When we planned to visit the Island of Java, one of the places on the top of our list was visiting the Borobudur temple. We decided to stay at the Plataran Borobudur resort. It is located within close proximity to this historic icon and had by far the best view overlooking the jungle with the majestic stone temple rising from the canopy. The viewpoint from Plataran enables you to turn back time and imagine how the Borobudur temple was lost to the jungle, when the Javanese were converted to Islam.
Upon arrival there was an instant sense of calm, beauty and serenity. We were warmly welcomed with our refreshing welcome drinks after a hot and long ride in our taxi from Yogyakarta. We were shown to the Stupa restaurant where they serve a range of authentic Indonesian cuisine surrounded by serene lush greenery. The lobster and beef oxtail soup was the perfect partner for our taste buds. Once we had finished lunch, we were driven to our private Garden Plunge Pool Villa with our very own infinity pool. The villa was a traditional wooden Javanese house, which was beautifully adorned with intricate colourful wooden carvings. The infinity pool had an outlook to the Menoreh Hills encircling the resort and had the biggest bathroom we had ever seen, where you could open the window and bring nature inside whilst having a bath.
The afternoon was spent relaxing in the pool and exploring the grounds of the Plataran resort. We ventured to the resorts very own Borobudur viewpoint and it was simply breath taking. While sitting and enjoying the view we were served afternoon tea and cakes. It is easy to understand how Borobudur is one of Indonesia's most popular attractions. We prefer quieter spots absent of crowds of tourists and the viewpoint from the Plataran resort made this possible, so you could truly appreciate this majestic monument set within the Javanese landscape.
It was time to treat ourselves and truly unwind at Padma spa. The setting of the spa is incredibly beautiful with rooms onward looking to the Borobudur temple. The sun had set and we were pampered with a traditional Javanese massage and they had a choice of divine aromatic oils. If the body massage wasn’t relaxing enough it was followed by a gentle soak immersed in rose petals within a bath made of volcanic rock from Mount Merapi. The most perfect romantic setting where we watched fireflies through the glass wall, what a magical moment which will last with us forever. We were treated so kindly and we never felt rushed or asked to leave and we were just left to relax.
The choice and quality of food at the Plataran resort was overwhelming. There was so much to choose from and everything was presented to perfection and overwhelmingly delicious. We wished we had more time to try everything on the menu. The Patio venue restaurant overlooking Mount Merapi and Mount Merbabu and Borobudur Temple was a very romantic location to watch the sunset and have dinner. We also really enjoyed having lunch brought to our grand spa pool villa where we had our own outdoor dining area and we could eat poolside. The breakfast had a large variety of choice including fresh fruit juice of the highest quality. The only disappointing thing was when our stomachs couldn't fit another pastry in.
The villas were spacious, comfortable and stylish and some of the best we have ever stayed in. The Traditional style Exclusive Pool Villa was perfect for that Javanese vibe and having a more authentic experience of the culture. We loved the style and beauty of the construction. The villa was overlooking flora and the Menoreh Hills and we felt secluded once we had closed the main door into the villa.
We spent our second night in the Grand Spa Pool Villa. Once we opened the door into this villa it made us gasp with amazement when we walked up the steps. The style of the villa was much more modern, with a large seating area outside and inside with a large TV to relax and catch up on some movies. The bed was one of the biggest and comfiest beds we've ever slept in. You just sunk into the bed and it cuddled you to sleep. There was a pond you would walkover to your very own private spa where we experienced our second massages. You could bathe in the spa room with doors open looking up to the stars. There was even a desk behind the bed, which was perfect to catch up on our work. The bathroom was spacious and very chic and had a calm and soothing ambience. We then had the outdoor dining area over looking the pool, which was the perfect spot to each lunch. At over 700m2, the Grand Spa Pool Villa was spacious and felt much more like a home than a room. It was thoughtfully laid out and we very almost didn't leave when it was time to check out. We couldn’t recommend this place more if we tried and will be a memory cherished for a lifetime.
