Amankila

This hotel is so peaceful and relaxing, so much so you barely see another soul. We were here for just a few nights on a tour of Bali, and we are so pleased we stopped here for something different. The positives have to be the team, they are masters of quiet excellence, there when you need them but give you space to relax and enjoy. The room was built to disconnect, music and a well loaded music library were the in room entertainment, whilst we NEVER switch on the TV in a resort anyway, it took us a while to notice. The housekeeping team are on point and seemed to visit whenever we left our room, just to tidy and too up the most thoughtful amenities for us. We took a boat tour, which was perfect in every way, the team on board made it truly special. We even saw a turtle! The reason this wasn’t a 5 ( probably a 4.5), was the food. It wasn’t bad, it was just the least enjoyable of all the places we went in Bali (maybe we had been spoilt). In most cases at Aman, we didn’t finish our meals, out of palate fatigue, it wasn’t a bad menu it just didn’t wow when you ate it. The last night we just skipped it all together. The resort could do with a little modernising, but i believe that is on the cards. We would be back for sure, would we dine on site, that is dependent on the chef.

Having been to the other two Amans in Bali with mixed results, we were not quite sure what to expect going into our stay. In the case of Amankila, we are happy to report that not only is it the best Aman in Bali, but it also ranks amongst the very best Amans we have ever visited, and this was our 13th Aman stay. First, there's the setting. The ever-famous three-tiered pool was every bit as stunning as it looks in photos. Then there's the view from the rooms, the beautiful beach club, and the glittering black-sand beach. On top of that, whether you're attending the satay evening, going on the boat cruise, or kayaking out towards the east, you can see Mt. Agung on a clear day. The architecture, staircases and walkways are also absolutely beautiful. Second, there's the food. Arva served very good and authentic Italian food. The beach club restaurant was very good too, and at the Indonesian restaurant, the beef rendang and duck betutu were probably the most delicious Indonesian dishes we have ever had across Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, which is quite something at an Aman no less. The satay evening was equally good, and somehow much better than the satay ayam we ordered at lunch at the restaurant. Third, there's the service. We all come to Aman mostly for two reasons, the environment and the service. The staff here more than delivered on the legendary Aman service. Everything was arranged and taken care of effortlessly. They also kindly gave us the room #32/#33 combo, which worked well as a family group travelling together. In the very rare case that something didn't go smoothly, the service recovery was strong. The very friendly GM, Takahiro Ouchi, was there to greet us from arrival to departure, and checked in with us every day to make sure everything was great. It was, as always, a much appreciated gesture. My wife and I discussed whether it could simply be recency bias that led us to rate Amankila as one of the best Amans. However, having reflected on the stay at length, and believing that we have become more attentive to detail over time, only reassured us of the greatness of this resort. We will definitely return, as this is a truly special place.

A beautiful escape from the daily grind. My wife and I spent a long weekend here. Pickup from the airport was smooth in a luxury car, with a knowledgeable and professional driver. The resort is nestled away in some cliffside jungle with beautiful architecture. We were greeted by the manager and shown to our room set in the jungle space with elevated bridges between rooms and facilities. We only left the property for one day on a guided tour by the driver, the rest of the time we relaxed by the pool or at the beach in the service cabanas. We were fortunate enough to be upgraded for 2 nights to their top villa which was enormous. Right on the cliffside overlooking the water. The only downsides to the trip, due to changes in shipping routes there were 6-12 large vessels anchored in the view at any one time. Some of them you could hear the hum of their engines. There was also construction at the property, heavy machinery digging into the cliffs for new villas. While the noise was extremely noticeable in the villa, we hardly heard it by the water at the beach. Overall a thoroughly relaxing resort to do nothing but eat drink swim and relax.

Away from the hustle and bustle Amankila is a peaceful haven with lovely villas and breathtaking views. The Aman brand does not fail and this one is another gem worth visiting. The food is high quality, may it be Asian or Italian. The service is top of course as what is Aman famous for. The pool area is an architectural piece and a great place to lounge after a day at the beach. We usually take our afternoon tea there and just chill before watching the cultural dance they present once a week. Breakfat is a delightful time, great menu and great service. We also attended a Hindu blessing which is a first for us. Its such a lovely experience and we would like to thank the staff, chef and manager for this unforgettble experience.

This was our first stay at an Aman property and it did not disappoint. The room was a little outdated, but the amazing service and beautiful view completely made up for it. We opted to do a trip to Tenganan and were lucky enough to have our driver show us around the village - definitely recommend if you want hand crafted local souvenirs. This stay made our honeymoon so memorable and we cannot wait to get to our next Aman resort.