About Us

A dedication to our builders...

It is with eternal gratitude that we dedicate the opening of Jiwa Eco Escape to our incredible team of local builders. They moved mountains for us...literally. With extraordinary patience, kindness, and quiet dedication, they have worked for the better part of two years to bring our lodge to life. Through heavy rains, staggering heat, and endless mud, they showed up each day with a smile. Their joyous laughter echoing across the landscape, the spirit of these men will live here in the land for eternity. Their craftsmanship, energy, and care exist in every path, wall, tile, and timber on the property. Jiwa exists because of them...our "keluarga". To all of you, we are forever grateful. Thank you for turning our forest dream into a beautiful living reality.

Our owners:
Valerie and Tedd

In our former lives, Valerie worked as a CPA while I spent my days in educational leadership. After many years in our respective fields, we began struggling to extract the essential joy needed to grind through the nine-to-five in Los Angeles. We loved the people we worked with and had a rich "friends and family" life, but there was a soullessness in the hustle that no longer balanced with what we wanted from our day-to-day. Firm believers that there is still wonder and beauty in the world, Val and I dreamed about building something where these beliefs could grow and be shared with a strong local community and fellow travelers alike. Jiwa Eco Escape is the result of that dream.

With tremendous gratitude for
Larz Van't Hoff

Larz, and the whole Van't Hoff family, have been friends and inspirations for almost 20 years. When we made the decision to move to Bali, Larz immediately stepped in with unyielding support for us and this dream. Having lived most of his life on the island, his experience and insight have been pivotal in helping to identify and secure suitable land, guiding our design and construction, and supporting our process from start to finish. Without Larz, this journey would have been significantly more challenging. Thank you for your efforts, and most of all for your friendship.

Our Team

There are no kinder, more caring people on the planet than the Balinese. Our local village of Karya Sari is a shining example of their warmth and generosity. We are truly grateful to have found a home for Jiwa among the beautiful forests and terraced rice fields they call home. We certainly hope you have an opportunity to connect with our greater lodge family during your stay. Please meet the incredible team of people who will help us host your stay and who continue to make Jiwa Eco Escape such a wonderful destination for travelers to Bali, the Island of Gods.