Poppies History
How Poppies Bali became a sanctuary to travellers from all over the world
Half a Century of Poppies
The Poppies story doesn’t really begin in Bali, the first seed was planted far, far away, on the sunny shores of California, in the coastal neighbourhood of La Jolla, San Diego. Here stood a little restaurant, Poppies, back in the late 60’s, and it was regularly patronised by famous Hollywood personalities of the day. This see-and-be-seen dining venue took its name from the state flower of California, the Golden Poppy, which grows wild throughout the region.
In 1972, the restaurant closed its doors and its former owners took a much-needed vacation over to Bali, an enigmatic island in Indonesia that had begun to capture the imagination of sunshine-seeking travellers. There they met old friends George and Bob, who had befriended a young Balinese girl named Zenik Sukenny (“Jenik”), with whom they planned to open a restaurant and bar in Kuta – a coastal village growing popular amongst surfers and adventuring backpackers.
To her credit, Zenik was already operating her own, highly-successful streetside eatery called "Jenik's Warung.” She served simple Indonesian fare to the overlanders and travellers of the day, one of which was John, who happened to like laying out gardens.
Initial plans for a grand building were shelved in favour of a much more modest vision: George and Bob helped Zenik to modify her Balinese home by expanding the kitchen and adding a small bamboo and coconut-wood bar. John laid out a garden in the open space complete with ponds and waterfalls and winding pathways; bamboo chairs and tables were placed around the garden. It was simple, a cosy bar-and-resto with good food and plenty of greenery – a concept, made almost by accident, that the Poppies of today continues.
A name was needed for this little oasis, and so it was that the previous owners of the San Diego restaurant gave their blessing for ‘Poppies’ to live on, albeit on different sunny shores.
Poppies Restaurant Opens
Within a few months of Poppies’ opening on 12 January 1973 all three of those foot-loose and fancy-free travellers had headed off into the sunset, perhaps to return some day. Zenik was left alone to pay the bills, go to the market each morning, and get on with the real work of developing Poppies as a successful enterprise.
First to succumb to the yearning to return to Bali was John, later that same year. From then on John devoted much of the time he was able to spend in Bali to helping Zenik add and improve things right up to the present day (more than fifty years on). George came back five years later to find Poppies greatly expanded; he subsequently settled in Bali again. Bob visits Bali whenever he can.
Back then, the access to Poppies Restaurant was nothing more than just a dirt track, but as the area developed so did a proper street, which was named after the restaurant – Jalan Poppies Lane 1.
The Cottages
On a parallel street, now called Poppies Lane 2, the first four cottages were built. This was back in 1974/75, and they are still operational to this day, in their original form. These became the ‘model’ for Poppies Bali hotel built in 1980/81, across the road from the restaurant. Twenty, sparsely-plotted Bali-style cottages were built inside a generous coconut grove, later filled in with fabulous gardens and ponds – harkening back to the first rendition of Poppies Restaurant.
For the hotel’s layout, John collaborated closely with Zenik's cousin who was a Balinese craftsman. The combined ideas produced the result so appreciated by visitors - a blending of traditional building styles and details with modern Western comforts, including privacy, which is provided by the gardens and curved pathways. The now iconic, bougainvillea-framed swimming pool was added in 1987, and the Poppies Bali cottages continue to be renovated and refurbished: 1996, 2006, 2017 and most recently in 2022.
Poppies Branches Out
There are other iconic properties in the Poppies Bali family, including Kopi Pot, a roadside restaurant on Jalan Legian, Kuta, which opened in 1990. Then, the brand went international in 1994 with the opening of Poppies Samui, a boutique beachfront getaway with ten charming Thai-styled cottages. This was developed in the same thoughtful approach as in Bali, though adapted for the local architecture and environment. It was an adored escape until its closure in November, 2021, after 28 fabulous years.
With a vision to create more secluded getaways, John and Zenik developed two private villa destinations. Few can match the absolute privacy of Villa Melati, Ubud, a standalone villa in true Balinese style, situated deep on the slopes of the Sayan River valley. Opened in 2000, Villa Melati has been the subject of many a design and architectural book, a quintessential example of the ‘Bali Modern’ style, once considered the forefront of tropical living. This remains one of Ubud’s hidden gems. Again in Koh Samui they opened Tassana Pra in 2003, the island’s most luxurious private estate – an expansive villa complex perched high on a coastal hillside, with views out to the Golden Buddha.
Finally, 2009 saw the opening of Strawberry Hill, a mountain resort and restaurant in the cool central highlands of Bedugul, Bali. A humble, rustic cottage experience that invites sought-after simple pleasures and relaxation. There is also a large vegetable garden in Bedugul, and an orchard in Luwus, both of which supply the needs of the restaurants and hotels.
