Cap Karoso - Resort Review
Kick back at this luxurious retreat on the wild side of Indonesia.
Waking on Sumba is like seeing colour for the first time. Hypnotic greens and blues pool in a halo at Weekuri Lagoon, on the north-west coast of the Indonesian island, a 90-minute flight from Bali. At Cap Karoso, a contemporary 47-room, 20-villa retreat, the colours roll in waves towards the stark white shoreline then creep onto land in landscaped gardens and topaz infinity pools.
Located on the beachfront near the remote village of Kodi, a 40-minute drive from Tambolaka Airport, Cap Karoso is part of a movement of lifestyle-led hotels that values experience at its core. A series of short excursions, such as a visit to the nearby lagoon or a traditional village, means you can absorb the area without losing valuable time away from the hotel. The Beach Club, helmed by French chef Antoine Le Vacon, channels Ibiza’s mellow side, while communal-dining restaurant Julang invites guests to share a meal (such as a tasting menu featuring shellfish ravioli and Angus beef striploin) and conversation.
Owned by Paris-based Fabrice and Evguenia Ivara, the property – part of the Design Hotels portfolio – is a mash-up of food, art, music and wellness. There’s a rotating roster of renowned chefs-inresidence through the year, including Katsu Okiyama of Michelin-starred Parisian eatery Abri. A one-hectare onsite permaculture farm provides fresh ingredients for the kitchen and holds workshops in agricultural methods to benefit the local community.
Clean lines and concrete merge harmoniously with stone, timber, glass and indigo textiles, while Malala Spa is housed in one of the island’s traditional thatched dwellings. Evguenia has gathered a gallery-level collection of custom art, including a large-scale work by Sumbanese ikat master Kornelis Ndapakamang in the reception that took his team of 15 people four weeks to create. In one of the wildest parts of Indonesia, this new island getaway conjures delight in every detail.
