AMANKILA – East Bali
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| Amankila Beach Club |
It takes 1.75 hours to get to Amankila from DPS airport. The drive is not pretty. In fact, it is a terrible way to be introduced to
such a lovely country. Helpful hint: take a nap!
During our time in Bali, I will be staying at 3 Aman properties. Amankila, Amandari and Amanusa. Amankila is located in East
Bali.
Amankila means “peaceful hill”. This small, quiet resort on a hill with expansive views of the Lombok Strait. The Lombok Strait connects the Java Sea to the Indian Ocean (“we are not in Kansas/California anymore!”). Amankila is a Virtuoso property. The hotel is 22 years old and is immaculately and lovingly cared for by their over 200 staff members. The hotel is exquisite in it's simplicity. Upon your arrival, you feel at ease as the open air reception area overlooks the water. Looking down, you can see Amankila's three-tier, blue tiled pool. There is a private black sand beach resort with a separate pool at the base of the cliff accessed by the hotel's buggy or a 5 minute walk down the stairs. The area surrounding the resort is more authentically Balinese. Each village boasts a mastery of a specific craft such as wood making, jewelry design and of course, Batik. 95% of the residence in East Bali are Hindu. The general atmosphere is peaceful and friendly.
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| View from our Room |
Amankila means “peaceful hill”. This small, quiet resort on a hill with expansive views of the Lombok Strait. The Lombok Strait connects the Java Sea to the Indian Ocean (“we are not in Kansas/California anymore!”). Amankila is a Virtuoso property. The hotel is 22 years old and is immaculately and lovingly cared for by their over 200 staff members. The hotel is exquisite in it's simplicity. Upon your arrival, you feel at ease as the open air reception area overlooks the water. Looking down, you can see Amankila's three-tier, blue tiled pool. There is a private black sand beach resort with a separate pool at the base of the cliff accessed by the hotel's buggy or a 5 minute walk down the stairs. The area surrounding the resort is more authentically Balinese. Each village boasts a mastery of a specific craft such as wood making, jewelry design and of course, Batik. 95% of the residence in East Bali are Hindu. The general atmosphere is peaceful and friendly.
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| Three-tier blue tiled pool |
There are 34 free standing villas at Amankila. Some can
be made into 2 bedroom villas with a pool. Each has beautiful views of the Sea. The rooms are simple and authentic using natural products from the area. Guests
enjoy a sense of place at Amankila. The king size bed is comfortable. The huge
bathroom area is exceptional with separate sinks, shower and tub. The bath
amenities are local and I especially loved the cinnamon scented soaps. Everything is comfortable and spacious.
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| Balenese Bed |
WARNING ... every location on the property is reached by
stairs. A LOT OF STAIRS! The hotel helps get you from one place to another via
their buggy but you must be prepared to take a lot of stairs. If you have
mobility issues, Amankila is not for you.
While on property, the staff will help you organize your
day. They offer a wonderful 2 room spa and a small but efficient fitness
center. Both are located in villas and must be reserved in advance to assure
your privacy. If the spa time that you would like is taken ... no problem, they
will send the masseuse to your room. We did this at sunset and I can't begin to
tell you how wonderful the experience was especially when it was time to turn
over and look up at the stars from our private veranda (MAGICAL).
For shoppers, Amankila offers a small boutique filled
with unique local treasures. All the non-motorized water activities are
available at the Beach Club. Lessons on wind surfing for example are available. You can even order a light meal while you relax on one of eight private bales
set in the sand. Amankila offers tea at their wonderful fully stocked library for
those who want an escape from the sun at 4:00 pm daily. For those of you looking for a
unique romantic experience, Amankila offers an outrigger which can be reserved
for cruising, snorkeling and/or diving. Private dining and picnicking can also
be arranged.
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| View of the Restaurant |
There are two restaurants directly on property. We
enjoyed dinner last night at The Restaurant overlooking the Sea. There was
plenty of food options to choose from ranging from “Mexican style” corn tacos
to French style baby chicken with mashed potatoes to local Indonesian
specialties. This morning, we ate at the Terrace Restaurant overlooking the
pool. At both locations, the service was perfection. Friendly but not intrusive
which pretty much covers Aman's philosophy.
My goal with this trip to Bali is to see what "Aman Junkies" see. Later today, we are venturing up to Ubud, the cultural and artistic center
of Bali and will be staying at Amandari.
Stay tuned...
Mari
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