The Estate is an extraordinary location on a jungle-covered riverbank a 20-minute drive from the inland town of Ubud. Set in a small but lively town regarded as the island’s cultural hub, the Estate has become the world’s first full-service residential health retreat and holiday resort in one. In addition, the Estate’s specific site utilises water from the source, a natural spring locally revered for its healing properties.
The Estate’s architecture has been overseen by Cheong Yew Kuan. Materials are in keeping with the established aesthetic of the five four-and five-suite Residences, which made up the original Begawan Giri Estate, combining local stone, wood and traditional alangalang roofing. Interiors of the COMO Shambhala health facilities and accommodations – these include four two and three-bedroom Private Villas, three two-bedroom Retreat Pool Villas, and two onebedroom Retreat Pool Villas (each with a lounge area and private pool) – are by Koichiro Ikebuchi.
Ikebuchi’s uncomplicated, succinct approach to design allows guests to engage with COMO Shambhala’s greater purpose, which is to clear the mind of all but thoughts of better physical, mental and spiritual health. Facilities, which include Ojas (the principal treatment area), Shikara (where consultants and the COMO Shambhala Activity Centre are located), and Kedara (the water gardens positioned near the Ayung River, and providing four additional treatment pavilions with rest areas, baths and showers) draw water from The Source, the Estate’s natural spring. In total, there are 13 treatment areas (including seven for couples), an outdoor hydrotherapy pool, swimming pool, yoga room, Pilates studio, a separate male/female steam room and sauna, a fully-equipped indoor gym with dramatic views, an outdoor jungle gym with a climbing wall and four consultation rooms.
Accommodation at the Estate is among the most spacious of its kind, built into jungle clearings and above the Ayung River. There are five unique themed residences, each with four or five suites, airy living areas, and a large swimming pool, designed by Cheong Yew Kuan, an architect with conspicuous respect for the environment and indigenous styles of building. The aesthetic combines Asian and European influences, high-spec fixtures, handmade furniture, Indonesian artefacts and architectural details that exude the spirit of the region. Each residence is uniquely private, and no two are alike.
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