Bandung
As far as highland resorts go, Hotel Gaia Bandung has splendidly pushed the envelope in many aspects, chief of which is its bold striking design that greatly contrasts, and surprisingly complements, the verdant elements of Bandung that attract the multitudes to ascend in droves, especially over the weekends when there is simply no better counterfoil to the crazy realities of nearby Jakarta. You wouldn't call this an intimate hotel, but the beauty of its construct is that those seeking seclusion can still find themselves cocooned away in blissful hideaway mode, enveloped by gorgeous vistas most of the rooms and suites face. The long pool very deservedly has its own Instagram following, and here there is no lack of activities for the restless at heart, with facilities like a sizeable gym, a bouldering wall and a 5-piece music studio that provide more than mere respite from the doldrums of the island nation's crowded, chaotic urban settlements.
While at Hotel Gaia Bandung,
why don't you ...
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Opt for a suite with more space and luxurious accents like swanky bathtubs and light drench living spaces. The rooms are comfortable enough granted, but they were raised to rather fuss-free specifications, making them more elementary than spectacular.
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Sepik Spa provides decadent respites from more than just knotty sinews with comforting massages in comfortable treatment suites. There are also excellent hydro therapeutic facilities here that oddly enough seems under-utilised.
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Hotel Gaia is quite a good vantage point for outdoor explorations in the region, from an orchid forest to volcano vents still bellowing with smoke. A small strawberry farm is also within close proximity and an hour or so picking sweet strawberries from the patches can be surprisingly relaxing.
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There are excellent restaurants to choose from in this resort, whether one prefers the Indonesian fares lovingly served at Semeja or the elaborate Nikkei cuisine at Monomono best savoured with cocktails. Even a slice of something freshly baked with a locally sourced cuppa at Inspira Roasters is a relished moment.
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The club lounge here is criminally under-the-radar. This gorgeous space serving multiple culinary presentations a day is an escapade within an escape and definitely well worth the upgrade.