About Us
a dream of bali
A dream to follow a feeling. A calling that unfolded, one discovery to another like a trail of clues to hidden treasure. A treasure that is Villa Bodhi Bali.
The dreamer was me, Amos Kotomori. I’ve spent a lifetime in creative pursuits as a designer, art director, and producer. I grew up in Hawaii, an island community of many cultures that inspired my appreciation for traditional arts.
My dream of Bali was an awakening. Guided by intuition, I found myself lured to a place I knew nothing about. It was at an art gallery in Ubud where I was drawn to a large teak door beautifully carved and seasoned with time. That door became a symbolic gateway to the heart and soul of this legendary island. I was introduced to close-knit communities intimately connected to their land and gods. I observed a culture of carving, weaving, handcrafting, and cultivating that honored traditions of generations past. I looked further. My search led to the village Banjar Tiyingan just a few miles from Ubud, the bosom of Bali’s storied artisans. It was there that Villa Bodhi Bali came to be.
My path of discovery also became a pilgrimage of healing. I am deeply blessed to be a survivor of stage four cancer and heart surgery, and truly believe that it is life-giving to embrace gratitude and joy. This sentiment touches every moment at Villa Bodhi Bali in the works of Balinese artists I’ve come to know and respect, vintage furnishings given renewed purpose, luxurious fabrics and natural fibers, calm reflecting ponds and flourishing gardens. Surroundings that enliven, divinely designed.
And that teak door I encountered on my first trip is now the entry to the largest cottage at Villa Bodhi Bali.
Villa Bodhi Bali was named for the venerated Bodhi tree where the Buddha awakened to enlightenment. It inspires living with contentment and grace. I often describe Villa Bodhi Bali as a place where you can feel the silence between heartbeats.
Villa Bodhi Bali brings together the warmth of the Balinese and the aloha of Hawaii, island cultures whose essence is the tenderness of kindness and love.
A dream brought me to Bali. It is my wish that this dream calls to you, too. I warmly invite you to Villa Bodhi Bali.
Amos
Visit my latest creative endeavor at Amoskotomoridesigns.com.
