Katamama, Bali

About

From the family that owns the ever-popular Potato Head Beach Club, this small, handcrafted 58-suite boutique hotel is for those looking for innovative style with their beachside holiday. It truly stands out as the understated luxe option on the Seminyak oceanfront ‘strip’.

The Vibe

This feels a lot like staying at your good friend’s house. There’s no reception or check in – you just walk directly into Akademi, the chic, concrete bar. Flip through carefully curated tomes on shelves, and pull up a pew at the communal table. People are friendly here, so don’t be shy if someone starts talking to you. The overall vibe is contemporary, with Mad Men vibes and tiki touches.

The décor

Design is in the DNA of this hotel. They call it ‘handcrafted hospitality’ and it is. Utilising Indonesia’s finest artisans, every aspect of the hotel has been handcrafted. The actual hotel, designed by renowned Indonesian architect Andra Matin, is truly unique; materials used include Balinese bricks, teak, handmade tiles from Java… every corner here offers inspiration and displays a commitment to showcasing the rare arts and artisans of Indonesia.

The room

UJ had a garden room, and what we lacked in sea views, we gained in interior detail. So much thought has been put into this place. Modern retro décor? Check. Handmade tile sliding door? Check. Universal power adapters built straight into the walls and walk in closets: yup. Products (including the bug spray and rosemary mint soap) are natural and made locally, and the mini bar has only the best, indie brands. There’s a surround sound Bose system, an indoor sitting area and an outdoor lounge area, complete with Bali bed and table. It’s very easy to feel like you live here.

In-room bar

We don’t normally focus specially on the in-room bar, but at Katamama, it deserves a special mention. Rooms come with (gratis) bespoke spirits made by Akademi including 30-day barrel-aged negroi, sencha whisky, roasted pineapple arak, and vanilla tequila –with bartending tools and a book so you can concoct things yourself. There’s a chic ice bucket built into the counter and a bartender on demand who shakes your first drink. It comes as no surprise that the owners are also pioneers in the bar industry.

Restaurant and bars

There’s an undercurrent of Spanish here. The main restaurant is MoVida (Spanish, with 5 locations in Australia), the room service has items like huevos revueltos and the bar served flights of posh sangria when we were there. Breakfast can be taken in your room, and they have private dining available all night.

Highlights

There’s a roof garden with amazing sea views (so be sure to head up there), and the two-story Rooftop Suites have outdoor Jacuzzis and ocean views. There’s also a stylish pool bar that demands that you pull up a stool, and while we’re not usually fans of incense in rooms, the scent here was clean, crisp, and not overpowering. The staff here are brilliant and there are yoga and mixology classes, should you feel the need. Also: in-room check-ins. We hope more hotels take note as who wants to stand at a counter after a long flight?

Anything else

Spend a day at Potato Head Beach Club next door. They reserve beds for hotel guests (which are hard to come by in the high season), and a sunset here is one of the best. They have big name DJs/special parties at night too, so ask what’s on. Make sure you check out the ‘community of business’ around the hotel too; we’re told this area is fast becoming the creative hub of Bali. UJ loved the Escalier boutique – Stüssy, Lazy Oaf, Être Cécile, hand painted bombers, Henry Holland shades, Maison Kitsuné… this is urban beachware at its finest. There’s also Alchemy, Bali’s first 100% raw vegan café and juice bar and Canaan, a ‘curated home and living gallery and retail space’.