A Legacy to Uphold

The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah Ubud has recently changed its name and ownership back to the Hadiprana family. It is now called Tanah Gajah, a resort by Hadiprana, and is managed by Puri and Raya Hadiprana, the daughter and granddaughter of the late Hendra Hadiprana. Indonesia Design visited this incredible resort and spoke to Puri and Raya about its history and their plans for the future.

What is the story behind this resort in Tanah Gajah and its history?

Raya: Hendra Hadiprana is the founder of Tanah Gajah, and he first came back to Indonesia in 1958. He came back to dive deeper into Indonesian culture and the world of architecture. He got married in 1960, and for their honeymoon, that’s when they first went to Bali. Upon their first visit, they immediately fell in love with the island and they started coming to Bali very often, bringing their family and friends here. And about Tanah Gajah, the story is that he was once out on the mountainous area of Ubud. Puri: And one of the historical areas here is called Goa Gajah. Close to Goa Gajah there is a restaurant named Puri Suling and it’s on top of a hill. From that hill you could see this land, an empty land filled with rice paddies. My father said, one day I will have a land, a place there, a sanctuary for my family. And one day in 1984, he finally built, initially, just a 500sqm villla with two buildings. Now it’s a five-hectare property with 20 rooms. And he named that Tanah Gajah. What is your involvement in the resort and the Hadiprana legacy in general? Puri: Since 2004 my father gave the management of this hotel to GHM. So the name Tanah Gajah changed to the Chedi Club because he felt like it would be more of a blessing for more people. We used to have just 20 people working for us. But after GHM became involved there are now 120 people working here. It has made a greater impact on the society and the community. Back then I was only the president director but we have a very good general manager, Ibu Deasy, and the marketing is Bima, and we are all working as a great team, to serve all of our guests. Raya: I just started at Hadiprana at the start of 2019 and I’m in the branding and marketing department. Hadiprana has a lot of businesses; the design consultant, art centre, the gallery, the boutique mall.. We’re trying to unify all the brands together and that’s my job right now. I’m the brand representative as well. So when we have collaborations I usually meet with potential collaborators and so on. Puri: It was my father’s last wish before he passed away to have the next generation continue the legacy. And that’s why on January 2020 we decided to run this hotel ourselves.

What are your favourite design elements here? What do you love about this resort?

Raya: Personally I just love the sequencing and the layering of the space. Upon entering this property you are greeted by so many artworks and you will see the layers of the elephants from sculptures to paintings to murals, to fountains and even on the uniform of some of the staff. It’s a very comfortable place to go home to. It’s like a home away from home and I love how romantic the design elements are. If you pay attention to the door handles or the threshold of the doors and the cabinets, they’re all made uniquely and it’s different for every single villa. I love the paddy fields and how the architecture can speak to nature. When you’re inside one of the bales you feel like you’re connected to nature because you can hear the birds chirping, you can feel the breeze yet are still very comfortable underneath the shelter. Puri: For me, it’s the people. They’re the ones who can make you feel at home and can give you whatever you can dream of when you go on holiday. If you want to have a romantic dinner, or experience something you’ve never done before like going on a hot air balloon, or walking along the rice fields, the whole team of Tanah Gajah can provide that for you. They want you to have a personal experience. They will ask you what you want to do or what you expect and I think it makes any holiday memorable.

How do you compare Tanah Gajah, Ubud to other places in the area?

Puri: I think it’s the history. It wasn’t made for business, it started because of family and for the people, the community around Tanah Gajah. We are here to serve our family, to serve all the people working here, to serve the community. We have regular kecak dances here, and that is from the community and we have made a great impact here. We also have a history, a lot of stories to tell. Each of the paintings, the statues, the furnitrue, all have a story behind it. I think that’s the most important thing about this hotel. We have a very special history. Raya: The values that are planted within the property and the people working here makes this place stand out. We have people who have worked here for 30 years. They were working with Hendra Hadiprana and he is a great teacher. He taught everyone how to serve, how to greet people and how to welcome everyone as if it’s their own home. Until now that’s how we feel whenever we come back and that’s how the guests always feel when they come here. It was built as a home and it will always feel like a home here even if it’s your first time.

Can you tell us the story behind Bumi Duadari?

Raya: Bumi Duadari was built in 2003. It was built within eight months and there were 300 people working just to build that property, because it was a valley and was uninhabitable. But within a short time frame and a lot of determination, Hendra Hadiprana was able to finish building his dream home. It was the same year that GHM came to Tanah Gajah. Puri: Bumi Duadari cannot be separated from the Chedi Club or Tanah Gajah. It’s one place. I always say that when people come to Tanah Gajah, they will enjoy two experiences, one is the paddy rice fields and one is the Petanu river on Bumi Duadari. Yes, Hendra Hadiprana was staying at Tanah Gajah when it was managed by GHM, but he is a man who is very private. So he made Duadari for himself as his private home. And right now, the guests from Tanah Gajah can experience the home of the architect, the owner, the founder of Tanah Gajah. The name Duadari actually stands for “two angels” and he dedicated this home to his two daughters, me, Puri, and Mira, just as his home in Jakarta is called Purimira.

What should people look forward to when staying at Tanah Gajah, a resort by Hadiprana?

Raya: With Tanah Gajah entering a new journey, we have a lot of exciting and new experiences in store for our guests. We want to surprise our guests and assure that we wil not downgrade anything but we will fly higher and elevate the experiences. We want to provide the best for our guests. We are blessed to have this big land with so many resources and a dedicated team, so we want to give our very best.