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VOGUE VOYAGE
AMANKILA, BALI
A BIT OF the fizz of exotic travel evaporated with the arrival of the
online review. From your phone you can see someone else’s holiday
snaps, their thoughts on breakfast, and recommendations on which
rooms to request. As someone who likes to plan out a holiday in
advance, I trawl review sites for advice; sometimes for laughs and
other times for details that are not obvious to the casual visitor to an
official website.
Ahead of my trip to Amankila, one of lauded luxury hotel group
Aman’s three offerings on Bali, I quickly perused guest feedback.
I found one appraisal of Amankila in which the traveller raves about
the design, service, food and more, but makes a point to complain about
the property’s lack of direct sunset view, because of its bayside location.
Tough crowd. But discerning.
Built in 1992, Amankila was one of Aman’s first properties. The
original design by Edward Tuttle has barely changed since Amankila’s
inception, proof of the timelessness of the original concept. Infinity
pools have recently been added to three suites, however, and there’s
been a refresh of the suite interiors. As I unpacked my suitcase in my
private villa, the only sounds to be heard were local birds and the rustle
of rainforest trees; the air was scented with frangipanis and coconut.
This is the first Aman I have stayed at, although I have dined at its
properties in Venice and Yunnan in rural China, so my expectations
were high; the level of service does not disappoint. A glass of ice water
is served whenever I so much as hover near a chair in a common area;
when I head back to my villa after a quick swim, fresh towels have
appeared, ready for my shower.
There is a quiet, majestic drama in the sandstone steps leading
down to the trio of tiered infinity pools, which were inspired by the
terraced rice paddies of Bali. The hotel itself looks to the palaces of
East Bali, Ujung and Tirta Gangga. Guests can lounge unseen in the
bale – Balinese cabanas – dotted at the edges of the pools, so when
you’re swimming in the main pool you can feel like you are all on
your own as you look out to the bay.
Further down the hill lies Amankila’s Beach Club, with a second pool
bordered by slender palms. The beach itself glistens with volcanic black
sand. Amankila staff stand there on watch, ready to clean up any litter
that might wash up from the shore, a reminder that not even paradise is
immune to the realities of the outside world.
The Bali that most people know is the touristy southern region.
Amankila is in east Bali, which is a 90-minute drive from the airport
and is much less built up; there is only one other major hotel in the area.
Amankila can organise private tours of the local area, including
Tenganan, said to be Bali’s oldest village, which specialises in double
ikat textiles. Our driver and tour guide has worked for Amankila since
its inception (I’m told more than 90 per cent of Amankila’s staff have
been working there since the resort opened).
Another testament to authenticity is an embrace of local cuisine.
Alongside familiar Indonesian dishes such as nasi lemak and nasi goreng,Left: a traditional Balinese
bale at Amankila. Above: the
lap pool at the Beach Club.Private bale skirt the main pool of the
resort. Below, right: the pool overlooking
the bay flows over three levels. Bottom:
an elevated walkway to a suite.