Whilst we sit in our London office dreaming of sunnier days, our minds often turn to one of our most celebrated and revered hospitality design projects – Ulu Cliffhouse in Bali, designed for The Mandala Group. Especially when its heaped with esteemed praise from CNN Traveller naming it ‘one of the world's most beautiful restaurants’ and a noting its memorable 'beach club with a view'.

The position of this restaurant above the Uluwatu clifftops is without doubt a breath-taking location and provided all the inspiration we needed to create something special. Our role was to take a cue from the striking natural beauty of the clifftop rocks and Indian Ocean below and re-imagine a new generation hotel and restaurant that danced to the beat of its own drum in this surfer’s paradise.

As the lead designers, we knew the recipe that was needed to stand out in the Balinese resort scene: laid-back beach vibes, paired with a celebration of Uluwatu’s surf heritage with a good dose of panache from the international private member’s club scene. We partnered with implementation architects, Design Assembly, and local design firm, The Good Firm who specialise in Balinese craftmanship to design one-off pieces and interiors, to deliver this vision.

The jewel in Ulu Cliffhouse’s crown is the Ocean Deck, hidden out of sight only to be discovered by a winding staircase that leads to this dramatic, secluded rock bar. The inspiration here was simple: The stunning natural beauty of the rock outcrop rising above the crashing waves of the ocean. Built into the cliff face the design is rustic and raw with bleached timber decking and a bar set seamlessly into the rock face.

‘The coolest beach club’ says CNN Traveller

The Ulu Cliffhouse’s pool area is the hotel’s centrepiece, giving a nod to mid-century geometric forms and pastel furniture. Loungers and bespoke sunshades arranged in ‘sets’ around the pool, make the perfect setting to see and be seen. A bleached yellow diving platform is for posing and drinking in equal measure. Two cantilevered terraces flank the cliff edge with neutral umbrellas and deep sun loungers.

The Cliff Bar and Restaurant offers tiered dining with fantastic sea views. The restaurant design concept included new timber and rattan pavilions that provide a soft dappled shade. Furniture is hand crafted by local craftsmen and comes in an eclectic mix of styles: Mid-century rattan is paired with bold Hawaiian print, soft tertiary colours provide a changing landscape of personality.

The main entrance to the hotel through the Clubhouse teases residents with the unparalleled beauty of the view beyond from the top of the cliffs. The hotel design décor themes are playful: ‘Beach’ villas reimagine the 70’s ‘avocado suite’, palm wallpaper with dressing gowns to match and a swing in shower, ‘Club’ rooms are inspired by a Panama Penthouse with luxurious tropical furnishings in navy, coral, brass paired with rattan wardrobes and finally ‘Natural’ Villas celebrate material and craft, monolithic slabs of timber and stone form surfaces patterned with Balinese fabrics.

Taking local inspiration

Many of the materials used in this project work within the context of the local resources and the beautiful, natural features available on this unique site. The materials have been skilfully used to create a natural, yet dramatically contemporary, ruggedness to the overall design that ultimately lets the beauty of the clifftop landscape take centre stage.