AYANA Resort and Spa has announced an upgrade to its meeting and event facilities in response to increased demand for upmarket events in Bali.
The upgrade comes ahead of the opening in late 2013 of a separately-branded resort, located adjacent to AYANA on the 77-hectare Karang Mas Estate.
AYANA’s enhanced facilities enable it to cater for bespoke high-profile multinational meetings, conferences and other private events. The Ballroom has been extended by 45 percent to 846 square meters, with capacity for reception-style events increasing by 80 percent to 900 people from 500 previously. The extended Ballroom opens onto a large private garden that provides an additional venue for outdoor events under the stars.
Around the garden are six new break-out rooms, including a 150-person high-tech classroom fitted with the latest touchscreen conferencing equipment, mezzanine translation room and high-definition video and sound systems.
There are three additional meeting rooms each catering for 120 people (cocktail-style); a 120 square meter VIP room with private catering facilities and a 22-seat boardroom set-up; and a prayer room.
The upgrade is strategically timed ahead of the launch of a 288-room resort adjacent to AYANA and under the same management company, Capella Hotel Group. Branded ‘RIMBA’, which is Indonesian for ‘forest’, the resort is set to open in late 2013 in response to strong demand from wedding, meeting and other groups which AYANA has not had availability to accommodate. RIMBA will provide a convenient accommodation option and additional meeting and dining venues for such groups, while AYANA will be the main venue for destination Bali weddings, meetings and conferences in Bali.
“AYANA is renowned as the destination of choice for honeymooners and romantic escapes, yet a key element of this resort’s success is that it has been designed in such a way so as to cater to a wide spectrum of guests, who coexist harmoniously,” said general manager Edward Linsley.
“Couples enjoy the privacy of the Villas, families make use of the recreational facilities, and corporate guests spend most of their time in the meeting rooms and various restaurants. The extended Ballroom and new meeting rooms enables us to cater for more bespoke high-end private events, and by being able to offer RIMBA as an additional accommodation option, AYANA maintains its tranquil ambience and relaxed vibe for all guests.”
These new facilities coincide with a major infrastructure upgrade by the Bali Government to prepare for the APEC Summit scheduled for October 2013. A new international airport is under construction in Jimbaran and major roadworks are also underway to reduce traffic congestion, including a new underpass at the main junction connecting south Bali’s major tourist areas and a tollroad linking Sanur to Jimbaran.