A gorgeous, tranquil Scandinavian hotel is, surprisingly, in Bali

The hotel

Hygge Hotel and Villas Seminyak

Check-in

Step under the archway portal of this boutique property in Kerobokan district, and a cone of silence seems to descend. The bray of street traffic drops away, the check-in routine is completed swiftly, and soon you’re led down a lush garden path towards your suite. Alongside you, the pool already beckons.

The look

Hygge Hotel & Villas is a very new kid on the Bali block. The Danish name “hygge” signifies cosiness and conviviality. Indonesian architect Willi Kurniawan’s clever design suggests summer in Scandinavia, albeit minus the Viking tropes or portraits of King Fred and Queen Mary. Similarly, there are no Balinese cliches.

The outdoor visuals are long sight lines, archways and patterned walls, while indoor spaces feature textured timber, rattan and hewn stone. It all occupies a long, deep block with a garden framed by palms and bougainvillea.

A spirit house altar stands at one corner, and the rest is a riot of blooms and foliage that this island of green-thumbed gods specialise in. Plonk a deckchair anywhere on the garden lawn and read, scroll or snooze. Or wander to the pool, the very well-equipped gym or large yoga studio.

The room

The Hygge’s 29 rooms and 12 luxury villas range from single rooms and mezzanine studios to walled, two- and four-bedroom pool villas. I’m in a 70-square-metre Mezzanine Garden View Studio, with the bedroom and bathroom above an open-plan ground floor that contains a full kitchen and casual lounge room. The suite’s virtues include fine linen, overhead fans, a coffee maker, Wi-Fi, water purifier and sofas that convert to extra beds. The air-conditioning needs to be on in the upstairs bedroom when the afternoon sunlight hits its broad windows. All areas of this family-friendly retreat are smoke-free.

The food

The resort is an offspring of Jakarta’s stylish Hygge Coffee and Roastery. Breakfast at its cafe-restaurant is a beautiful thing and accompanied by water sounds from the nearby vertical garden. The menu section headed “Whispers in a Cup” might not feature smorrebrod, but its Danish wholegrain breads, boost juices and truffle eggs Benedict, plus serious coffee, are a formidable heart-starter. Later in the day, the menu heading switches to “Stories on a Plate”. The tale I select is a simple cosmopolitan lunch of calamari fritti, caesar salad and irresistible waffles and ice-cream. Imported wine, cocktails and beer are available.

Out + about

Kerobokan’s busy nearby streets, such as Jalan Cendrawasih and Jalan Kerobokan, offer a good range of day spas, international eateries, cafes and fashion boutiques. The closest surf beach, Batu Belig, is a five-minute drive away and has a row of casual warung restaurants where the beer is cold and the view infinite, especially at matahari terbenam, or sunset hour. Nearby, Desa Potato Head beach club packs them in, while a shoreline walk further south brings you to 15th-century Petitenget Temple, one of the few local sites of Balinese culture.

The verdict

Hygge Hotel and Villas is a sanctuary, with honeymoon-level privacy in the pool villas and exceptional staff service. Tranquility base Bali.

Essentials

The resort is 13 kilometres north of Denpasar’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport. Transfer via Bluebird metered taxi or Grab ride, with travel time up to one hour. Rooms from $120 a night and two-bedroom pool villas from $280. Hygge Hotel and Villas Seminyak, Jalan Petitenget, Gang Cendrawasih 9, Seminyak.
Phone +62 811 870 309. See hyggeseminyak.com

Our score out of five

★★★★½

Highlight

Intelligent design, gorgeous decor, sumptuous garden and a cafe that is excellent value for money. In fact, cosy and convivial.

Lowlight

Some teething issues with the over-complex television system.

The writer stayed as a guest of Hygge Hotel & Villas Seminyak.