Building Harmonie: what we would repeat and what we would change

François became involved with Harmonie at foundation stage and assumed full control of the project during the casting of the second-floor slab. He then led the remaining construction, the opening and its continuing operation with the team. This chronology matters: Harmonie was not conceived from a blank page under DALLEAU's direction.

The Harmonie plot was secured under a long-term lease in 2022. Construction and finishing took about fifteen months. Furnishing, setup and trial operations followed before the first guest stays in summer 2024. The residence has operated since then, giving us a record of what worked on paper and what held up in daily use.

Harmonie is delivered and operating. The public record is limited to documented continuity from construction through handover and current operation, including decisions, defects and corrections. No measured or commercial performance is published.

Decisions we would repeat

Three identities, one level of comfort

Villa Soluna, Concrete Serenity and Casa Diplomatico were designed with distinct interiors: quiet minimalism, exposed concrete and Mediterranean colour. Each villa nevertheless follows the same practical brief, including enclosed air-conditioned living areas, a private pool, generous shared spaces, staff support and a multi-barrier water system documented beyond its stage count. Guests choose the atmosphere, while the basic comfort remains consistent.

Private villas that can become one residence

Each villa has its own entrance. A guest can book one villa, while a larger group can reserve the full residence. The common lobby, arrival sequence and operating team serve both formats. This flexibility has proved more valuable than duplicating every support space for each building.

Infrastructure that guests feel even when they do not see it

Water source, treatment and verification, cooling, storage, housekeeping routes and maintenance access rarely lead the photography. They shape the stay every day. Harmonie reinforced a simple design rule: specify the invisible systems early, then test how staff and guests will use them.

Problems that changed our process

Waterproofing was inconsistent across parts of the site, and drainage did not receive enough attention at the start of the project. Both issues appeared after handover, once heavy rain and daily operation tested the buildings. Remedial work cost more and caused more disruption than a clearer design, inspection and warranty process would have required.

We do not identify the contractor publicly. The lesson is procedural. References now need to be checked with former clients; waterproofing and drainage require defined inspection points; warranties must be explicit; and payments should follow accepted work at each stage rather than the calendar alone.

Changes we would make on the next residence

• Plan water first. Drainage, waterproofing, rainwater collection and maintenance access should be resolved before finishes are selected.
• Share the facilities that benefit every villa. Depending on the site and demand, a spa room, sauna, cold bath, café, lounge or coworking area may serve several villas more efficiently than separate amenities. The business case still needs its own cost, staffing and demand test.
• Give arrival and parking more space. Harmonie's lobby works, but the first impression and vehicle access could better match the groups the residence now receives.
• Test operations before the public opening. A short trial phase reveals housekeeping routes, check-in delays, maintenance access and training gaps before full-rate stays begin.
• Build verification into the contract. Independent inspections and documented acceptance criteria now sit beside design intent and price.

Land cost: an internal comparable, not a market index

The lease file records an annual rate of about IDR 18 million per are when the plot was secured in 2022. A nearby 2025 comparable in the project file was discussed at IDR 32 million to IDR 35 million per are per year. That implies a nominal increase of about 78% to 94%. It is one local comparison, not an independent valuation or evidence that every Seminyak plot moved by the same amount.

Currency changes narrow the comparison for an owner measuring capital in euros. The European Central Bank's annual EUR/IDR series averaged roughly IDR 15,600 per euro in 2022. Bank Indonesia's non-USD reference-rate series was around IDR 20,666 per euro on 10 July 2026. On those two reference points, IDR 18 million is about EUR 1,154 and IDR 32 million to IDR 35 million is about EUR 1,549 to EUR 1,694. The illustrative change in euro terms is therefore about 34% to 47%, before tax, transaction costs and differences between the plots.

This calculation compares an internal lease record with one nearby internal comparable using public exchange rates. It does not measure the capital appreciation of a registered asset and should not be presented as a Bali land index.

Compliance must be part of the build programme

The current national framework includes Government Regulation 28/2025 and Tourism Ministry Regulation 6/2025. The correct sequence depends on the company, location, building and activity. Harmonie's practical lesson is to align zoning, building approvals, business classification and operating permissions before construction decisions make a correction expensive.

Every later mandate has inherited the same controls: verified contractor references, early water planning, stage inspections, a trial opening and a clear distinction between the guest-facing design and the systems that keep the residence working.

Sources checked on 20 July 2026: internal Harmonie lease, design and construction records; Government Regulation 28/2025; and Tourism Ministry Regulation 6/2025. Harmonie is delivered and operating. No measured or commercial performance is published. Report a correction.

Explore the visual record: see Harmonie during construction, after delivery and in operation.