OSSOTEL AN OASIS OF COOL IN LEGIAN
The newly opened Ossotel is a most welcome addition to Bali’s bustling Legian neighbourhood, offering up well-thought out accommodations and a strikingly stylish restaurant just a stone’s throw away from the beach.
Legian gets a lot less press than Kuta and Seminyak, its neighbours to the south and north respectively. Kuta has a reputation for having Bali’s most famous (and crowded) beach and being a rollicking nightlife centre, whereas Seminyak is known for its hip beach clubs and fashionable boutiques.
Legian exists somewhere between the two, offering easy access to some of Bali’s best nightlife and easy access to a picturesque stretch of beach. Nevertheless, since it has gotten less attention for tourists and developers, many of its narrow avenues are lined with accommodations and restaurants that have seen better days.
That is what makes the opening of the four-star Ossotel such an exciting development for Legian. It has a bold design that instantly makes it stand out from everything else in the immediate vicinity. Most eyes will initially be drawn to Romeos, the restaurant that dominates the front area of the hotel complex. It’s an enclosed space walled with floor-to-ceiling windows ensconced in a charming brick facade. A Balinese Tree of Life design on the outer wall reminds you of where you are, but otherwise you could easily mistake it for a hip cafe in Seminyak or even Melbourne.
Past the glittering glass walls of Romeos, you’ll find the hotel’s wood-lined reception area. The space is purposefully designed to be small, as guests are meant to spend only the briefest amount of time there thanks to an express check-in service that allows most guests to get the keys to their rooms almost as soon as they arrive.
The express check-in is a highly convenient service that is just the first of many well thought out details and design choices that one encounters throughout Ossotel. The first floor of the building is lined with 21 Deluxe Pool rooms, which are 27 sqm in size and offer direct access to the hotel’s inviting 88 meter long pool, while 42 similarly-sized Superior rooms each feature balconies with fine views of the pool area and the surrounding neighbourhood.
All of these rooms are well appointed in a way that makes them feel more spacious than you would expect. The light earth-tone patterns and sumptuous bed sheets give them a luxurious feel, as do the marble-lined showers and distinctive brown bathrobes hanging in the closet area. Classy black and white photos on the walls above the beds give each room its own unique personality.
The rooms are also filled with the kinds of touches that come from having an experienced traveller handling the design. For example, there is no need to go down to reception to get an adapter to charge one of your numerous gadgets at a time. Instead, you’ll find plenty of electrical outlets, including two right next to the beds, ready to take international plugs from all of your devices. There is even an outlet on the balcony, so you can read and charge your tablet while taking in the fresh air.
The turndown service is also notable. Besides preparing the bed, they also give guests a card telling them what to expect the next day, from weather forecasts to surfing reports to notices about Balinese holidays and cultural events. In addition, guests can inform the hotel concierge to create individualised itinerary recommendations to make the most of their holiday.
If your main concern in coming to Bali is having fun in the sun, Ossotel’s lovely pool provides plenty of loungers to soak up some rays. Of course, Legian Beach is also just a one-minute walk from the hotel, thanks to a special back exit offering quick access to the waves. The hotel also has its own beach club area with chairs and towels reserved just for guests of Ossotel.
Guests take their breakfast in the aforementioned Romeos restaurant, and it’s a morning meal that easily surpasses most hotels in Ossotel’s class. In addition to a buffet selection of breads, pastries, cereals, cheeses and fruits, guests can also choose an ala carte selection from the breakfast menu such as eggs Benedict or banana hotcakes.
The breakfast is certainly not the only way that Romeos distinguishes itself. Its design is quite distinct from the rest of the hotel, and it clearly is intended to be a destination restaurant that happens to be attached to a hotel, rather than a standard hotel restaurant. From the Broadway-style “Carpe Diem” sign to the uniquely enormous ceiling fan, it’s a comfortable dining space filled with character. Its hip yet rustic aesthetic is sure to draw in crowds looking for a more sophisticated Legian dining and drinking experience. Fortunately the menu provides exactly the sort of nosh such punters would be expecting, such as roasted veal bone marrow, spicy salmon salad or duck and pumpkin ravioli. Grilled items are a speciality here, so expect succulent steaks and barbecued pork ribs. They can even do proper family roasts such as lamb leg, slow roasted and served with cucumber and mint raita, or pork loin, served with crisp cracklings and cider gravy (though these massive meals need to be booked a day in advance).
It seems likely that Ossotel and Romeos will both become top spots for travellers to Legian and will no doubt pull in those who wouldn’t otherwise come to the area. With sun, surf, superior service and a stylish restaurant all at your fingertips, it encapsulates what many think of as an ideal Bali escape.
