The five-star Le Meridien Nirwana Bali Resort has been rebranded as the Pan Pacific Nirwana Bali Resort.
A sprawling, lush, tropical resort on the southwest coast is surrounded by dramatic mountains and the Indian Ocean. With 278 rooms including luxury suites and villas, the resort offers world class recreational facilities including a championship Greg Norman-designed Nirwana Bali Golf Club that has been called "Best Course in Asia" for the fourth year in a row and also "Best Course in Indonesia".
The
entrance road to this serene resort drifts through vivid green,
water-filled rice terraces, some that are actually part of the golf
course. Arriving in the open air lobby, guests are irresistibly drawn
to the balcony above the crashing surf of the Indian Ocean and the
unforgettable sight of the multi-roofed, Pura Tanah Lot,
a dreamlike temple on a rocky islet. Balinese wood carving decorates
the soaring peak of the “alang-alang” thatched roof of the main
building. Along with vibrantly colored artworks and temples, impressive
stone reliefs depict ancient Hindu tales, creating a mystical, calming
atmosphere. Throughout the grounds are riots of blooming tropical trees
and flowers, waterfalls, lotus ponds and interlinked, beachfront
swimming pools.
A tropical beauty with wonderful sea views and devilish sea breezes. one of the most spectacular courses in Asia, the Nirwana Bali Golf Club
drops gracefully down to a clifftop, against a backdrop of dramatic
mountains. Freshwater creeks, wetlands and rice terraces, and thousands
of palms, border the fairways and the gallimaufry of big bunkers.
Carries are over high, green grasses, some deep valleys and,
occasionally, over the beach or the ocean.
A 214-yard par three, the 7th hole carries from clifftop to clifftop
across a blue bay. Twelve is a great short hole along a ridge studded
with Balinese temples and a river to the right--aim your downhill
second shot to the island green perched on a stone ledge. If your ball
lands in one of the ten Hindu shrines, you can pick it out and drop
without a penalty. Club up on 14, “the Shark”, in a headwind, to make
it across the beach to the cliff-top green.
As at most resort courses in Asia, the caddies at the Nirwana resort
are well-trained young women and men who are invariably charming and
helpful, from marking and cleaning balls to wading into the rice
paddies, searching for your lost balls. It is not unusual for each
golfer in a foursome to have several caddies--one to tote clubs, one to
carry an umbrella for sun and rain, or a chair, water and a mobile
phone; and a forecaddie, too. This parade of people is a new experience
for many players and may be unsettling. Just enjoy those sweet
dispositions and all the personal assistance and local knowledge, and
you may well play the best round of your life. The words for thank you are selamat tinggal!
Besides
rooms, suites and villas in the hotel complex are homes and townhouses
to rent. In low-rise, traditional Balinese-style buildings, with views
of the ocean, gardens or golf course, 278 guest rooms and executive
suites are oversized, done up in sleek, understated, contemporary
Balinese style with lovely, Batik fabrics and original artworks. Villas
have individual plunge pools, butler service, outdoor living pavilions,
outdoor showers and lush tropical gardens, each quiet and screened
completely for privacy.
After golf, guests take the complimentary hotel shuttle to the artists' town of Ubud, for sightseeing and folk art shopping. The hotel will also arrange outdoor recreation in Kintamani and Bedugal, including white-water rafting, elephant trekking, hiking and four-wheeling.
Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld, Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She follows the little white ball around the world and blogs about International Golf Travel. And, she also writes a blog on Sustainable Travel.
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