Marti Morenings

I had the incredible opportunity to visit the COMO Shambhala Estate for a few days of pre-summit activities with some of the other Global Spa Summit delegates, and during this excursion, I was totally enveloped in 5 star luxury at its best.  Located just a short drive from Ubud, Bali’s cultural hub, the Estate is surrounded by jungle and the Ayung River Gorge, which flows around the perimeter of the grounds.  The spa and vitality pool are located in the center, where many of the wellness programs take place.  Long revered by locals for its healing, mineral rich properties, a sacred spring thrives on the estate grounds.  Its water is pumped into the vitality pool, heated to just the right temperature, and circulated by high pressure jets to provide an extraordinary therapeutic experience.  

I stayed in a beautiful Balinese-inspired villa with a private infinity pool and many other lovely amenities.  I also had an assistant by the name of Widi, who handled every need during my stay. At first, I wasn’t quite sure what one does with a private assistant, especially when on vacation, but Widi quickly showed me how to rely on him to take care of all of the little details so I could just let go and relax.  He coordinated my schedule to include pre-planned group events, spa treatments, estate walks, and meals. Magically, he would appear if I needed to go somewhere so that he could escort me, and he always had a cool towel or a fan ready when it was hot, or a buggy when my destination was too to walk.  After 3 days of this, I had completely forgotten how to fend for myself, so it was quite a shock to face the real world again without Widi. Not only was he one of the most conscientious and capable service professionals that I have ever met, he was also a gracious and gentle soul.  I really miss him.

Vitality pool

Inside the villa

Outside the villa

Treatment room

Widi and Marti