- KAYU Raja Villa, one of the villas in Seminyak, is facing the new normal trend with new challenges
- The latest trend is room only booking via OTA because guests want a new experience with breakfast outside while traveling
Approaching a year since the opening of the tourism sector after Covid-19 pandemic, it has shown recovery, albeit slowly. Hotel rooms and villas have started to fill up and tourist destinations have received guest visits.
New trend
According to I Gede Sukarta, GM of Kayu Raja Villa, who met recently, this new normal period has brought a new phenomenon. Room bookings by tourists now tend to be through online travel agents (OTA) with room only (RO) conditions or room rates excluding breakfast. Even though it has provided room occupancy, this is not the case with the restaurant section.
The next trend, still related to room only, is guests choosing breakfast outside because they want to add to the experience. In other words, they stay in one place, then having breakfast in another place which presents a different atmosphere.
Since the guests have breakfast or chose to eat out, naturally there is no activity in the restaurant. Unused equipment can also potentially be damaged. Well, this is also a new problem that needs to be resolved. While still being grateful for the existing conditions, Mr. Gede and the team, especially the Food and Beverage division, thought hard about these conditions.
From the product development and brainstorming carried out by involving Chef Gede Miarta and Bartender Mr. Pande, a series of Food and Beverage products from Kayu Raja Villa were born which raised local wisdom, ranging from welcome drinks, breakfast, cocktails to mocktails. Anyway, there are local ingredients that are prepared in a modern and creative way with flavors that are not inferior to other existing menus.
With the presence of a series of new products, guests are expected to be interested in trying. This line of new products is like a ‘Balinese culinary rainbow’ because armed with local wisdom, Kayu Raja Villa elevates something that is becoming a trend as its strength.
Balinese Seasoned Fried Rice
For welcome drinks, for example, there is coffee plus palm sugar served cold, while the main menu is Nasi Goreng Bumbu Bali (Balinese Fried Rice)—the Balinese seasoning is simplified or slightly modified. Allabali had the opportunity to try this fried rice. The special flavors of the spices from this fried rice are garlic and aromatic ginger (suna and cekuh in Balinese). Then, it is served with side dishes such as chicken satay, crackers, omelette and mixed pickles do not leave behind.
Another main menu is Nasi Goreng Bumbu Jawa (Javanese Fried Rice)—with an emphasis on both spicy and sweet flavors. Villa Kayu Raja also introduced a Balinese arak cocktail. Well, the Governor of Bali, Wayan Koster, is currently promoting this local Balinese alcohol-based drink to be paired with typical Japanese drinks (sake), South Korean (soju) and others so that they can enter five-star hotels and villas. This Balinese arrack is mixed with mint leaves, lime, simple syrup and ice crystals.
Mocktails
Meanwhile, the mocktail presents the charm and taste of butterfly with a natural blue or purple color that looks very tempting. Well, this flower is combined with lemon juice and honey served cold.
Sometimes, there are those who combine the benefits of the butterfly pea flower (such as helping hair growth, helping improve mood, good for brain health, serve as an anti-oxidant and anti-inflammation). .
About Kayu Raja Villa
Villa Kayu Raja perched in Seminyak tourist area offers 58 elegant villas, consisting of 48 one-bedroom villas and 10 two-bedroom pool villas. Each villa is equipped with a private swimming pool, open living and dining area, kitchenware and a single Jacuzzi bath with shower in the bathroom.
