February 13, 2011
Four Seasons Bali, Sayan
By booking via Taiwan passports we got a detached villa for the rack rate of a in-building suite. Each villa features it's own deck and plunge pool. Despite the tightly packed villas, privacy is protected by the lush surrounding vegetation.
One could have breakfast delivered to the villa, or take it in the restaurant. I wanted to take advantage of the morning hiking tour of the resort grounds, which meets at the main building, so we went to the restaurant, same table where we had dinner the night before. In daylight we had an expansive view of the resort grounds, with a pleasant breeze, and our pick of anything off the breakfast menu as part of the meal package. We were actually relatively modest in our indulgence, compared to others in the restaurant. A dash of keffir lime in the Hollandaise sauce of the signature Sayan eggs benedict. Egg yolks a little overcooked, but wife doesn't like for her eggs to be too raw anyway. Meanwhile I was pigging away on my banana pancakes, washing it down with lots of local coffee, and we shared big plates of fresh fruit and yogurt.
I was off to the river trek tour while wife lingered over breakfast. The resort was laid out to preserve as much of the original fields and villages as possible, and the tour route showed off the local touches. Glad to have worn my Doc boots and waterproof shell for some of the narrow, muddy paths. Climbed up to this spot for an ideal view of the resort's grass-roofed villas set amongst the working fields.
Our two-night stay in Sayan also included an afternoon tea-set. Would've liked to take it later at FS Jimbaran the next day, so we could spend more time in Ubud, but they wouldn't allow the transfer. The tea set on the terrace was a good way to relax after spending the morning in Ubud town, but not particularly worth rushing back for, in and of itself. But it was probably for the best to have a reason to return to the hotel early, instead of letting the pregnant wife walk about all day under the hot sun. The dessert plate contained raspberry cake, mango sorbet with fresh fruit, coconut and chocolate cake squares. And more Toraja coffee, of course.
The next day we ordered in for breakfast and ate out by the villa pool. This wasn't your typical room service as the full breakfast menu was available to order. The spacious restaurant was nice, but enjoying a big breakfast spread in our own little world was definitely more of a special intimate experience.
After an oily Balinese message, we had lunch at the cafe next to the riverside swimming pool, overlooking the stream of rubber rafts floating by, each full of tourists in their bright orange life vests. The Bali tuna carpaccio appetizer was overlaid with kemangi lime pesto, rucola salad, and puffed capers. The main was an Asian "Chicken Scaloppine" grilled chicken breast with curry sauce. And there was even dessert Es Rumput Laut, with spheres of tropical fruit and pandan jellies in a coconut-milk soup. A refreshing conclusion to our time in Sayan.
Four Seasons Resort Bali At Sayan
Sayan, Ubud, Bali 80571 Indonesia
+62 (361) 977577