Essential Bali Issue 3 Jan/Feb 2015 | Page 16

16 Jan/Feb 2015 Tropical delight: The pool at the Trans Resort Bali New kid on the block T here’s a new hotel on the Seminyak scene and it comes in the shape of The Trans Resort Bali. Located at the top of Jalan Sunset, the gateway to Seminyak, the resort offers a huge array of facilities and 184 rooms and suites, as well as 16 palatial private villas with pools. With a golden-sand beach and tropical gardens there are plenty of relaxation options, with a fitness centre for the more active and a boutique for shopaholics. A Kids Club looks out for the little ones while gastronomes will delight in the restaurant with Western, Asian and Japanese dishes. It will be complemented in March by the rooftop bar overlooking a 15-metre waterfall. We’re looking forward to investigating further so keep an eye out for a review coming soon. d’star of the show I f you’re in Ubud be sure to take time out to visit d’star bar and restaurant, a space unlike any other we have seen in Bali. It utilises shipping containers rather than bricks and mortar and has a wonderfully relaxed feel as a result. Adorned with recycled metal artwork and with an uncomplicated garden space it’s a lovely place to kick back and enjoy the tunes, play some games and enjoy a bite to eat or an iced coffee from its great selection. d’star is part of the Bulukan group with three hotels and a spa in Ubud. We’ve teamed up with them to offer great discounts for anyone staying at d’Bulakan Kampung Villa (see www.bulakankampungvillaubud.com) or d’Bulukan Boutique Resort (see www.bulakanboutiqueresortubud.com). Check out www.essential-bali.com/hotel-offers for full details on this and all of our other hotel deals and email [email protected] to claim your hotel discount. Love the garden: A new slant on Bali decor Social butterflies I t’s just five months since Essential Bali emerged from its chrysalis when our first issue hit the finest hotel rooms, spas and restaurants of Bali. Accompanied by a website highlighting all our exclusive offers and informing, inspiring content, we’ve also been busy making friends on Facebook. Over 4,000 people have already liked our page so we must be doing something right. Why do they like us? Well, in addition to posting wonderful images of the places we discover when we’re out and about researching the magazine, our Facebook page also highlights great offers as we make them available. Through our Facebook page people have saved money on hotels, brunches, spas and activities, so visit www.facebook.com/balimag to keep up-to-date. www.essential-bali.com Setting the standard C ongratulations to Michelle Warren who was the