Your experience with The Sanchaya (also known as the Estate) doesn’t begin when you check into the luxury beachfront resort.
It begins as soon as you check in at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, where you are handed luggage tags and ginger tablets for the journey ahead. Nice touch and a small but extremely thoughtful gesture that goes a long way for someone like me who is quite prone to motion sickness.
Then you disembark at the Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal. Unlike the usual Bintan disembarkation experience you’re used to, The Sanchaya luxe touch kicks in as soon as you get off the ferry. A representative from the resort ushers you to The Sanchaya Executive Lounge for a seamless arrival (and departure experience). Enjoy a cup of coffee as express immigration and customs clearance is handled by Estate Artisans and check-in is done within the lounge, prior to arrival at the property itself.
The Sanchaya is the only property on Bintan island with its own VIP Lounge at the ferry terminal, and with the property being only a 10-minute drive away, rest assured you’ll be well in your suite or villa within the hour, with warm greetings and welcome drink upon arrival at the resort.
Translating to collection in Sanskrit, The Sanchaya was conceived as an eclectic mosaic of Southeast Asia countries by Russian owner and founder Natalya Pavchinskaya, inspired by her passion for art and the arts, as well as the Russian tradition of a dacha for the well-heeled, a seasonal (second home) retreat to escape the hectic city life. In 2014, her vision finally culminated into a European salon-meets-colonial black and white luxurious private estate with 13 lavish villas and 17 suites, each tastefully designed, housing rare and intriguing collectible pieces of art and furnishings specially curated for an insight into Southeast Asia’s rich culture and history.
General manager Greg Williams warmly welcomes each of his guests personally as they arrive at the Estate’s courtyard. A very refreshing touch and not one that you are likely to find in most other luxury resorts on the island. Williams is no stranger to luxury hospitality and has been helming The Sanchaya for the past three years. Together, he and his team of finely trained Artisans deliver that top dollar, impeccable white-gloved service that the Estate commands, but without any of the trappings of it being too formal or stuffy and upper lipped.
Instead, expect barefoot luxury with being on a first name basis with the team.
Also striking is the 2.5-metre white pineapple “Guardian Angel” centrepiece sculpture in the entrance courtyard, crafted by Pavchinskaya’s friend, renowned Malaysian-born, Singaporean contemporary artist Kumari Nahappan. The sculpture couldn’t be more apt since The Sanchaya became part of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest independent hotel brand (whose logo is also the humble pineapple). According to history, the pineapple became the sign for hospitality more than 500 years ago when seafarers sought places to relax in port towns for a meal or place to sleep. Since then, the pineapple has been used to express that you are welcome here.
Known for her large-scale public sculptures that often depict natural subjects, Nahappan also designed the large red fibreglass saga seeds for the Reflection Pool at the Sanchaya lobby, representing life, strength, hope and growth, the perfect symbolism for the tranquil luxury surroundings of the colonial-style beachfront property.
The main act
Each villa and suite at The Sanchaya is decked out with a private terrace or balcony; 464-thread count Egyptian cotton linen; a Malongo espresso machine and fine Ronnefeldt leaf teas; a complimentary “Maxi-bar” replenished daily with a premium selection of snacks, soft drinks, juices and beers; Aesop amenities; Lefroy Brooks bathtubs and showers; The Sanchaya Bath Menu; a private wine cabinet; and Apple TVs and iPads.
The most basic room category is the Junior Suite (70 square metres), located on the upper floor of The Great House (the Estate’s main building), with each Suite featuring a large balcony overlooking the Olympic-sized 50-metre infinity pool and ocean beyond.
My recent stay in the neighbouring Sanchaya Suite (117 square metres) was nothing short of luxurious, with its own separate living room, and the same spectacular ocean and pool views from the balcony. Guests can also opt for a two-floor configuration of the Sanchaya Suite, with a private verandah for direct beach access.
Other room categories include the Lawan Thai Villa (67 square metres), featuring seven, Thai-inspired one-bedroom villas with spacious verandah overlooking the Estate’s serene lagoon; the Two Bedroom Villas (178 square metres); and the Leelawadee (500 square metres), a private compound housing three spacious one-bedroom villas set around a 17-metre swimming pool.
But the piece de resistance at The Sanchaya is the Vanda Villa (1,426 square metres), the palatial monochrome beachfront residence, designed as a private enclave within the Estate, a chic reinterpretation of Singapore’s colonial black and white houses.
No attention to detail is spared at the resort, especially when it comes to F&B. All butter on the property is churned and you won’t see margarine in sight. Cooking is done sous vide at a constant 55 degrees Celsius to protect the nutritional value and cellular structure of the food.
The Sanchaya is home to two restaurants, along with 24-hour in-villa dining. Head to the al fresco Tasanee Thai Grill located by the infinity pool for popular Thai dishes; or the Dining Room, decked out in French doors, rattan chairs and linen curtains, for sumptuous leisurely breakfasts, and a menu of European and Indonesian favourites for lunch and dinner, with a choice of indoor or outdoor seating.
The Sanchaya is also home to an intimate, ocean-facing glass-walled wine cellar and fromagerie with a private dining for 10, rendering it the only resort in Bintan to have an on-site sommelier. Aptly named The Decanter, its wine list features boutique wines from award-winning vineyards from around the world, each of which are perfect on their own or to complement a cheese and charcuterie pairing.
Situated outside The Decanter is The Library, another stylish colonial-style room decked out like a safari lodge, with leather sofas, books and a selection of board games. Remember the February 2022 VTL (Sea) arrangement between Singapore, Bintan and Batam that allowed fully vaccinated Singaporeans to visit and return without quarantine for the first time since Covid-19 began? That historic agreement between the two countries was signed in this very Library, as The Sanchaya was hosting the 5th Singapore-Indonesia Leaders’ Retreat when the travel bubble was announced.
Since The Sanchaya places a large importance on art and culture, it has also been home to a variety of artists and creative figures in different spheres of work. In fact, the black and white wall installation in The Library is by Los Angeles-based visual artist Darel Carey.
Finally, The Bar recreates the ambience of a gentlemen’s club in the late 1800s, complete with specially curated spirits, an extensive cigar and shisha collection, and a resident mixologist who can whip up a wicked cocktail or two.
Guests can also enjoy a game of petanque or croquet on the manicured lawn outside The Library and The Bar.
In addition to the property’s extensive Spa menu (a must-try is the Signature deep tissue and warm stone therapy treatment) is the impressive Gym which is decked out with Technogym treadmills, ellipticals, and spinning bikes. It is also fitted with the latest Lululemon Studio Mirror with a wide range of workouts, yoga, boxing, meditation, and strength training with daily live-streamed classes and a library of over 4,000 classes. Not bad at all.
And still more activities await. Yoga, archery, stand-up paddleboards, cycling and the only resort in Bintan to offer padel tennis at their brand-new courts.
Giving back
The Sanchaya is not just about a luxury experience only. Sustainability, responsible tourism and giving back are all at the heart of the operations. For instance, Mr. Morris, The Sanchaya’s black and white striped mascot, supports several programmes through Mr Morris – The Foundation in an effort to better protect the environment and make the world a better place.
Current programmes in Bintan include education and scholarships for adolescents; supporting the Anugerah Orphanage & Home for the Elderly; partnering with internationally acclaimed Smile Train charity organisation to provide free corrective surgeries for children born with cleft lips and palates; and environment protection projects for coral reefs in the surrounding areas.
In addition to beach cleaning initiatives, and being a plastic straw-free property, The Sanchaya has its own recycling plant, and bottles its own still and sparkling water. Using a highly specialised process of mineralisation and reverse osmosis filtration, not only is the water safe and pure, but up to 80,000 plastic bottles are also saved annually by using recyclable glass bottles for this initiative.
The Sanchaya’s latest initiative is a training school conducted at the team’s dormitory to train under-privileged children for the hospitality industry, giving them an opportunity that they wouldn’t normally have. With The Sanchaya pioneering this initiative, the students will then be hired as trainees at the Estate, as well as other resorts on the island, to further groom them a career in hospitality.
For more information, visit www.thesanchaya.com.
