Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort – Toast Around the World

Recently, I was privileged to be invited to Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort for a special event.  After a long flight whereby our plane could not land at Denpasar the first time round due to bad weather, I finally arrived at the resort at dinnertime, almost 4 hours late.

Welcome to Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort!

To celebrate Sheraton’s new wine program, Sheraton Kuta Bali Resort participated in a global, 24-hour “Toast Around the World” on 15 May 2013 at 5-7pm.  This was a continuation of the festivities kick-off in Asia with celebrations at the Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers and Sheraton Shanghai Pudong Hotel.  The event, held at The Lounge of the resort started with a celebratory toast by all guests which was then passed virtually to Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Bangkok; to Sheraton Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway around the world until it reached The Sheraton New York Times Square and The Sheraton Waikiki for the conclusion of the day-long global celebration.

Together with other media guests, hotel guests and brand followers I joined the virtual celebration with the brand’s new dedicated Social Hour mobile platform, Sheraton.com/socialhour, where they can browse through hundreds of toasts shared around the world for the special occasion or create their own using #SheratonToast.

There’s a lot of fun and laughter during the Toast Around the World event.  For one, guests get the chance to step into a tub of grapes and try to squash them, a traditional wine-making process… but I’m not sure if anyone would want to taste that wine later!  There’s a whole wide spread of canapés, cheeses, cured meats, pizzas, local delicacies and free-flow of wines, of course.

With the launch of Sunset Gathering, each evening, visitors to Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort gather together to enjoy great music, mouth-watering bites and a selection of Sheraton’s signature premium wines and cocktails with unparalleled sunset views of the Indian Ocean.  To complement Sunset Gatherings, Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort offers weekly wine tasting Social Hour events with selections from their new premium wine program.

Chatting with Dario Orsini, General Manager of Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort (left) and Chuck Abbott, Regional Vice President, South East Asia, Starwood Hotels & Resorts (right)

Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort offers Sunset Gatherings for only 149K IDR (approximately USD15), which includes a selection of wines from Sheraton’s signature wine program along with gourmet canapés, artisanal cheeses and bread and handmade wood-fired pizzas.

The resort marks Starwood’s 5^th hotel on the Island of Gods.  This beautiful beachfront resort opened on 1 December 2012 sits on a total area of 5.2 hectares in the heart of Kuta, one of the world’s most renowned surfing destinations.

Good way to get around Kuta – bicycles and scooter?

Or perhaps a horse carriage?

Spotting a contemporary Balinese-inspired design, the moment you step into its main lobby, you will be greeted by an exquisite bronze waterfall, framed by intricately formed illuminated silver blooms sprouting from the water.  The opulence of Balinese touches is evident throughout the resort, from sandstone columns, rustic timber panels to decorative lattice timber on walls and ceilings.  I particularly love the gorgeous replica of a Jukung boat, a customary fishing boat used in Bali, mounted on the ceiling of the lobby.

The same modern yet classic design themes are echoed in the guest rooms.  The resort houses 203 guest rooms and suites, featuring spacious private balconies with uninterrupted views of the Indian Ocean or the resort’s signature social courtyard.  My favourite feature in the room is of course the signature Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed, which gave me uber comfortable and restful sleep for the nights I was there.  My spacious spa-inspired bathroom is beautifully appointed with a freestanding bathtub and rain shower.

There are 3 dining outlets at Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort.  Located alongside the Beachwalk patio overlooking Kuta Beach, Feast, their all-day dining restaurant serves a great buffet breakfast daily.  Live action can be seen at the open kitchen counters.

I love the bold magenta contemporary feel of the restaurant; its iridescent design packs quite a visual impact the moment you enter.  You can’t help but be energised by the vibrant presentation and activities that go on in Feast.  As Executive Chef Rossano Renzelli puts it “Feast is like a Sunday market, it presents a vast and irresistible array of colors, flavours and aromas; our chefs act as maestros who orchestrate a feast for guests by cooking farm-to-table ingredients right on the spot!”

The personalised cooking stations include a Sweets Station, a Seafood Bar, a Western Grill Station, a Middle Eastern Station featuring a selection of shawarma and couscous, an Asian Station as well as an authentic Barbeque and Indian Tandoori Station.

It was at Feast that I first made the acquaintance of Dario Orsini, the General Manager of the resort, except that at that point of time, I didn’t know he was the General Manager.  I was having my breakfast and he came up to my table asking if he could get me anything.  Thinking that he’s one of the service crew, I asked for a refill of my coffee, which he promptly obliged.  It was much later, at the “Toast Around The World” event that I realised he’s the General Manager!  Such is the passion and humility of Dario Orsini – attending to his guests with his trademark warm hospitality is just second-nature to him.

The other 2 dining outlets in the resort are Bene and The Lounge.  Bene is a light-hearted Italian trattoria with an oceanic setting where guests can enjoy the awesome views of the beautiful Bali Straits on the rooftop deck level.  The Lounge offers a locally-inspired cocktail menu with an open air setting and splendid Indian Ocean scenery.

Shine Spa

After some strenuous activities on the beach or shopping at the hundreds of shops in Kuta or at Beachwalk next door, pamper and rejuvenate yourself at the resort’s luxurious Shine Spa, with their signature treatments.

Also, to keep you fit and energised, Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort has introduced Sheraton Fitness by Core Performance in a fully equipped fitness centre right beside Shine Spa.

Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort is located in the heart of Kuta Beach and just 5km from Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport.

For more information and reservation, please visit www.sheraton.com/balikuta.

Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort
Jalan Pantai Kuta
Kuta, Bali 80361
Indonesia
Phone: ++62-361-846 5555
Fax: ++62-361- 846 5577