Padi Padi Resort

Finding escapes nearby Jakarta isn't easy and it was with a stroke of luck that we landed on Kampoeng Padi's doorstep as COVID refugees. We were on a weekend escape with our dear friends and on the way from Jakarta, we found out that their kids were exposed to a friend who had just tested positive. "There's a place next door that looks nice, but we've never been" said our friend and host for the weekend. The ratings on Google were good enough, and on the phone the gentleman said they could prepare a room but it would take a couple hours to set up. The place has been quiet, and they only recently opened up (October 2021) after shutting down for two years due to COVID. Pre Pandemic, most of their guests (85% according to the lovely and hospitable Pak Biet, the co-founder and co-owner) came from abroad. Many Dutch folks whose parents or grandparents had lived in the area during Colonial times. As he took me on a tour while I waited for our rooms to be set up, it dawned on me that I had stumbled upon one of the best hidden gems in the critical 3 hr radius from Jakarta. As the founder of Pulau Macan, an eco resort on two tiny islands in the Java Sea, and as someone who has stayed at many eco lodges across the archipelago and around the world, I am fairly picky about the places I choose to stay. What first struck me was that Kampoeng Padi was a labor of love. Gorgeous antiques adorned the 18th century Joglo that is at the heart of this boutique lodge. Every piece had a story. Every villa, a unique flavor and a beautiful view. An organic garden, the love of old wood, the use of stone and natural materials, and the beautiful batiks everywhere conveyed attention to detail, and a sense that the place had been very carefully and consciously designed. Everything else I will leave you to discover. Suffice it to say we loved it and will definitely be back. I have a feeling this place will soon be much better known among those in the metropolis.