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ARTISTS venturing into the field of business is not something that is unusual. But among them, not many have the business acumen or the capital to own and run their own hotel or resort. In Indonesia there are several famous artistes who have ventured into such businesses.
Among them are veteran singer Hetty Koes Endang, dangdut singer Inul Daratista, and actor and singer Marshanda.
A fan favourite in Malaysia, legendary singer and performer, Hetty Koes Endang is the owner of Kalana Resort & Villa located at Jalan Kebun Raya Cibodas, Bogor, Indonesia.
If not performing or being a judge on a television program, Hetty, who is affectionately known as Bunda Hetty, will usually take a break to take in the fresh air in the cool atmosphere of her resort – an hour away by car from Jakarta – with her husband, Yusuf Erwin Faisal.
Getaran correspondent Freda Hassan recently caught up with Bunda Hetty in Jakarta to talk about her journey as a hotelier and entrepreneur.
According to Hetty, the resort was opened 12 years ago but only as accommodation for family members when her children were still quite young.
"My children when they were little, did not know how to play golf but played basketball at the resort. When they got older and were busy with their studies, they rarely had time to go to the resort. Many times visitors would come to the resort asking if the rooms could be rented. That gave us food for thought and coincidentally, we also have a timber business in Jakarta," said the singer who is popular for performing the song 'Kasih'.
From there, Hetty and her family decided to develop the Kalana resort and villa using the wood they already had as the material to build all the rooms and furniture in the resort.
"We already had the materials, so it just made sense. Why should we look elsewhere to build wooden houses, it will just be more expensive," he added.
The 34-room resort is already listed on most digital accommodation subscription platforms such as Agoda and the like. The journey to this resort only takes about an hour if driving from Jakarta and the area is very suitable for those who dream of a ‘country living’ atmosphere close to nature.
According to Hetty, venturing into business was just the natural next step in her journey.
“We have to be good at investing and we have to be smart to save (money) because we will not be singing forever. As long as we are still productive, we should strive to gain the most we can, especially in this time of pandemic,” she said.
Her son, Amir, a business graduate, is managing the resort. Hetty continues to monitor the affairs of the resort, even whilst she is away.
Kalana Resort has two swimming pools in addition to being close to a river, the water of which is clean and clear.
"It may be difficult to see the river now, but in addition to playing in the clean mountain water, guests and children can also milk the cows near our property.
"Concepts like country living, while maybe not luxurious, are sought out for the cool, clean air and comfortable surroundings because in Jakarta the air is polluted and quite hot. At night, the temperature can fall to 16 degrees Celsius at the resort,” she added.
In fact, guests can even hold garden events such as weddings for up to 400 people (but must comply with standard operating procedures during the current pandemic).
Hetty, who often stays at her resort, explained that reservations at the resort are always full. If they are lucky, guests will come across the singer who has performed songs by composer Datuk Ahmad Nawab.
"Most guests can see the family photos at the hotel reception. If they didn’t know we owned the resort, they are surprised when they find out. If I happen to be there at the time, they always ask to take a photo with me when they check out.
"But during this pandemic, guests will still have to wear face masks and keep their distance. Some have asked me to take off my face mask for photos but I said no, we have to keep wearing it.”
She is always very happy to see the guests and their families having fun on holiday at her resort.
"I love seeing them happy when they have breakfast when I peeked out of my bedroom window. That is joyful to me because they come to treat the resort like their own home.
"It's different compared to staying at a hotel because the resort is a lot cosier and comfortable. The guests are also happy to swim in the pool at night despite the chill in the air.”
When asked if the performer was also affected by Covid-19, as felt by other singers in her country, Hetty replied calmly, “Oh no, because I am always busy with other things. Last year, I was busy preparing for my son, Afifah’s nuptials. That's why I couldn’t be on the Gegar Vaganza jury last year.”
Apparently, her trademark phrase that is often uttered during the live broadcast of the Gegar Vaganza program, namely 'That shot is accurate!', is greatly missed by GV fans. The production team also hopes that Hetty Koes Endang will return as a permanent jurist for this year.
However, because she has also been invited to be a jury for the DA Asia reality show in Jakarta this October, she is at a loss on how to decide to choose between the two shows.
“I have to choose which show this year? I am so confused. GV asked me back because many fans have asked me to be on the GV jury this year. I have yet to decide. Hopefully there will be some relaxation in Malaysia later so it will not be too long to be quarantined.
"GV starts in October and my daughter Afi is expected to give birth on September 22, so I will only be able to be with my grandson for only two weeks, inshaAllah," she said.
In line with the month of Ramadan, Hetty Koes Endang wishes all readers of Getaran and The Vibes a happy month of fasting with patience during the current pandemic situation. – The Vibes, 26 April, 2021.
This exclusive interview appeared on Getaran.my on Sunday, April 25
