follows: “It is really the stuff dreams...