The Slow
"Take us to the place. What's The Slow all about?It wasn’t so long ago that if you were to drive down Batu Bolong you’d pass grazing cattle and reach an organic café at the end of the street and a quirky hotel called Tugu. Now it’s packed with so many sushi joints, boutiques, and hipster-packed cafés you could almost drive straight past The Slow, which has a bar-restaurant and an adjoining gallery and concept store. Who's behind it?The Slow is the baby of George Gorrow, the founder of an Australian fashion label, and his wife, Cisco Tschurtschenthaler. Great. So let's get to the most important part: the rooms. What are they like? If we could secure one in particular, which would it be?The tropical-brutalism aesthetic blends local artisanal design and urban minimalism in 12 concrete-cast suites. Since there isn’t much in the way of facilities, it's especially important that the bedrooms nail the simple, stylish, and cool essentials. We especially loved the ready-mixed cocktails in the minibar and the big dial by the bed, which switches on a perfectly pitched retro playlist. The four ground-floor rooms have private plunge pools—and you definitely want to book one of those. How about the restaurant on site? Worth a stop, or should we look elsewhere?The roadside bar-restaurant, with hanging plants and arty photography, punches above its weight when it comes to small plates; hand-crafted tactile ceramics are filled with a fresh spin on Indonesian flavors. Pause on a sofa or barstool for a triple-distilled-arak cocktail, and you'll notice that the vibe here feels on-par with fashion-forward urban hangouts. How's the service?As low-key and laid-back as the property is, the team here stands poised to tend to your immediate needs. What kinds of people are most likely to stay here?Off-duty creative directors, drifting digital nomads, and a see-and-be-seen generation of surfer-model-influencers. Zoom out a bit. If we venture beyond the hotel grounds, what are we likely to find? What should we seek out?Canggu is made up of zig-zaggy dirt roads from Umalas, Berawa, Echo Beach, and Pererenan. At the end of the road, at the sea, hard-partying boarders flock to Old Man’s beer garden for pints of Bintang. More upmarket sundowner options are Ji, the rooftop bar at Hotel Tugu, and the Lawn, which is right on the beach. Bottom line: Why would you recommend this property?The switched-on stylings and comfortable suites do the basics well." - Juliet Kinsman
