Jetsettersblog

Accor, the largest international hotel operator in Vietnam, has launched Mercure Hue Gerbera in a prime location in the heart of Vietnam’s former imperial capital.

Mercure Hue Gerbera is a 110-room contemporary newly built hotel, boasting a superb setting by the river. The hotel offers panoramic views of the city, the picturesque Perfume River and Trang Tien Bridge from guest rooms, and an especially stunning view at night from the Sky Bar, the hotel’s roof-top lounge bar.

All of the hotel’s rooms are designed to reflect the identity and heritage of Hue while embracing the contemporary style of Mercure. Each room is equipped with premium in-room amenities, en suite bath and shower, satellite TV and internet access. The hotel also has an outdoor swimming pool and fitness centre.

Le Bordeaux restaurant offers set menus and a la carte cuisine comprising of international and local Hue delicacies for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with an al fresco terrace area extending to the poolside.

Offering two conference/meeting rooms, the hotel can host up to 500 guests for conferences, weddings and events in the banqueting facilities.

A one hour flight from Hanoi, Hue is famous for its historic monuments as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites and a renowned destination with a long history traced back to the 18th century, as the nation’s former capital under Emperor Gia Long. The cities main attractions include the Royal Tombs of past emperors, Thien Mu Pagoda – the largest pagoda in Hue and the official symbol of the city, Citadel and the Forbidden City, where reconstruction efforts to restore this ancient city continue.

Mercure Hue Gerbera is the third Mercure hotel for the brand in Vietnam, following Mercure Hanoi La Gare and Mercure Dalat.

Mercure Hue Gerbera Opening Special Rates:
- Starting from US$55++ (2 pax maximum per room) for a Standard Room per night
- Rates are for room only and do not include tax and service charge
- Subject to availability and hotel’s terms/conditions. FIT reservations only.
- Validity: Now until September 30th, 2010
Reservation can now be made at website mercure.com

Accor operates 12 hotels throughout Vietnam under the Sofitel, MGallery, Novotel, and Mercure hotel brands. Additional hotel committed to development include: 3 Pullman Hotels, 3 Novotels, 1 Mercure and 1 ibis hotel, further strengthening Accor’s commitment to the hotel sector in Vietnam and continuing as the largest international operator of hotels throughout the country.

For more than 35 years, within the Accor Group, Mercure has exemplified expert hospitality and personalized service. Operating in more than 50 countries around the world, Mercure boasts hotels with distinctive personalities carefully preserved through the type of services offered and the decor, both of which vary from one hotel to the next.

The hotel managers and staffs of the 690 Mercure hotels are hospitality professionals. Attentive and available, they are ready to listen and make sure their guests enjoy a stay full of genuine moments of pleasure and relaxation in a truly warm and comfortable setting.
More information on Mercure hotels is available on mercure.com.

Accor, a major global group and the European leader in hotels, as well as the global leader in services to corporate clients and public institutions, operates in nearly 100 countries with 150,000 employees. It offers to its clients over 40 years of expertise in two core businesses:

- Hotels, with the Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Mercure, Suitehotel, Ibis, all seasons, Etap Hotel, Formule 1 and Motel 6 brands, representing 4,000 hotels and nearly 500,000 rooms in 90 countries, as well as strategically related activities, such as Lenôtre;
- Services, with 32 million people in 40 countries benefiting from Accor Services products in employee and public benefits, rewards and motivation, and expense management.

Accor, the largest international hotel operator in Vietnam, announced today the opening of Mercure Hue Gerbera. The hotel is now open and welcoming visitors from all over the world to the former imperial capital of Hue.

“The Mercure brand is well-known for its comfort and uniqueness, with the hotel design and personality in harmony with the destination. Hue is a strategic tourist draw card and has been in need of quality mid-scale international hotels to accommodate its increasing visitor arrivals for some time. The launch of Mercure Hue Gerbera in this city is a strategic move for Accor in strengthening its presence and commitment to the city and to Vietnam,” says Mr. Patrick Basset, Accor’s Vice President for Vietnam, Philippines, South Korea and Japan.

Mercure Hue Gerbera is a 110-room contemporary newly built hotel, located conveniently in the centre of the city on Le Loi Street, adjacent the Hue ferry terminal. With a superb setting by the river, the hotel provides panoramic views of the city, the picturesque Perfume River and Trang Tien Bridge from guest rooms, and an especially stunning view at night from the Sky Bar, the hotel’s lounge bar on the roof top.

All of the hotel’s 110 rooms are designed to reflect the identity and heritage of Hue while embracing the contemporary style of Mercure. Each room is equipped with premium in-room amenities, en suite bath and shower, satellite TV and internet access. The hotel also has an outdoor swimming pool and fitness centre.

Le Bordeaux restaurant offers set menus and a la carte cuisine comprising of international and local Hue delicacies for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with an al fresco terrace area extending to the poolside.

Offering two conference/meeting rooms, the hotel can host up to 500 guests for conferences, weddings and events in the banqueting facilities.

A one hour flight from Hanoi, Hue is famous for its historic monuments as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites and a renowned destination with a long history traced back to the 18th century, as the nation’s former capital under Emperor Gia Long. The cities main attractions include the Royal Tombs of past emperors, Thien Mu Pagoda – the largest pagoda in Hue and the official symbol of the city, Citadel and the Forbidden City, where reconstruction efforts to restore this ancient city continue.

Mercure Hue Gerbera is third Mercure hotel for the brand in Vietnam, following Mercure Hanoi La Gare and Mercure Dalat.

Mercure Hue Gerbera Opening Special Rates:
- Starting from US$55++ (2 pax maximum per room) for a Standard Room per night
- Rates are for room only and do not include tax and service charge
- Subject to availability and hotel’s terms/conditions. FIT reservations only.
- Validity: Now until September 30th, 2010
Reservation can now be made at www.mercure.com

Introducing the FIRST BABY CLUB MED in Asia at Club Med Phuket

At Club Med, we believe that a great holiday is fun, stress- free and filled with memorable moments with your family. In fact, creating happiness and finding new ways to share it is what we’ve been doing at Club Med since 1950 when we pioneered the enjoyable ‘All Inclusive’ holidays that truly give value.

One great place to experience this is at Club Med Phuket. Nestled in the Bay of Kata on the Thai island of Phuket – one of the most beautiful, unspoilt wonders of nature – the island Resort of Phuket stretches beneath palm trees that sway gently in the breeze. The weather, a balmy 23°C to 34°C all year round, is perfect for enjoying a host of activities.

Your children, too, are in good hands at the Resort. And now, there’s even more reason to choose Club Med Phuket for your family holiday. Opened in 15 December 2009 at Club Med Phuket is the FIRST Baby Club Med in Asia.

ASIA’S FIRST BABY CLUB MED OPENS AT CLUB MED PHUKET

Club Med’s dedicated services for children always make things nice and easy for parents at our family Resorts while providing all the attention and tender care little ones need. The new BabyClubMed takes care of little ones aged between 4 and 23 months.

Opened 7 Days all season long, the Baby Club is run by professional Baby Club G.Os (Gentle Organisers) specially trained to adapt to your baby’s biological rhythm in order to provide for a perfect balance of nutrition, sleep and activities. Parents can leave their babies at the beautifully designed and fully furnished Baby Club rooms, and then proceed to enjoy their own activities in the Resort with peace of mind. Parents may even drop by to spend some time together with their little ones at Baby Club Med.

Club Med Phuket was chosen for the new Baby Club as studies showed that childcare services are highly rated here. There are two hospitals with competent pediatric services, facilities and even translators when required.

THE BEST FOR BABIES

5 good reasons to choose the Baby Club Med for your little ones

1. Parents can rest assured that their little ones are in good hands. Club Med has over 40 years of experience with babies and its professional staff are specially trained in childcare. These specialists are assigned a controlled number of babies under their supervision so as to ensure the dedicated attention for baby. The Baby Club is managed by a Baby Club Manager who is certified with the highest degree in early childhood care in Europe and who has also been trained in Asia to understand Asian standards and cultures.

2. Little ones are naturally curious about their environment, which is why the Baby Club is designed with materials and facilities that will stimulate the baby’s sense of sight, smell, sound and touch.

3. Babies will definitely enjoy a program that is specially tailored and adapted to their biological rhythm. Nutrition, sleep and play are all perfectly balanced to keep baby in good spirits.

4. Parents can also enjoy activities such as baby massages, swim sessions and baby gym with their baby at the Baby Club. ‘Edutainment’ activities include puppet shows, color and shape recognition games, sing‐along sessions and making bubbles.

5. Parents can enjoy their Club Med holiday with a peace of mind knowing that babies are well taken care of at the Baby Club.

Please include contact details as follows:

Call 1800 CLUB MED (258 2633) or contact your Preferred Travel Agent

to book your Premium All-Inclusive Package. Visit www.clubmed.com.sg for more information. Find us on Facebook – CLUB MED SINGAPORE

Priority Pass, the world’s leading independent airport lounge programme, announces the addition of six new lounges in the Middle East to its worldwide portfolio, making it even more attractive to frequent travellers in the region.

The addition of five new lounges in Saudi Arabia, covering Damman, Jeddah and Riyadh, as well as another in Abu Dhabi, means that coverage is even more comprehensive in the region.

Members of Priority Pass can use any of the lounges in the programme whenever they travel, regardless of which airline or which class of travel they are flying.

For members in the Middle East, this means that virtually all major city airports in the region have lounges available for their use, together with over 600 lounges at airports throughout the world.

Priority Pass now includes the following lounges in the Middle East:

Bahrain Bahrain Dilmun Lounge

Jordan Amman Crown Lounge

Kuwait Kuwait Kuwait Airways Lounge
Pearl Lounge

Lebanon Beirut Cedar Lounge

Oman Muscat Oman Air Lounge

Qatar Doha The Oryx Lounge

Saudi Arabia Damman Al-Fursan Golden Lounge New for 2010
Jeddah North Terminal First Class Lounge
South Terminal Al-Fursan Golden Lounge New for 2010
Al-Fursan Golden Lounge New for 2010
Riyadh Terminal 1 First Class Lounge
Terminal 2 Al-Fursan Golden Lounge New for 2010
Terminal 3 Al-Fursan Golden Lounge New for 2010

UAE Abu Dhabi Main Terminal Al Ghazal Lounge
Airport Hotel Lounge
Dana Lounge New for 2010
Terminal 2 Al Ghazal Lounge
Dubai Terminal 1 Dubai International Business Class Lounge
Marhaba Lounge
Terminal 3 Marhaba Lounge
Sharjah First and Business Class Lounge

Soukalin Ghosh, responsible for Priority Pass business development and marketing in the region, commented, “Priority Pass has an outstanding selection of lounges across the Middle East, and adding six more for 2010 makes it an even more comprehensive selection,”

“Priority Pass membership is not only attractive to individual frequent flyers, but also to banks, telecom companies and others who wish to offer a powerful and highly-valued incentive to attract new customers to premium products, and to build loyalty among existing customer base.”

Jumeirah Group, the Dubai-based luxury hospitality company and member of Dubai Holding, has signed an agreement with Xanadu Holdings Private Limited to manage Jumeirah Meradhoo, a new five star deluxe resort located in Gaafu Alifu Atoll, south of the Malé Atoll. This is the second phase of the Group’s expansion strategy in an area which is recognized as the world’s top luxury resort destination.

The 36-villa resort is located on an uninhabited island of 45,000m², with 16 of the villas forming a unique ‘water village’ separated from the main island by 1km of coral reef, providing guests with an exclusive ‘two resort’ island. Each of the ‘water village’ villas will measure a spacious 240m², while the 20 luxury beach villas on the main island will be approximately 300m² in size. Jumeirah Meradhoo will also feature a dive centre, offering guests access to one of the best reefs in the Maldives; three restaurants and a bar, and a Talise spa.

The resort will complement Jumeirah Maldives, the Group’s other development in the Maldives, which also offers a selection of water and beach villas, three restaurants and a bar, a Talise spa, and a dive centre. With these two distinctive properties, Jumeirah will be able to cater to guests looking for an exclusive retreat over two islands. The proximity of Jumeirah Maldives to Malé International Airport will be beneficial to guests of both resorts as the Group plans to develop innovative combination packages.

Jumeirah Meradhoo is the second management agreement signed by the Group in the Maldives and brings the total number of properties under development or in operation by Jumeirah globally to 42.

Design traits focal point of unprecedented resort experience

HOI AN, Vietnam — Hotels and resorts around the world steer guests toward prescribed walking tours of nearby historic districts, to laud the local architecture and divert the inquisitive guest.

But one hotel, the three-year-old Nam Hai in the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Hoi An, has prepared a walking tour of itself.

The self-referential tour leads guests on a survey of Vietnam’s profound architectural heritage and underscores the resort’s attempts to serve not only its guests’ leisurely inclinations but its cultural aspirations, as well.

“For many travelers, Vietnam requires a substantial jaunt around the world,” said Herbert Laubichler-Pichler, general manager of The Nam Hai. “And so many of them, when they get here, they’re sufficiently seduced by the resort itself that they spend the bulk of their time on site. This Design Tour is an opportunity for these folks to plumb the depths of the culture without ever leaving the site.”

From conception, The Nam Hai’s villa complex aimed for development as an exquisite, modern interpretation of the Vietnamese nha ruong, which translates literally as “house of panels” and figuratively as garden house. The result so impressed the judges of Travel + Leisure’s 2008 annual design competition that they hailed The Nam Hai as the Best Resort in the world.

“Beyond all other arts, the Vietnamese esteem the legacy of their architectural heritage,” said Peter Ryder, long-time resident of Vietnam and CEO of Indochina Capital, the resort’s developer. “At The Nam Hai, we’ve mined that very rich tradition for a resort that is, in and of itself, a wonderful evocation of Vietnamese culture.”

Now, the resort wants its guests to see what the judging panels have seen, and moreover, the continuity of design elements and aesthetics that are borne of Vietnamese culture. The timber frames of the villa interiors. The phan, or platform beds. The binh phong, or screens, that figure so prominently into indigenous beliefs and design.

The Tour, narrated by the resort’s architect — Reda Amalou of Paris-based AW2 — and downloaded to all 100 of the hotel’s in-room iPods, embarks from two locations. The first is within the garden villa itself, where Amalou details the cultural significance of the timber framework, the spatial dimensions of the structure, the furnishings and other elements.

From the reception pavilion, Amalou leads the curious up and down the resort’s main axis, calling out influences from the imperial capital of Hue and the heart and soul of Vietnam’s agrarian culture.

“All architects derive their influences from myriad sources,” said Amalou. “But here in Vietnam, we’re dealing with a fresh suite of ideas — fresh because Vietnam was walled off from the rest of the world for so many years. I’m still fascinated by the coupling of culture and architecture in the Vietnamese tradition, and it’s my feeling that the resorts’ guests will be, too.”

Situated on 35 hectares of landscaped tropical gardens overlooking the East Sea, The Nam Hai is an exclusive, all-villa property featuring 60 one-bedroom villas and 40 pool villas ranging from one to five bedrooms, each with its own infinity pool.

Signature features of The Nam Hai include two gourmet restaurants; a tropical spa beside a lagoon; three beachfront swimming pools; and an 18-hole, Colin Montgomerie-designed golf course (The Montgomerie Links Vietnam).

Since opening in December 2006, The Nam Hai has established a reputation as one of the best resorts anywhere. In addition to the Travel + Leisure accolade, the hotel has claimed the following:

• 2009 Asia Spa & Wellness Festival: ‘Best Destination Spa’
• TTG (Asia-Pacific): ‘Asia’s Best Beach Resort,’ 2008 TTG Travel Awards
• Gourmet Traveller: One of the ‘Best New Hotels 2008’
• Conde Nast Traveller (UK): Inclusion in the ‘Hot List’ 2007
• Conde Nast Traveler (US): Inclusion in the ‘Hot List’ 2007
• Conde Nast Traveler (US): ‘One of the World’s Hottest New Hotels’ & ‘One of the World’s Top New Spas’
• Conde Nast Traveller (UK): ‘One of the World’s Top 75 Hotels’
• Gourmet Traveller: One of the ‘Best of the Best’ new hotels
• Travel + Leisure (US): Inclusion in the ‘It List’ 2007
• Travel + Leisure (Australia): Inclusion in the ‘It List’ 2007
• Cigar Aficionado (US): ‘Best New International Beach Resort 2007’

For more information about The Nam Hai, visit www.ghmhotels.com.

ABOUT INDOCHINA CAPITAL AND INDOCHINA LAND
Founded in 1999, Indochina Capital is one of Vietnam’s leading financial services groups with diversified fund management and financial advisory businesses. The group is amongst the most established investment firms in Vietnam, managing a portfolio of independent funds focused on separate real estate and capital markets strategies.

Indochina Land, the real estate division of Indochina Capital, is Vietnam’s premier real estate development and fund management firm, developing and financing real estate projects covering the full range of property types from multi-family residential and mixed-use commercial (retail and office) developments to hotels, resorts and leisure facilities.

Indochina Land, the sponsor of Vietnam’s first real estate fund, currently manages three private, closed-ended funds with US$460 million of committed institutional capital, which translates into over US$2 billion of projects currently under management and development in Vietnam. In 2009, Indochina Land was recognized in Euromoney magazine’s annual real estate poll as the Best Developer in Vietnam and one of the Top 10 throughout Asia.

ABOUT GHM
Established in 1992, General Hotel Management Ltd (GHM) is a market leader in conceptualizing, developing and operating an exclusive group of hotels and resorts worldwide. With a total of eight properties in its portfolio and 11 more in the pipeline, GHM prides itself in providing guests with a distinctive lifestyle experience that is unrivalled. Every GHM resort and hotel is one of a kind, possessing distinctive concepts and design elements.

Al Ain, UAE: Bawadi Mall, the largest shopping mall in Al Ain, which was inaugurated by H.H. Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Mohammad Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative for Eastern Province, in April 2009, has been attracting lots of Omani visitors since inception.

The 140,000 square metre mall, with a gross leasable area of 110,000 square metres, provides a unique shopping experience to the Omani visitors, according to shoppers from Oman.

Khalid Shraim, Marketing Manager, Bawadi Mall said: “Al Ain’s gross lease area (GLA) is quite low, against other parts of the world, thus making it a fit candidate for absorbing further growth in the shopping and retail industries. A wave of new top brands is still arriving in the Middle East reflecting the vibrancy of the market.”
Abdullah Khalifah Mohd Ismaili, Omani businessman, who was seen touring the mall with his family, said: “We like the luxurious ambience. We were in Tialand and decided to conclude our visit in Al Ain. We found the decoration very distinguished and we will visit it again for sure. The parking space is wide and convenient”.
Adel Ali Abdullah Bloushi, a 39-year-old visitor from Muscat, said: “The mall is so spacious and friendly. Malls in the UAE are bigger than those in Muscat. The children’s facilities are so nice and my children are happy”.
Khalfan Mohd Al Houkmani, another visitor from Muscat, said: “I came with my family. We will definitely come again. The mall is away from the city traffic. We will stay here as long as the children are happy. We loved the Grand Cinema and ski entertainment.”
Mohd Ellawati, 28 years, a married accountant who is staying in Hilton Hotel which is a stone’s throw away from the mall, said: “This is the first time I visited the mall. I loved the decoration and the planning of the stores. Lots of brands are found here than in Oman. We will recommend the mall to our friends”.
Zahrat Ellawati, wife of Mohd added: “We liked the diversity of stores in the mall not to mention the parking space.”
New brands have made their debut in Al Ain city through Bawadi Mall, such as Zara, Mango, MAX , Marks & Spencer, Kotton, New look, H&M and ACE amongst others. The mall has attracted more than 380 retail outlets, including international names.
Bawadi Mall, developed by Nael & Bin Harmal Inv. Co. L.L.C., houses a mix of international as well as regional retail brands of fashion, food, jewellery and much more, all in a bright, spacious, and inviting environment, distinguished by a wide curved vaulted skylight that soars above the main corridor and its main three spacious courts.
The 10,000 sq. m. “Family Entertainment Center” features a varied mix of fun, ranging from the “Roller Coaster” to the “Fun Ski Village”, amongst many other attractions. Eight movie theatres including Grand Class Hall, a bowling alley, a distinctively rich food-court and several casual dining alternatives offering delicious varieties of cuisines makes a visit to Bawadi Mall a worthwhile and exciting experience.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has today announced that it will manage a new luxury resort and branded residences on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The property, which is being developed by Abu Dhabi-based Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), is scheduled to open in 2013. This will be Mandarin Oriental’s first foray into the Middle East, providing the Group with an exceptional opportunity to extend its brand to one of the Arabian Gulf’s foremost business and leisure destinations.

Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi will feature 160 luxurious guestrooms and suites, as well as 35 serviced apartments and 50 branded Residences at Mandarin Oriental. All guestrooms will be spacious and elegantly styled, with subtle design touches reflecting the Group’s oriental heritage. Mandarin Oriental’s renowned customer-centric and highly sophisticated in-room entertainment systems will be a prominent feature.

Other facilities will include an all-encompassing Spa at Mandarin Oriental which will introduce the Group’s award-winning spa concepts to a new audience, providing holistic rejuvenation and relaxation in a serene, meditative setting. Innovative dining opportunities will abound in six eclectic restaurants and bars, and the hotel will also feature extensive and elegant meeting and banqueting rooms. Further leisure facilities include a private beach club, a comprehensive fitness centre and a large outdoor swimming pool. Hotel guests will enjoy preferred access to the visually appealing 18-hole championship Saadiyat Beach Golf Course designed by Gary Player, which will wrap around the resort.

“We are delighted to bring Mandarin Oriental’s renowned hospitality to the Middle East region for the first time. We look forward to working with TDIC on creating an exceptional experience for visitors to what will become one of the most extraordinary luxury resort destinations in the Middle East,” said Group Chief Executive, Edouard Ettedgui of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.

Mubarak Al Muhairi, Managing Director of TDIC, commented: “We are pleased to partner with Mandarin Oriental on their first ever Middle East venture. TDIC aspires to provide unprecedented levels of luxury hospitality in Abu Dhabi, and Mandarin Oriental will further complement the distinctive leisure offerings on Saadiyat Island. This agreement demonstrates Abu Dhabi’s evolution into a global tourism destination as it seeks to attract 2.3 million tourists by 2012.”

Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi will be located on Saadiyat Island, the natural island being developed in an environmentally sensitive manner, situated 500 metres offshore Abu Dhabi city. The hotel will sit on a pristine stretch of beach with protected sand dunes and extensive ocean views. Set to become one of the world’s foremost leisure and cultural destinations, Saadiyat Island will comprise 19 kilometres of white sandy beaches, two championship golf courses and a marina. In addition the island will be home to the world’s largest concentration of cultural institutions, including the, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Zayed National Museum, all of which will be open in 2013.

The hotel will have easy access to Saadiyat’s cultural offerings and will be a 25-minute drive from Abu Dhabi International airport.

Mornings are for snorkelling at some of Savusavu’s outstanding sites, many of them familiar to SCUBA divers – Split Rock, Nuggets, Mystery, Lighthouse. In the evenings, the marine biologist from Cousteau Resort will give talks on the marine environment, and on the first day will come along to guide the snorkel trip and point out some of the wonders of the ocean.

Below the water is definitely the centre of the week, but there will also be a lot of Fiji above the water – visits to schools, pearl farms and villages are included.

This is a week of learning and a fabulous holiday as well. And guests are welcome to arrive earlier in the week or stay on later at regular room rates less 15%.

Cost: F$1940 twin share. Single supplement F$400.
Includes accommodation, all meals, excursions, equipment.
F$1940 is approx AUD$1210 / US$1050.
Travel not included: – but we’ll provide airport transfers from Savusavu airport.
Bookings: This week can be booked directly with Daku Resort on reservations@dakuresort.com

A glimpse of a couple of sites:
Split Rock is 200 metres off shore; a large coral head, it is named for the distinctive split down one side. At the bottom of the split you can see purple gorgonian fans and pale yellow soft corals. At the entrance to the split a fierce clown fish defends her anemone and the male takes refuge in its fronds. When a female clown fish dies, the male changes sex and becomes female, and he next male moves up the hierarchy.

There’s a large school of inquisitive black and white sergeant fish nearby; they will come right up to you and often give your fingers a gentle nip. There is a glorious abundance of orange and purple anthias and golden damsels near the surface; a little deeper, parrotfish can be seen nibbling away at the coral, and a large brown spotted grouper glides shyly away. There are two large clams on the rock, and several small green fern corals. Split Rock is one of the most colourful and enchanting sites of the bay, and endlessly fascinating in visit after visit. The top of the coral head is 3 foot deep, and the base is about 30 foot deep.

Golden Nuggets. Some 700 metres past the point of the peninsula, the twin pinnacles of Golden Nuggets offer anther magnificent display of smaller fish. The first pinnacle has purple and orange anthias, the beautiful iridescent blue sapphire damsels, Moorish idols with their lazy grace, and the blue damsel fish guarding his garden against intruders – human or fish. On the second pinnacle you will see schools of surgeon fish and snapper fish. Quite often a white tipped shark is around, utterly arresting in its fearsome power – but not aggressive to humans and very well fed on the fish life. You will also see magic coral which turns from bluey-brown to white when threatened and is hardly known outside Fiji.

Coral Gardens
The Coral Gardens are best dived at mid to high tide as they are in relatively shallow water. They are a reef running along the shore line near Split Rock – you’ll see many types of coral including staghorn coral, brain coral, finger coral, table coral and cabbage (lettuce) coral. Fish life is abundant. One of the pleasures of this area is the sense of swimming through the maze of interlocking coral heads – and if the tide is low, be cautious as you can easily cut yourself. And because its shallow, you’ll also see mushroom corals and sea cucumbers on the ocean floor.

In recent times Bali has become a regional destination of choice for high-profile corporate, governmental and NGO events, MICE and international yoga retreats.

It’s no small wonder, for in addition to sun, sea and sand, there are few places on earth that are as steeped in mystical spirituality as Bali. Known to some as The Morning of the World, and to many as The island of the Gods, every year more and more high profile yoga teachers are choosing to hold yoga retreats on the island, with literally hundred of participants attending.

Likewise, Bali’s myriad of tourist attractions, great shopping and nightlife has made it an extremely popular venue for conferences, incentive programs and very senior level corporate events where participants’ partners attend.

And there are no more stylish, luxurious, more private and well-equipped venues the Pantai Lima estate on the island’s west coast.
Pantai Lima is an exclusive estate of five super luxury villas built right on the Bali beachfront at Pererenan, an unspoiled fishing community, a short drive north of Seminyak, Bali’s centre of sophisticated shopping, restaurants and nightlife.

Quite apart from the estate’s stunning beachfront location, and the comfort and luxury its five villas provide, Pantai Lima’s appeal lies in the facilities that it offers.

For corporate events Pantai Lima offers a 250 sq m meeting room, large enough for 100 people in comfort. It has a high definition projector and sound system. Individual villas have home cinemas and audio visual rooms which are ideal when participants want to break into smaller groups
What sets apart Pantai Lima from the more usual 5-star hotel venues for MICE and senior level corporate events is the freedom, privacy, and the much more personal service afforded by such a luxurious villa estate.
For yoga retreats or other gatherings of a spiritual nature, there a number of spacious air- indoor and outdoor areas, many of which offer the option of air-conditioning, that can welcome small gatherings in absolute comfort.

Each of Pantai Lima’s five villas – Waringin, Melissa, Sound of the Sea, Ambra, and Mary – is individually architecturally-designed and completely different one-from-another. The privacy and spaciousness of each villa is compelling, too. Four have five double bedrooms, while the fifth has six. That means the estate sleeps more than 50 guests in luxurious comfort.
They are all truly spacious, beautifully appointed and completely private. Gardens and pools are satisfyingly vast.

Four of the five villas are large enough to cater for memorable multi-course sit-down dinners for 60 guests, or for as many as 200 for canapés, cocktails and champagne.

Pantai Lima has deservedly acquired a reputation for cuisine to die for. French executive chef Sebastien Robuchon and his team of sous chefs provide an eclectic menu selection melding classic French cooking, nouvelle cuisine, as well as Indonesian/Asian fusion food.
And then there’s the sheer beauty of the site. The crashing surf, the gentle sea breezes, the creative architecture so completely at one with the environment.

And with the Greg Norman designed Nirwana golf course at Tanah Lot just 10 minutes away by car, Pantai Lima offers discriminating players one of the best courses in Asia.

The sophisticated shopping, dining and nightlife of Seminyak is a mere 25 minutes drive from Pantai Lima.

What this means, of course, is that no matter whether participants are a carefully selected group of top executives or an intimate gathering of yoga practitioners, Pantai Lima delivers a totally satisfying, immensely enjoyable and completely memorable experience.

For more information about the Pantai Lima estate, please visit our website at www.pantailima.com or write to info@pantailima.com
Each of our villas has its own dedicated website too. You can find them at www.villawaringinbali.com  www.villamelissabali.com  www.soundoftheseabali.com  www.villaambrabali.com  and www.villamarybali.com