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Wednesday, March 10, 2004
losari coffee plantation - resort & spa
 i knew losari resort the first time from dewi magazine. the photos looked so artistic & the brief article raised my curiosity. so without thinking further, i put losari on my places-to-visit list when i travel to central java. and it proved to be a great place located in a great valley.
losari is a small village in magelang regency, about two hours drive from semarang. it is far from the city crowd & simply connecting semarang to yogyakarta. i bet u'll have an unique experience of being in the middle of nowhere. it's certainly different from other places i had ever visited in java.
 the 5-star boutique resort, opened in late 2003, is situated in 22 acres of land 900 meters above sea level. modern spa & 26 villas of various sizes - ranging from 100 to 135 sqm, are built facing the natural surrounding of green hills. designed in classic javanese styles, the villas are furnished with antique indonesian furniture, air-con, dvd player, tv/cable, internet connection... u name it! all villas are named after famous mountains like gunung sumbing, merapi, sindoro, merbabu, & andong. after performing little survey inside one of the villas, tommy & i posed in front of the king-sized bed & wonderin' secretly at the same time whether we'll go back there again for our honeymoon. *wink wink*
the only original old building in the area is the indies-style manor mansion. it was built in 1928 by dutch architect & served as the home for the owner of the plantation. (brief history on losari coffee plantation: it was originally established in 1928 by a dutchman under the name of "karangrejo coffee plantation" & was operated until the 1960s when it was sold to a colonel in the indonesian army. the colonel & his family operated it until it was purchased by pt lupita amanda in 1992 & since then has been transformed into a luxury resort & spa & renamed "losari" - after the village in which it is located. the owner is gabriella teggia, an italian who has lived in indonesia for about 40 years & the wonderful composition of traditional javanese architecture was designed by andrea magnaghi of rome) it is now furnished with javanese antiques & paintings, & used as the gathering spot for guests - as the dining room, library, music room & a multifunction area.
{InFrontOfTheFarmHouse}
{InsideTheClubHouse}
this old dutch-style estate has become an exclusive resort, offering beautiful mountain scenery & a great escape for anyone who's willing to spend their times inside the nature with nature sounds all around. to emphasize the colonial setting, an original 19th century teak railway station office was brought in from the town of mayong. teggia brought it there because it was just being ignored. it now functions as the resort's lobby. upon entering the railway station, we will be greeted by old photographs of trains from around the country.
{InFrontOfTheReceptionCenter}
for anyone of u who loves travelling & architecture & even spa treatments (they provide "hammam" - a real turkish bath), it is worth your visit! u can first have yr lunch in its java red restaurant which serves gourmet mediterranean recipes & nouvelle indonesian cuisine (beware of the quite expensive price list but be ready for the sweet dessert complimentary) & ask their guide to accompany u to explore the area (enjoy his extra hospitality).
{My Choice : Soto Ayam à la Losari}
stelly @ 8:40 AM
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