Off the Beaten Track: Amangiri, Utah

As a fan of Aman resorts, I can recommend one of the most stunning, Amangiri, in Utah.

This is only the second Aman property in North America, the first being Amangani in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Amangiri is all about sleek, minimalist architecture which reflects the drama of the Utah desert, constructed with local stone mixed with the cement to give the walls a soft pink purple grey glow that blends in with the local colors.

While it feels like it is in the middle of nowhere, Amangiri is actually in a prime position to access some of Utah’s and Arizona’s remarkable landscapes such as the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Canyonlands, Zion, and Bryce Canyon national parks, collectively offering the greatest rock formations on earth.  Man-made Lake Powell, the second largest lake in the United States, is on Amangiri’s doorstep.

You can relax around the resort’s pool and enjoy all the offerings in the expansive spa but while it may be tempting to meditate on Aman’s Zen-like aesthetic, the resort’s exceptional guides offer a tantalizing array of adventures.

These include:

• guided hikes to the property’s striking sandstone hoodoo towers and the petroglyph cave, one of Utah’s best archaeological sites.
• Horse-riding adventures with real cowboys who will also take you to the petroglyph cave and serenade you with cowboy songs in the saddle on the way home
• Kayaking and boat trips on Lake Powell
• Float trips and fly fishing on the Colorado River
• a helicopter ride to the Grand Canyon, or
• a jeep tour of the local wind carved canyons.

What I loved

The exquisite simplicity and clean lines of the hotel’s design. Minimalism at its most relaxing; the remarkable swirls and contours of the rock formations and how easily the hotel sits in this starkly beautiful landscape.

In the evenings, the terrace doors of the room can be folded back and comfortalbe chairs and a paraffin fire allow you to lie back, in comfort and peace, to enjoy the star filled desert sky.

Peaceful also was the fact that I was asked only to sign twice during my one week stay: the day of arrival and departure. A 20% gratuity was added to my bill on departure. So at the finish your meals, swim, spa treatment or organized activity, you simply depart and all is accounted for at the end of the stay; no nagging demands for a tip from staff after each coffee/meal/water/towel. What a wonderful stress-less stay. Australia is not a tipping culture and I am constantly confused by the protocol of American tipping; so it was a real treat to have all that handled for me, leaving a totally stress free stay.

What to wear

Amangiri is all about relaxation … and colour. Spend a relaxing week with a colourful kaftan or tunic for poolside breakfast or lunch.

The perfect coral sunset shift dress for those touristy moments and a smart but comfortable long dress  and kimono jacket for evening dining