Picture yourself stepping into Desa Potato Head, Bali’s “cultural village” in Seminyak—where design, culture, community, wellness, and sustainability converge into a single destination with a cheeky mantra, “Good Times, Do Good”. Once a beach club, it has since blossomed into a creative space with two hotels, seven dining venues, a regenerative “farmacy”, libraries, art installations, and even a co-working hub.
Sustainability is not a side project here; it is the main gist. Materials are reimagined into functional designs—plastic bottles turned into ceiling panels, wood shutters reshaped into furniture, terrazzo floors speckled with waste concrete. Even food scraps are repurposed: ginger pulp becomes ginger beer, citrus peel is crafted into cocktail syrups, and soap trays are molded from repurposed styrofoam. Upon checking in, I was given a stainless water bottle to carry throughout my stay where you can refill your bottle at any given time.
The culinary approach is equally ambitious. Led by Chef Felix Schoener, Desa Potato Head aims for 25% of all dishes to be made from upcycled ingredients in the coming years. Kaum, the flagship Indonesian restaurant, highlights regional recipes sourced directly from local communities, offering a culinary journey across the archipelago. Ijen, the first zero-waste seafood restaurant in Indonesia, serves freshly grilled catch while minimising environmental impact.
What gives Desa Potato Head its unique energy, however, is its cultural programming. One evening, I found myself back at Dome, where a tarot card reading unfolded between shared organic small plates and natural wines. Another highlight of my stay was the Light Sound Vibration session inside Sanctuary, where sound frequencies pulsed through the body, creating a meditative state that lingered long after the session ended. It was a tantric experience that put my body into a state that I’ve never felt before. These experiences transform the property from a hotel into something more like a creative campus, where guests can drift between art, music, workshops, and unexpected encounters.
Accommodation reflects the same ethos. I stayed in an Oceanfront Studio, where floor-to-ceiling windows framed Bali’s sweeping sunsets and interiors were crafted from reclaimed materials without sacrificing comfort. A zero-waste kit awaited in the room—refillable glass bottles, bamboo straws, recycled coasters—small details that underscored the resort’s environmental commitment without feeling heavy-handed. The design is minimal, modern, and rooted in natural textures, the kind of space that feels at once thoughtful and indulgent.
In Seminyak, a part of Bali known for its beach clubs and nightlife, Desa Potato Head stands out as something more considered. It delivers the fun and energy Bali is famous for, while showing that hospitality can be regenerative, creative, and socially engaged. After nights of tarot reading, mornings of sound therapy, and sunsets from an Oceanview Studio, it’s hard not to feel that this is the future of travel. And when you leave, you carry something invisible but enduring and the reminder that good times can indeed do good.
This story first appeared on GRAZIA Malaysia October 2025 issue.
READ MORE