Famed for its dramatic treetop arrival via a suspension bridge, the World’s #1 Hotel is now offering guests a 180-degree change of perspective, with Bali’s first hotel arrival by river raft.
Submerged in a river valley close to the artistic centre of Ubud, Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan has launched the innovative rafting check-in as an option for guests transferring from its sister Resort, the beach-front Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay on Bali’s south-west coast. Instead of the usual 90-minute road transfer, travellers combining a stay at both Resorts can instead be taken by private car (60 minutes’ drive) to the departure point for a two-hour rafting adventure down Bali’s longest river, the Ayung. While they enjoy a leisurely guided adventure through Class III rapids with views of lush jungle, rice terraces and majestic gorges, their luggage continues by car and precedes their arrival at Four Seasons Resort Sayan.
After discovering secluded sites – including a natural holy spring and a historic dam belonging to Bali’s the century UNESCO World Heritage-listed subak irrigation system – rafters land directly at the Resort’s Riverside Restaurant. Waiting staff ensure a seamless check-in and within minutes guests are relaxing in their room, delivering a hotel arrival unlike any other.
“The Resort is well known for its magical rooftop arrival. Many guests stop in their tracks and are even brought to tears as they cross the bridge, full of wonder and awe, listening to the forest ‘symphony’ and descending into the hotel from the treetops. This new arrival by river offers the opposite view with a slow reveal from under the canopy of trees, making it perfect for repeat guests who have experienced the bridge arrival before,” says Resort Manager Gianni Costa. “It does not feel like a check-in experience, but rather a transition to another world, welcomed by the friendliest people on Earth.”
Voted #1 World’s Top Hotel in the 2018 Travel + Leisure Readers’ Awards, Four Seasons Resort Sayan is simultaneously an intimate hideaway nestled between two rivers, and a global architectural icon. Located amid two acres (almost a hectare) of rice fields and groves of fruit trees, vegetable and herb gardens, 42 private pool villas and 18 suites enable guests to retreat from the world and embrace the valley’s healing energy. Interiors are appointed with a mix of contemporary and Balinese décor including rich teak furnishings and exotic hand-loomed fabrics.
The diverse range of activities includes guided tours to “secret” temples as well as Bali’s most famous cultural and historical sites; private treks and ricefield cycling excursions; energy cleansing by traditional healers; and artist workshops and galleries in Ubud. On-site experiences include cooking classes at the riverside culinary school Sokasi; chakra balancing spa treatments; the signature Day in the Life of a Balinese Rice Farmer experience; dynamic yoga programme and a “Sacred Nap” where guests are rocked to sleep by resident wellness mentor Ibu Fera, a former Buddhist nun.
