INTERCONTINENTAL BALI RESORT PROUDLY SUSTAINS THE CHARM AND SPIRIT OF ITS ISLAND HOME

Categories Art, Bali, Club & Suites, Culture, Destination, Ihg, Local

bridge intercontinental bali resort balinese architecture

Bali is renowned worldwide for its romantic architecture and furnishings, decorative handcrafted features and gorgeous artwork. In fact, art in every form is the masterpiece of the highly-valued Balinese culture. Visitors to the island will not fail to notice intricately carved doorways, ornate stone statues and wood sculptures, splendid paintings, hand-woven textiles, highly wrought metal work, the traditional architecture of temples and houses, and beautifully crafted offerings to the Gods. 

InterContinental Bali Resort was conceived to showcase this ancient culture. Here, the essence and ambience of the island is captured with local materials – teak, coconut wood, alang alang thatch, marble, stone and brick, as well as Balinese artistry and traditional aesthetic characteristics such as high pitched roofs layered to provide natural light and ventilation, covered walkways and hidden courtyards, in tune with nature and in keeping with the environment.

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The essential components of Balinese Hindu philosophies, imagery and symbolism are also prevalent throughout the Resort’s design, which follows the principals of ‘Tri Hita Karana’ by maintaining harmony and balance between the three sources of life – humans, nature, and the Gods – as well as honouring the sacred axis between the holy mountain and the sea. Water is a predominant element in the spiritual landscape of Bali, and like a fabled Balinese water palace, the Resort’s lovely gardens incorporate lagoons, ponds, and exotic water features including fountains, waterfalls and Balinese bathing pools, poetically woven together by pathways and breezeways, bordered by the ocean and the golden sands of Jimbaran Beach.

From the moment you arrive at InterContinental Bali Resort, you will be immersed in the island’s culture. Enter the impressive lobby building, look up, and soaring overhead you will see a magnificent vaulted ceiling showcasing exceptional fan-rafter and open-truss craftsmanship, girded by sky blue and gold frescoes depicting Baruna, the guardian of the cosmic order, Goddess of the sea, and source of the rain and the rivers. The spacious interiors of the resort – from the public areas to the private guestrooms, villas and suites – are a gallery of natural textures, paintings and handcrafted features, all of which are the essence of Bali’s style. Soft furnishings – cushions, bed runners and framed wall hangings introduce Bali’s own home-produced cloth, a weft ikat called endek, made by tying the weft threads of a cloth before it is woven and then dying them so that the tied areas do not absorb the dye. The cloth is then woven and the pattern emerges. 

Balinese Architecture Lobby InterContinental Bali Resort

At InterContinental Bali Resort you will be exposed to carving in all forms, from elaborately carved doors and ornamental accents to exquisite wood sculptures of Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Stone carving is also prevalent with distinctive split gates, sculptures, swirling stone friezes, bas-relief tableaux, plaques and panels, depicting trees, flowers, birds and beasts of the forest, heraldic winged lions and protective guardians drawn from the natural and mythical world of the Balinese Hindu heritage.

Not only does InterContinental Bali Resort capture the spirit of Bali through its architecture, artwork, landscaping and interior design, but also through its famous Balinese hospitality and guest activities. The resort is proud to provide a platform from which guests can explore the local culture through a wide choice of activities and experiences ranging from Balinese cooking classes, gamelan music lessons, Balinese dance lessons, and Balinese art and craft making, to turtle release, temple visits, market and village tours, Balinese massage, traditional spa therapies, and the opportunity to enjoy Balinese dance performances and the delicious local cuisine.

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Stay at InterContinental Resort Bali, embrace and absorb the Balinese charm, and you will find that when you leave the island a little bit of that magic will follow you home.

 

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