Over the years much has been written about the Bali Beach Hotel, the island’s first 5-star property that opened in 1965 marking a new era in tourism. Funded primarily by reparation monies from Japan in lieu of damage caused by their occupation during World War II, the hotel stands majestically on the Sanur beachfront. Dominating the landscape, the Bali Beach Hotel is the island’s tallest building and was established at a time when Indonesia was attempting to modernize itself and incorporate western trends into local design principles. However, the Balinese government soon made a ruling that no structural dwelling was to exceed the height of a fully grown coconut palm in order to appease the Hindu community and above all show respect for the Gods.

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