The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah in Ubud, Bali

Nestled in an exclusive estate surrounded by lush greenery, verdant rice fields and swaying coconut groves, The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah in Ubud, Bali offers one of the finest luxury retreats in the world. The property, recently named World’s Best Relaxation Retreat 2016 by Boutique Hotel Awards features only 20 villas and suites for utmost privacy and exclusivity. Hitchbird sat down with general manager Alain Bachmann to talk about the resort and its weddings business.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah

I am Swiss and have been fortunate to work in the hotel industry around the world for over 20 years, a long time in the U.S., but also in Cyprus, Moscow, back in Switzerland where I opened our sister property, The Chedi Andermatt. A breathtaking Alpine resort at 1440 meters above sea level, The Chedi Andermatt is completely different then The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah but also exudes a distinct sense of place. From the Swiss snow fields I came to the rice fields in Bali, now looking after this beautiful estate in Ubud.

The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah is “home away from home”. Tanah Gajah used to be the private Bali residence of the Hadiprana family where they welcomed family and friends. Until today, Tanah Gajah feels like arriving at a good friends home rather than checking into a hotel. We continue this tradition: We welcome guests as our friends to the former Hadiprana home. We provide them with very personalised service much like you would find at a friend’s house: Drinks are placed in your villa, we do your laundry and drive you to Ubud – all at no additional cost and part of our extensive club benefits. A friend would not charge you either! Also, as a 5-star deluxe, Leading Hotel of the World®, personalized service is key and we do provide guests with a personal butler to ensure they are well looked after. Guests do enjoy these services and many have become very loyal ‘family members’ – returnee guests - of The Chedi Club.

The estate is also a very artistic place.  Mr Hendra Hadiprana, one of Indonesia’s most acclaimed architect and art collector, welcomed many artists from the island at his estate and became a supportive mentor to them. The many original artwork – paintings, statues and pottery - throughout the property reflect this artistic spirit.

We are a small resort with only 20 villas – but situated on 5 hectares almost flat land, an ideal venue for a private, exclusive wedding. Why? Because you could rent out our resort and have the entire property, and the full attention of the staff, just for you. There are many different venues throughout our gardens which provide beautiful spaces for small intimate weddings and grand celebrations of up to approx. 120 to 150 guests. While we cannot accommodate all guests in-house we could comfortably seat them for the ceremony and in our Restaurant for the wedding luncheon or a dinner dance.

The owner was an architect and a private art collector. How does that influence the design of the hotel?

As mentioned before The Chedi Club is a very artistic space. The estate has been designed by the owner himself and original artwork such as paintings, statues and pottery has always adorned the public spaces and villas. When the Hadiprana family turned their private residence into a hotel the owner left the artwork as he had placed it for all guests to enjoy. The original artwork, the design and layout of the property provide a truly authentic Balinese feel and ambiance. It is only complemented by the weekly performances (Tuesdays and Fridays at 7pm) of the authentic Kecak & Fire dance by a team from our village Tengkulak. The Kecak dance has always been a highlight of any entertainment at Tanah Gajah when the owners family stilled lived here and we continue this tradition until today. 

What makes The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah differ from the other resorts in Ubud?

What makes us different from the other 5-star deluxe hotels in Ubud is our authentic design and original artwork, the ‘working’ paddy fields surrounding us on three sides, the extensive gardens with swan and lotus ponds and a safe, almost flat location. Tanah Gajah  provides extensive, generous spaces and privacy for the 20 villas and its guests, and ideal for private celebrations.

Let’s talk about the resort as a wedding venue. Do you see a range of international couples?

Indeed, our wedding couples hail from many places around the world. Our last wedding couple visited from Japan. They had a small, intimate wedding on the platform overlooking the rice fields. Very unique and special! We also see a lot of mixed-nationality couples from various countries throughout the world. Recently we hosted a larger 3-day Indian celebration with a traditional Indian ceremony, followed the next day by a ‘Western’-style white wedding ceremony. The Indian-Canadian couple used different venues over several days each offering a stunning setting. For a change in venues we may also use exclusively Bumi Duadari, our owners new private residence in Bali, located just 15 minutes from the hotel.

Any good restaurants in Ubud you can recommend to our wedding couples?

Ubud’s Best, and the only Indonesian restaurant mentioned in Asia's Top 50 list, is Locavore.  It serves modern cuisine, with beautiful presentation and locally sourced produce. The Locavore team sets a great focus on sourcing local organic. Things they do in-house, like sausages, bring the local favours but in a modern way which actually reminding me of Noma in Copenhagen. All is done in-house and bring out the local favours - but in a modern way which actually reminded me of Noma in Copenhagen. Plan well in advance if you wish to visit Locavore, they have a long waiting list.

On the other end, and for me Ubud’s Best Value, is Melting Wok, a simple family run Warung. They have a menu of curries and usually offer two daily specials. You may choose your curry (with chicken, tofu, tempe, fish etc.) – a wonderful meal. Leave room for dessert: The crème caramel is the best! It’s a small Warung with only 9 tables. During evenings, don’t bother if you don’t have a reservation!

Room 4 Dessert is an amazing place for after dinner. As the name suggests its all about desserts although they have evolved and now also serve savory dishes. Desserts may be ordered a-la-carte (one portion) or as a tasting menu consisting of 7-9 desserts, which can be shared between 2 to 4 people. A true sugar rush! The chef, Will Goldfarb, is from New York and was the brain behind Ku De Ta (the now-legendary restaurant and lounge-bar) years ago.

The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah is a lovely venue where art and nature blend so beautifully. If you are looking for an elegant, tranquil wedding venue with 5-star very attentive services, The Chedi Club would no doubt be the perfect destination for your dream wedding.

Click here to find out more about The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah