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If you’re looking for an eco-friendly pool in Bali, inspirational yoga sessions, vegan delights, wonderfully relaxing massages and all in a beautiful, lush setting, then Desa Seni – A Village Resort is the place for you!
Disclaimer: I was invited to the resort for one afternoon including yoga & a massage, but did not receive any overnight accommodation or payment. I am writing such a great featured review about it, as I was really excited about our day at Desa Seni and always like to share eco locations from my trips with you guys.
Yoga
Our day kicked off with a Vinyasa Flow Yoga class in the late morning in the large wooden pavilion, built especially for the many yoga classes at the resort. I am not a yoga professional, but as a layman, I would guess that the yoga we did here differs a bit from the yoga classes that we did in Ubud. I would describe it as a more body-demanding. But in terms of spirituality, you are also at the right place here. In addition to the well-known types of yoga, there are also meditation classes, pranayama lessons, yin yang classes and more! Of course there are also retreats, as well as private retreats. The location is just wonderful, and the path to the pavilion through the green resort garden is already wonderful.
Wellness
After yoga we continued our relaxation at the beautiful saltwater pool. This is actually intended only for hotel guests, but since we spent a whole day there including yoga, lunch and massage, we were allowed to use it freely. But it’s best to ask if you will be able to use it before you book your afternoon at Desa Seni. Of course, if you book a room there, you do not need to ask.
After a few laps in the pool and a short sunbath on the comfortable beach chairs we went for a massage. We had a full body massage booked and it was heavenly! Elli and I talked after the massage and we were massaged differently, according to what was best for our body. For example, I was heavily kneaded around the hips (I have a slight deformity and therefore often tension there) and Elli more on the calves, where she usually has problems. It was SO good and the shower afterwards in the chic open roof bathroom was so refreshing!
Food
We could order by the pool, but also directly in the restaurant and eat. We chose the restaurant because we wanted to try it out. At the pool you can also eat at the table, under the pavilion or directly on the couch – whatever you want! Of course we ordered a 100% vegan menu. The selection is very good and also a lot of traditional dishes were on the menu (after a while in Canggu, we had enough of all the smoothie bowls and hipster avocado dishes). It was VERY delicious, but the mosquitoes annoyed us a bit. These are unfortunately everywhere in Canggu and generally in Bali, so we had to spray a lot of Citronella here as well.
Sustainability
- For example, 40% of Desa Seni Resort’s area is used for organic farming. The majority of the food comes from the garden and all other ingredients come from close.
- Desa Seni is also working closely with the Eco Bali recycling program and minimizing the use of plastic (for example, cotton towels in public toilets and bamboo straws). Only biodegradable cleaning products are used as well as energy-saving lamps in the rooms.
- The resort was also built largely from recycled or sustainable materials from local producers. The natural structure of the land, including the waterways, has not changed.
- The hotel also works for the local community and regularly organizes charity events to raise funds for HIV education, support, and prevention programs.
- Another program they support is the “Making Dreams Come True” program, which, together with the Jodie O’shea Orphanage, gives older orphans the chance to get a taste of working in different fields and then through a kind of trainee program gives them the opportunity to gather work experience in a safe and responsible manner.
We had a wonderful afternoon, many thanks to Desa Seni! Next time I come back to Canggu, if we do not sleep again at our friends place in Canggu, then I will treat myself to 1-2 nights in Desa Seni. The location is just perfect and the resort garden is so beautiful. Although the hotel is called a “resort”, it does not have the typical, overcrowded and exaggerated resort feeling at all. It feels right at home here and more like a boutique hotel with a large garden. And if you do not want to stay there, I can recommend attending a yoga class to everyone. You can check out the resort’s website here!
Here are a few more photos:
