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Tradition, elegance, and relaxation combined with excellent service
Located on the beautiful Lagoi Bay, this exclusive boutique hotel with its extraordinary design is only 50 minutes from Singapore and about a 10-minute drive from Bandar Bentan Telani, the main ferry terminal on the Indonesian island Bintan.
The 5-star hotel, The Sanchaya, which means “collection” in Sanskrit, is located on a beautiful beach and offers pure relaxation and luxury with its enormous pool, unique suites, a Balinese spa, and impressive service.
“The Sanchaya is doing for Bintan Island today what the Hamptons did for New York yesterday” – Luxury Hoteliers
“Even when we are fully booked, its never crowded. Space is luxury. So that is a luxury!” – Magnus Olovson, General Manager of The Sanchaya
As soon as you arrive at Bintan by ferry, The Sanchaya experience begins when you are greeted by the lovely Sanchaya staff and can make yourself comfortable in Sanchaya’s private hotel lounge. While you enjoy a refreshing drink and snacks, the team will take care of your luggage, and even check-in is done right here.
Arriving at the hotel, you will be warmly welcomed by staff in their traditional uniforms and by the General Manager Magnus Olovson himself. The guests are called “residents,” and the employees are called “craftsmen” or “artisans”. From the very first moment, they welcomed us, they used our first names, which adds a personal, intimate touch.
The Sanchaya attempts only to recruit and train locals as staff to support the surrounding communities.
For the Russian entrepreneur, Natalya Pavchinskaya, a lifelong dream came true in 2014, when she opened this luxury hotel on a 10-hectare estate on Bintan’s most beautiful beach. In cooperation with the renowned design company p49, a hotel with 29 villas and suites, a private residence with spectacular ocean views, a clubhouse, two restaurants, a bar, a lounge, a 50-meter-long infinity pool, a spa, a fitness center, a yoga pavilion on the beach and a croquet lawn was constructed.
“I was inspired by the European Salons of the 18th and 19th centuries… and wanted to recreate their feeling of hospitality; of bringing people together, in the home of a close friend, to share the same interests in art, in culture, in travel.” – Nayalya Pavchinskaya, founder of The Sanchaya
The hotel’s award-winning design is reminiscent of a beautiful old colonial mansion. It is inspired by the European salons of the 18th and 19th centuries and the rich history and culture of no less than ten different Southeast Asian countries.
The spectacular 50-meter long infinity pool – known as the “Tasanee Pool,” which is Thai for “beautiful view,” offers an unparalleled view of the palm-fringed beach and the South China Sea. Upon arrival at the pool, you will be given a picnic basket with still and sparkling water, cold towels, sunscreen, and after suntan lotion, brought directly to your sunbed – what fantastic service!
There are also sunbeds and day beds with umbrellas along the stunning endless beach.
Every day, the beach is cleaned of the dirt that is, unfortunately, caused by ships passing by en route to Singapore.
“A luxurious perspective on the design, culture and, most of all, tranquillity of the region.” – L´Officiel
In the lounge with its library, you can make yourself comfortable on the elegant Chesterfields with a good book among works of art, antiques, books, and other artifacts. The “Decanter” offers wine and cheese tastings with the hotel sommelier.
Villas & Suites
With spacious villas, suites with sea views, and Thai villas at the lagoon, the spacious hotel offers many different possibilities to enjoy your stay in its beautiful and stylish surroundings.
Nine junior suites are located on the second floor of the main building, in The Great House. Eight other Sanchaya suites are situated in 4 villa-style buildings on the estate’s grounds, either on the ground or the top floor of the building.
One-Bedroom Villa
The villa, with its modern design and stunning works of art, has its own living area, two private verandahs with upholstered sunbeds, an exquisite bedroom, an espresso machine, a large maxi-bar that includes beer, soft drinks and chocolate, and a beautiful bathroom with a free-standing bathtub and exclusive Aesop skincare products.
In the Chinese-style wardrobe, you have a large selection of movies and music with Apple TV and an iPad.
The bathroom is elegantly designed with Moroccan floor tiles, ground-level showers by Lefroy Brooks, white tiles, and tasteful pictures on the walls. It is a wonderfully relaxing oasis.
Presidential Vanda Villa
The private residence is located directly on the beach next to the main house and consists of two buildings with four bedrooms and a private pool.
Lawan Thai Villa
The bamboo-clad Thai villas are arranged around a beautiful artificial lagoon and are ideal for couples seeking more privacy.
The Dining Room
Under the leadership of Italian chef Giacomo Turzo, Indonesian and contemporary European delicacies are served in the Dining Room.
You can enjoy á la carte breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner all day long.
The extensive À la carte breakfast menu offers a variety of delicacies including traditional Jamu juice, local dishes such as Mamak Mee Goreng from Malaysia, and western dishes like Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon and truffle Hollandaise.
Bar
The Bar offers selected and their own branded spirits, an extensive cigar collection, and shisha pipes in the ambiance of a late 19th century gentlemen’s club. Between leather armchairs and various antiques, like binoculars, trumpets, watches, and telescopes, you can enjoy unusual cocktails, such as the Bintan Chili Pineapple Margarita, with live music.
It is particularly spectacular when a cocktail is prepared at your tableside by the resident mixologist. The James Bond-style Vesper Martini – stirred not shaken – is a must! Incredibly tasty and one of the best we have ever had!
In the evenings, you can enjoy the wonderfully delicious dishes inside or al fresco with a view of the pool and the South China Sea while being spoiled with excellent service.
Tasanee Thai Grill
The Thai restaurant by the pool serves delicious authentic Bangkok street cuisine with fabulous views of the azure blue sea.
The Sanchaya Spa
The spa is tucked away in a lush garden and offers a selection of treatments in single and double treatment rooms, both in- and outdoors.
THE SANCHAYA SIGNATURE
Relax with a foot cleansing ritual followed by our Signature Massage – a fusion of Asian-Indonesian techniques designed to melt away tension and promote deep relaxation using Java volcanic warm stones, long strokes and stretching movements, complemented with our Signature oils and completed with an Oriental Head Massage.
The treatments in this natural and serene environment are magically relaxing and very professional. Highly recommended!
The high-tech gym has a personal trainer and is open 24 hours a day.
Honeymoon & Wedding
For weddings, Sanchaya offers an exclusive backdrop with the Salon, Dhalia Room, and their unique suites. The tropical garden and the white sandy beach shores are perfect for ceremonies and romantic dinners.
“There is a particularly lucky spot upon The Sanchaya’s private beachfront reminiscent of the powder white sands at The Maldives, popular for wedding proposals.” – Forbes
Activities
If you prefer not to spend the whole day at the pool or pamper yourself at the spa, there are a variety of activities on offer. From croquet to sailing, stand-up paddleboarding, beach kite flying, papillionaire bikes, Pétanque (boules), archery classes (at an additional fee), and mangrove forest boat tours (an additional charge applies).
We were lucky to witness a spectacular Chinese New Year ceremony.
Mr. Morris
Through the Mr. Morris Foundation program, Sanchaya supports the education of the local people with scholarships, an orphanage, a home for the elderly, environmental projects, and artists on Bintan, among other things. More info >>
In the elegant shop, The Collection, you can buy Mr. Morris articles, gifts, and clothes.
Conclusion
The Sanchaya is really unlike anything else. With only 29 villas and suites on this magnificent beachfront estate, it offers one of a kind personal service combined with exclusivity. The design is unique and incredibly tasteful. You can feel that a vision has been brought to life here with great attention to detail and a sense of extraordinary design. The icing on the cake is the warm-hearted staff and the charming general manager. They look after the guests’ well-being and make your stay perfect with their endearing service!
Rooms: 29 suites and villas with up to four bedrooms
Flight time: Approximately 11 hours from Germany to Singapore.
Transfer: 85 km from Singapore, about a 50-minute ferry ride to Bintan: Bintan Resort Ferries (www.brf.com.sg), Sindo Ferry (www.sindoferry.com.sg) and Mozaic Ferry Lines (www.directferries.com), About a 15-minute drive to the hotel or a one hour and 15-minute drive from Tanjung Pinang Airport on Bintan (Garuda Indonesia, Sriwijaya Air, and Lion Air)
Visa: On arrival for valid for 30 days, free of charge.
Vaccinations: None required.
Air Temperature: 23 – 31 degrees Celsius
Water Temperature: 28 – 30 degrees Celsius
Time difference: CET +6 hours
Best time to travel: All year-round. With its proximity to the equator, it is tropically warm all year round, with no distinct rainy season. Daily showers are typical. It is usually sunnier from December to April.
Price: From 434 EUR per night, including breakfast, express immigration, and transfer.
Activities: swimming, yoga, croquet, stand-up paddleboards, archery, mangrove tours, wine, and cheese tasting
Special features: 24-hour room service, serene, relaxed atmosphere, stylish suites, delicious food, friendly staff, and out of this world service!
Perfect for: Couples, romantics, honeymooners, families, friends, and nature lovers.
The Sanchaya
Jalan Gurindam Duabelas, Plot 5, Lagoi Bay
Pulau Bintan – Kepulauan Riau, 29155
Indonesia
reservations@thesanchaya.com
www.thesanchaya.com
I PREFER MEMBERS’ CHOICE AWARD WINNERS – 2019
Condé Nast Traveler 2017 Readers’ Choice Award – 2017
Condé Nast Traveler Hot List of Best New Hotels in the World – 2015
Travel + Leisure IT List for Best 43 New Hotels Around the Globe – 2015
DestinAsian’sLuxe List – 2015
World Travel’s Luxury 50 – 2015
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Please note: The Sanchaya sponsored our stay. Thank you very much! Nevertheless, the opinions expressed in this article are 100% our own!
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