Amankila
The long trek to Amanresort’s Amankila is one that is up and down winding and curving roads. Thankfully Aman provides complimentary transfers in their leather seated safari vehicle. If your prone to getting car sick you may want to consider a helicopter transfer at an additional charge. However and when you do arrive, you will not be disappointed. This virtually flawless resort is tucked away in a very private area of Bali facing the Lombok straight.
The fortress like main building employs monolithic stone blocks, traditional thatched roof construction, exotic carved woods and regional art. The hotel conveys both simplicity and grandeur.
Down two flights of steep stairs, a wide, cozy cafe serves breakfast and lunch, and dinner is above in a more elegant setting. The Indonesian, Asian and Continental selections are superb no matter which venue guests choose. Refined and tropical, the bar affords stunning panoramas of the three magnificently terraced lap pools and the toy-boat-sized container and cruise ships waiting for admittance to nearby Padang Bay. The adjacent gazebos are often occupied by guests enjoying relaxing massages.
The hotel's three pools are tiered down the cliff face and flow into one another, with the largest at the sea-level Beach Club. Traditional long-stroke Balinese massage and beauty treatments are available in guests' rooms, at two tables under the palms at the Beach Club, or in a massage pavilion.
Those wanting to be more active can wend their way down wooded cliff paths to the private beach (open to non guests for a fee) with a tropical open-air restaurant, varied watersports, and a 40-ft outrigger boat for morning and afternoon snorkeling cruises or private charter.
The wide range of excursions, activities and theatrical presentations makes this the most family-friendly Indonesian Aman. The luxurious library/art gallery provides reading material, cassettes, CDs and a lovely afternoon tea.
Acutely angled and long walkways with stairs can make the trip to your freestanding accommodation pavilion seem like forever. Repeat guests are known to request specific locations. On the other hand some like winding their way through the dense foliage. Whatever, when you do arrive chances are you will find little to fault with the large dramatic abodes.
Each provides a large, open terrace strewn with frangipani and graced with sofas, tables, chairs and steady, gentle breezes. Units are identical except for those offering more spectacular vistas and the three indulgent suites with private pools.
Service is seamless, combining Balinese grace with Western efficiency. Aman resorts were among the first to champion isolation as a resort attribute, and this property follows the theme. Far from the world and clearly not on a fabulous beach the Amankila still offers exquisite views and flawless accommodations.
Amankila is a member of exclusive Virtuoso travel network. Book online or contact our Virtuoso Travel Advisor Ken@classictravel.com for more details.
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