warm greetings from the gangsa! allow me to present the latest edition of our online newsletter from our charming villa retreat in the priestly village of sanur. this quarterly initiative has been designed especially for you - our guests and colleagues within the travel sector – to keep you informed of all our news, special promotions and events. as we venture into another new year, we are filled with optimism at the prospect of introducing travellers to the kayumanis brand of hospitality. in 2010 we hope to take the concept of personalised service to the next level to ensure that each and every stay will be an enriching experience. it is often the small touches and kind gestures that truly make the difference. we will also focus on our ongoing corporate social responsibility programme with a series of socially orientated projects that ‘give back’ to the balinese community. this extends to ‘go green’ endeavours such as planting trees and responsible waste disposable that will reduce our overall impact on the surrounding environment. our ultimate aim is to leave Bali in pristine condition for future generations to enjoy. kind regards, suwamana wahyu putra general manager                                                                           www.thegangsa.com

what's in this issue: romantic rhythm special offer   |  refreshing traditional facial   |   sea sentations   |  appreciation night  |  truly balinese : nasi bubuh kayumanis group go green   |   balinese calendar of event   |   staf profile   |   news from our family   |  guest testimonies

romantic rhythm with valentine’s day fast approaching, now is the time to start thinking about a surprise getaway for that special person in your life. romantic rhythm is intimate package created for two that will entitle you to a luxurious three-night stay in a private pool villa for just us$ 950 ++. the indulgence begins the very moment you arrive in bali with return airport transfers. once at the gangsa, we will treat you to a 15-minute head, shoulder or foot massage to banish all signs of travel weariness. meanwhile, a flower milk bath will be prepared in your villa for you to relax over a complimentary bottle of chilled wine. other privileges of this package extend to a signature 3-hour spa treatment and candlelight dinner to be savoured at some time during your stay. special villa benefits include 24-hour butler service and daily breakfast served at gong restaurant, in the privacy of your villa or at the beach to catch the sanur sunrise. you will also enjoy traditional afternoon tea served daily, a complimentary mini bar of juices, soft drinks and cookies and a daily basket of tropical fruit. complimentary transport is available within the sanur area and a scheduled shuttle runs into kuta on a regular basis. every reservation made to stay between 1st february and 31st march 2010 will entitle you to an exceptional set luncheon for two at gong restaurant.

refreshing traditional facial rebab spa presents a refreshing facial treatment to address the effects of a long flight and give tired looking skin a new lease of life. our nurturing honey, lime & cucumber facial uses a combination of natural ingredients to gently cleanse and nourish the face and neck area. this enriching 60-minute treatment is perfect for all skin types resulting in a soft and carefree glow for just us$ 55 ++ per person.

sea sensations celebrating the diversity of bali’s precious sea bounty, gong restaurant has created an inspiring set menu featuring seafood specialities to tantalise the tastebuds. for just us$ 15 ++ per person, we invite you to feast upon fresh tiger prawns, calamari, baby octopus, snapper fillet and wild crab cooked to perfection over a coconut husk grill. this is accompanied by grilled sweet corn, a kebab of vegetables, bedugul potatoes and a trio of balinese condiments to enhance this local culinary experience. selamat makan!

kayumanis group’s appreciation night kayumanis group hosted a stylish appreciation party on 22nd january 2010 to acknowledge the outstanding support of travel agents and media representatives over the past year. invited guests from within the travel industry gathered in the garden of kayumanis jimbaran under the shadows of the coconut trees for an evening of wining, dining and social interaction. a brief interlude for speeches was followed by the presentation of 9 awards for the best supporters within each travel market category as well as the most cooperative media publication. the event was also an opportunity for kayumanis group to formally introduce its new corporate sales & marketing team along with the general manager appointed at each property.

nasi bubuh – balinese favourite breakfast nasi bubuh is the name of the traditional rice porridge topped with spicy chicken curry that is a balinese breakfast speciality. it is commonly sold in village marketplaces in the early morning and comes wrapped in banana leaves. each region has its own distinct version of this dish whereby the accompanying vegetables and condiments may vary. however, generally the taste and texture of nasi bubuh is consistent across the island. this dish can be made at home using ingredients from your local asian grocery store. making the porridge: clean 250 gr rice of any variety or brand. Soak for about 30 minutes and then drain. in a cooking pot, heat 1. 5. lt water and put in the rice. cook the rice over a low flame and keep stirring regularly with a wooden spatula for about 1 hour or so. once the rice has a fine texture, set it aside and allow to cold. placing 2 pcs of bay leaf and 2 sticks of bruised lemongrass in the pot rice during the cooking process will infuse the rice with flavour. preparing the vegetables: 1. blanch mung bean leaves, long bean and young papaya. 2. cut the vegetables into rough bite sized pieces. 3. season the vegetables with salt and pepper, kaffir lime juice and some fried shallots and garlic. toss well. making the chicken curry: 1. heat 500 ml of chicken broth in a pot. 2. cut the vegetables into rough bite sized pieces. 3. season with salt and pepper. ensure that the consistency is thick like a regular curry. to serve heat the porridge and season with salt and pepper. place the seasoned vegetables on the porridge along with a wedge of hard boiled egg. pour the balinese chicken curry over the top evenly. garnish with fried shallot and chopped spring onion.

kayumanis group goes green kayumanis group recently carried out another initiative in conjunction with its ongoing corporate social responsibility (csr) programme by planting 1000 trees on 22nd december 2009. staff members from all four properties in bali under the kayumanis corporate banner participated in this environmentally friendly activity. the theme of this endeavour was ‘let’s save the earth by planting mangrove’. the planting took place in a stretch of mangrove forest that protects bali’s coastline extending south of sanur down towards the benoa peninsular. this area is a vital component of Bali’s fragile ecosystem and provides a safe haven for many types of fish, reptiles and migrating birds. this was the third consecutive planting carried out by kayumanis group since 2008. it has become an integral aspect on the company’s ‘go green’ agenda, which also includes regular beach clean-ups and the implementation of a sustainable waste management system.

balinese calendar of events the balinese calendar is an endless cycle of ceremonial rites and rituals featuring elaborate offerings that are performed to appease God Almighty and his many manifestations. listed below is an explanation of some of the auspicious occasions that will be celebrated by bali’s Hindu community over the coming weeks. tumpek wayang - 6th february 2010 on this sacred day, a set of special offerings is presented to sanghyang iswara, lord of puppeteers. this holiday is the most important day for puppeteers as they pay homage to their leather puppets, also known as wayang. a traditional puppeteer will remove all his puppets from storage – as many as 100 of them – and set them all up to receive palm leaf offerings and a sprinkle of holy water. this will ensure that successful performances, which are intrinsically bound to bali’s religious way of life, are carried over the coming months. tumpek landep - 13th march 2010 tumpek landep is a special day set aside on the balinese calendar to give thanks to sang hyang pasupati, lord of heirlooms, for the creation of metal goods. a celebration is held in every house compound and temple with specific offerings made for kitchen implements, ceremonial swords, garden tools and metallic parts of machinery. this includes cars and motorbikes, which are cleaned and decorated especially for the occasion. prayers are expressed to honour the strength of these material implements so that they continue to bring good fortune to their owners. nyepi day – 16th march 2010 travellers to bali will have the opportunity to experience the unique atmosphere of the entire island literally shrouded in silence when the local hindu community celebrates nyepi. this is the balinese new year where the island comes to an absolute standstill for a 24 hour period. everything closes for nyepi and the daily grind of activity comes to a halt. it is a time of personal introspection for followers of the hindu faith. nyepi is derived from the word 'sepi', which means silent. the underlying philosophy of nyepi is to appease evil spirits and cleanse the island and its inhabitants from all impurities or disturbing influences that may have accumulated. out of respect for this cultural tradition, visitors are obliged to remain within the confines of their hotel with minimal light and noise until the occasion passes.

staff profile : best employee of 2009 congratulations were extended to i putu andi siswarmana who was recently chosen by the gangsa’s senior management team as the ‘best employee 2009’. andi first joined the property as a trainee in the housekeeping department upon graduating from high school in 2006. his diligence and sense of loyalty were eventually rewarded when he became a permanent staff member in mid 2008. andi is flawless in the way that he carries out his daily duties. having been chosen as the best employee he realises that he is now a role model for other staff. andi’s goal for 2010 is to continue to work hard at being a productive team member at the gangsa. he hopes to further develop himself by applying the kayumanis core values to every task that comes under his direct responsibility.

news from the family baby bliss kayumanis’ sales manager, endah erawati purwanto, welcomed the birth of a baby daughter in early december 2009. promotion well done nengah sujana whose efforts were recently acknowledged with a promotion from daily worker to a permanent position as apprentice security officer as of january 2010. training & seminars over the past two months the gangsa has conducted several seminars and training sessions for the development of staff members. an informative seminar on personal grooming was held in november 2009 by a representative from oriflame cosmetics, which emphasised the importance of skin care and a fresh appearance. next on the agenda was an in-house meeting regarding the employee handbook and reinforcing general knowledge on its contents. in december 2009 all security guards received an updated training session on handling guests as well as introductory service skills for the front line security division. lastly, a seminar was given to all staff and support personnel by a consultant from the Indonesian cancer foundation regarding cancer awareness. anniversary celebrations the gangsa’s 4th anniversary was celebrated over the course of two months in october and november 2009 with a array of activities. staff members participated in a Fun Bike Ride to promote personal wellbeing as well biking to work as a cost effective transport alternative that is also environmentally friendly. finally, an after hours gathering of all staff members brought the festivities to a close. It was a social occasion with dinner and entertainment that united everyone and heightened team spirit. staff outing kayumanis group held a staff outing to mahajaya agrowisata in the regency of tabanan over three consecutive days during the month of november 2009. this enabled everyone from the four properties under the kayumanis corporate banner to attend and enjoy a refreshing day out away from their respective duties. kayumanis cup the annual kayumanis cup, a dynamic badminton competition, was held on 21st & 22nd november 2009 to determine a corporate champion. badminton is a popular pastime amongst the staff at the gangsa and it is played socially on a nearby court several times a week as a means to keep fit and wind down at the end of the working day. recognition pins long term staff members serving more than five years at the gangsa can now be identified by a pin that is worn with pride as part of their uniform. the pins were recently awarded in a small ceremony to symbolise loyalty and dedication within the workplace.

guest testimonies we regularly receive valuable feedback from our guests that is used to evaluate staff performance and the quality of personalized service that is offered at the gangsa. we'd like to share some of the most recent comments that have been made: "staff members were extremely courteous and friendly. we purchased three activities from the villa: twilight sensation, hideaway lunch and sunrise breakfast - each was more than worth the price. highly recommended and we will come here again" > bapak elly & ibu sanchioni from hong kong stayed in villa kemong on 2nd ~ 6th september 2009 "we had the most perfect stay at the gangsa. the villa was very beautiful and the staff’s service was flawless. we didn't want to leave the gangsa nor bali. we really hope to see you all again soon." > bapak olander & ibu monika from swedia stayed in villa jegogan on 4th ~ 8th september 2009 "“we really appreciated the whole experience at the gangsa. the staff were absolutely great, always smiling and always there when we needed them. breakfasts were amazing and the spa was perfect too. thank you for all the warm gestures such as the welcome massage, honeymoon roses and the farewell gift." > bapak limousine & ibu darbier from france stayed in villa kempli on 10th ~ 14th september 2009 "18 days in paradise, bali was great! But the gangsa was even better. the staff: butlers, housekeeping, gardener, spa therapists and cooks were all really great. the atmosphere was not only good because of the location (villa) but also because of all of you. thank you for a great honeymoon" > bapak godts & ibu schroyens from belgium stayed in villa jublag from 23rd september ~ 11th october 2009 "thank you so much, we had a wonderful time at the gangsa. all staff were very kind and warm. after checking out, we missed you…but we will be back to stay again." > ibu okawa & ibu ueno from japanese stayed in villa kendang from 30th september ~ 4th october 2009 "we stayed 12 wonderful days in a perfect area with friendly (always!!) and absolute lovely humans. everything was done with a sense of feeling - from the flowers on the bed to the warm greetings, which touched our hearts. the gangsa is so much more than a hotel – we felt at home. thank you very much for the perfect service and your kindness" > bapak and ibu buhr from germany stayed in villa bebende on 1st ~ 13th october 2009 "we had a wonderful stay at the gangsa. the place is very beautiful and the location is excellent. all staff members were very helpful and friendly; they made us feel very welcome. we thoroughly enjoyed our candlelight dinner and we will happily recommend the gangsa to all our friends." > bapak goh & ibu ho from singapore stayed in villa jublag on 19th ~ 22nd november, 2009 "excellent! staff all very courteous and friendly, nothing was too much trouble. food/menu was also superb, villa was beautiful, clean and very well kept, the spa was excellent." > ibu chorley & bapak heck from the uk stayed in villa kajar on 21st ~ 24th december 2009

jalan tirta akasa no. 28, sanur 80227 bali, indonesia p. +62 361 270 260   f. +62 361 270 262   e. info@thegangsa.com www.thegangsa.com