Peaceful spirit
These days, the infinity pool trend is ubiquitous at all five-star resorts in Bali and almost everywhere else around the region. But one of the resorts that started it all is the Amandari, the second oldest Aman property, opened in 1989. Here, the infinity pool morphs from leaf green to vibrant jade as mornings turn to afternoons.
But at this Peter Muller-designed 30-suite resort, guests have been coming back for decades, in the main, due to the laid back yet confident service that doesn’t seem to miss a beat. Most of the staff has worked at resort since it opened, all of whom have familiarity with and affection for the resort and Ubud.
Suites are lovingly maintained in classic Aman style, constructed with bamboo, teak and coconut wood, and set in rice fields with views of the Ayung River gorge. While the building materials are rustic, the bedding is not. The latter is composed of six-cm mattress protectors, encased in smooth glossy white sheets and a battalion of super-sized pillows that always ensure a pleasant night’s rest.
Equally relaxing is the resort’s trademark spa therapies that have invariably inspired the offerings at other hotel spas over the years. The two-hour Village Spa treatment is much like a spice market expedition. It begins with a black rice and cinnamon body exfoliation, followed by volcanic clay body wrap, a banana leaf wrap, a revitalising scalp massage, and capped with a sprinkling of floral-scented water on the body’s seven energy centres. For the more holistically inclined, on the spa menu are a host of treatments including craniosacral therapy, reiki, and Access Bars sessions that work to unlock the mind’s potential.
Still on the self-improvement slant and beyond merely sunrise yoga sessions is the upcoming series of immersion programmes centred on fitness, weight loss, cleanse, and awareness aspects, scheduled for the coming six months – perfect for this season of new year resolutions.
