♫ One potato, two potatoes, three potatoes, four! ♫ or so the nursery rhyme song goes!
But the true question here is, where might be the best accommodation for four couch potatoes to spend their first night in Bali? Well, we discovered there to be a newly-launched property at Desa Potato Head — Potato Head Studios opened its doors to the public in January 2020. The newcomer is set on becoming an eco-friendly, upbeat, and artistic choice of lodging for travelers within the desa! Desa refers to a “village community,” and Potato Head prides itself in being a creative and cultural village right in the heart of Bali.
Note: At the time of writing, Desa Potato Head has not been open for business as a safety response to the pressing needs of the time. The closure was effective March 23 and will continue until further notice.
Upon pulling up to Potato Head, we were greeted by the vast, open space in the middle. And, while we were unsure where to proceed for the check-in process, we were instantly assisted by the keen staff members. They led us to a seating area, where we were served jamu — a tasty, potion-like concoction that dates back to 5th-century practices:
Jamu (also spelled Djamu) refers to Indonesia’s rich and unique tradition of practices and plant-based remedies used for well-being. The majority of jamu remedies are based on plants and many involve mixtures of several species.
bob alkin, kew scientist (2020)
The entire check-in as well as the check-out processes, later on, were carried out in the comforts of the open space. Guests were gifted an RPET tote bag and water bottle — single-use plastic is not permitted within the desa.
Okay, full disclosure; laying all cards on the table: We weren’t originally planning on staying in Potato Head. We allotted four nights to spend in Bali, following our visit to Jakarta and Yogyakarta, and were set on spending only two nights in Seminyak. We initially planned on heading to Uluwatu for our first night on the island, an area known for its privacy and an escape from the usual Bali crowds. Our plans had to change, last minute, and we couldn’t be more pleased to stay on an extra night in Seminyak and at Potato Head too, especially for Bali first-timers!
What drew us to the property was the availability of a whole lot of activities and amenities on-site — it is a village, after all! Not going to lie, the beach access and priority booking of daybeds at the beach club caught our eye. But, so did the fact that the building itself was made from recycled brick!
In fact, we were in for a surprise at how sustainability was so thoughtfully integrated into nearly every aspect of the hotel’s design, from the rooms to the common spaces. The design of the corridors is inspired by the Balinese Tika, or the divination calendar to know the correct timing for festivals, harvests, and rituals.
The rooms, while rather small in size, were well-equipped. I was particularly fond of the fully biodegradable slippers made from coconut, palm leaves, and leftover textiles! All toiletries are also refillable, in that, while you can’t take any home without outrightly purchasing it, you’d still be well taken care of with access to sunscreen, after-sun care, insect repellant, and hand sanitizers.
You’ll be stunned to discover that most of the furnishings are also made from recycled materials, such as plastic and glass. The village runs its own sustainable lab for research and design, where materials like Styrofoam, plastic bottle caps, and shellfish shucks are melded to create items such as bins, tissue boxes, trays, dispensers, and so many more! Ahh, it was all so amazing to see and learn about!
And, since we are being honest here, there was one thing — one somewhat small, minuscule thing — that caught me off-guard and left me wondering why: the rooms came with door-less bathrooms! (Why?!) Sharing the room with a dear friend, I truly did not want her to pass out, let alone catch a whiff, of my business! Thankfully, though, there was a myriad of things to do in the village so having the room to myself, when the crucial need emerged, wasn’t too difficult.
For those who don’t quite prefer spending their time swimming and eating at the beach club or relaxing to the sound of the waters or the Spanish tunes, there is still a ton of other activities to suit your fancy at Potato Head: a “headphone bar” stocked with different vinyl; a gym and a spa, of course; complimentary yoga classes in the morning; and lots of wonderful restaurants to indulge in, including a fine-dining vegan outlet and a seafood bistro. Around here, the only issue you’ll face is whether you’ll have enough time to sample them all!
A little FYI, the Potato Head family also operates another higher-end property onsite, the Katama Suites:
I hope this little article inspires you to check out the creative village on your next, or first, visit to Bali. Hopefully, they’ll have their doors and arms warmly wide open for you to experience what it’s like to be a couch potato in the desa!
Lots of love and travel miles,
Leave a Reply