This is my first ever post on the flyertalk forum but I've been lurking around for quite a while for researching my trips and other info. So hopefully this would be a chance for me to contribute!

This is my first Aman experience though not my first time in Bali. I've stayed in alila ubud and ayana resort in jimbaran before. But Amankila and Amanjiwo have managed to deliver such an authentic and personal experience, I hardly see them as a hotel or a resort and this trip has definitely set a much higher standard for the following to match (Hmm... I guess that's how it feels to be an Amanjunkie)

This trip was planned to celebrate my partner's birthday. We both wanted to see Borobudur and have never been to Java before. And I have read so many raving reviews on this forum, Amanjiwo seems to be an easy choice. Initially we were going to take advantage of the 7 night "Bali and beyond" package and stay at Amankila (2 nights), Amanwana (2 nights) and Amanjiwo (3 nights). However due to my work, we were forced to cut it short by one night and combined the 3 night "Bali break" package at Amankila and 3 night "Cultural Trail" at Amanjiwo instead. It's a shame as I always needed an excuse to start my diving lesson and I believe Amanwana would be a very good incentive for me to actually kickstart!

I have made the booking through Aman's website which did not seem to me a very organised fair. Several responses were received from different agents containing slightly differing information. Though despite the initial confusion, the rest of the process is smooth and glitch-free. I contacted Amankila via email and they were kind enough to offer me an upgrade to an Ocean view suite and even allowed me to choose suite #37 (after a bit of research on this forum, this seems to be the best on offer, and IT IS! Thanks FT-ers)

1. Amankila

- Arrival and transfer

We flew to DPS from HKG on CX785 J, a great way to start our trip with the brilliant CX crew and multiple refills of champagneOn arrival at DPS, we were met by an Aman rep before the immigration counters. He collected our passports and money for visa, whisked us past the immigration line and settled us down in the baggage in less than 5 minutes. I believe the CX flight from HK has arrived with other flights from Taiwan, Bangkok and Australia at that time and the airport was packed full. The queues at immigration were at least >30 people each. I will never forget the look on the crowd as they gawked at us when we walked swiftly past them and beyond the countersIt was a very nice touch and a stress-free way to ease into our Aman experience. The journey to Amankila from DPS was one and half hours on easy roads and we were offered cold towels, drinks and snacks on our ride throughout. Tracy, the general manager, wasn't there when we arrived, but she was popping in and out throughout our stay at all the right times.

- The room (Ocean Suite #37)

We were escorted to our room by the guest assistant for an in-room checkin. Our suite was just perched above the Indrakila suite and has an uninterrupted view of the Lombok strait and Nusa Penida which is definitely worth the stairs. The room was spacious enough with a lovely bed. My partner fell in love immediately with the minimalistic design, such as the thatched roof that blends in with the environment so well. My favourite was the bathtub, though it is located indoor, there is a huge window right next to it which opens to the surrounding trees and canopies. Plus it’s big enough for two persons. A tropical fruit tower was offered and replenished daily which quenches my craving for mangosteen and passionfruit. Admittedly there were some tiny ants crawling around the fruit tower, but that was the limit to the insect nuisances. We enjoyed the sea breeze a lot and slept with our front door slighly ajar and windows opened. I was so surprised we didn’t get a single mosquito bite during our stay.


view from room


sunrise from our terrace, worth getting up at 6am

- The pool

The famed three-tiered pool in Amankila definitely has its wow-factor and I am still struggling to decide if the infinity pool in Alila Ubud or this one is my most favourite. Though the ocean pool in Ayana resort offers an amazing sunset view set against the Indian Ocean, Amankila’s pool wins hands down for its lack of crowd, serenity and immaculate service. Iced water was offered and refilled constantly, so are cold towels, sun lotion and a cooling afternoon sorbet (the mangosteen sorbet was definitely a highlight of my trip!) The pool at beach club was equally amazing but more on that later.


Signature pool (The oil tanker in the background not so cool...)


Studious pool boy up cleaning early


speechless

- The beach

Amankila has a strip of private black/greyish sand beach, 5 minutes away from the lobby on a buggy ride or a short walk. It is not the most pristine beach on offer, the water is clear and warm enough to swim in. We were offered our own Bale to hide from the sun and comfy loungechairs for tanning. The bales were situated afar from each other so we felt like we had the beach to our own. The service there was also spotless.

However, the beach faces a more fundamental problem: rubbish. Plastic bags, containers, or even an occasional flip flop dot the water and the beachfront. I understand that I can’t really blame Aman for this as the beach is situated right along side a few fishing villages, and further down, a LPD storage tank (!) And the staff there really tried their best to mop up everything (one of them was on a non-stop cleaning mission for the whole morning under a scorching sun), but it was a bit of a failing battle as rubbish were being swept onshore constantly. It is still swimmable, just not your perfect beach experience. The beach club lap pool, on the other hand, is beautifully appointed (and much cleaner!) for a dip. A frangipani tree was cleverly planted there so the pool was dotted by the fragrant flowers here and there and made the swim a much more enjoyable experience.


Looks pretty, but not particularly swimmable


More later........

Thank you guys for your warm welcome!
I am still new with Aman and very excited to share the "gospel"

- Activities

Set on the East coast of Bali, Amankila’s surrounding lacks the hustle and bustle of Kuta/Jimabaran/Ubud. (Though we did learn from a couple we met there who regularly visits Amankila that the situation is gradually changing as the new road is being built and talks of a cruise ship terminal being installed!) In place of 24 hour McDonald’s (I saw one when going to Uluwatu temple!) and souvenir joints were local villages and the natural environment. My partner and I are not a super-active bunch but did join the morning cruise at the bay right off Amankila with a snorkelling session, did a bit of cycling around the surrounding villages and hired a car to see the Sidemen area. The overall experience was excellent and offered us a glimpse of the rural and “real” Bali. The morning cruise was conducted on a 40 ft long outrigger with a sundeck where you can enjoy the sunshine while lying on comfy white cushions. There were 2 other couples with us on the boat but it felt very private as the boat was quite long and there were plenty of space. We sailed to the tiny little islands just off Candidasa, back to have a good look of Amankila and snorkelled around a coral garden right off the coast. We were not very good swimmers but the staff on board took good care of us (1:1 staff to couple ratio). My only shock was that the snorkeling area is not far off from an onshore LPD storage tank and there were LPG tankers moving in occassionally. But the water was clear and there was an abundance of coral and tropical fish (Nemo was spotted) The cruise was a great way to start the day! Whilst cycling around the villages, we saw local villagers gathering for cock fighting which was a great experience and people we met were very friendly. During our 3 night stay, Amankila has also organised a traditional dancing performance with a full on gamelan orchestra for all the guests (that was the only time we realised there were actually quite a lot of guests and surprised us as the resort felt very empty and quiet otherwise) at the pool area. I found it a much more authentic and spiritual experience than the tourist fare being offered around Jimbaran.

Amankila from the boat

The dance

- Dining

The overall impression was expensive but well worth it. The usual breakfast fare was great with lots of options and the egg benedict is a must-try! I noted from some previous reviews that the service was slow but that was certainly not the case with us. We woke up late and were a bit rushed for our morning cruise, but the staff there already knew that we had a cruise to catch and delivered the dishes within a few minutes. The daily specials at dinner were fresh and both Indonesian and Western dishes were very well executed (around US $180/two people for a three course meal with drinks). My only possible complaint was that the rice they served was a bit cold. A highlight of our stay was the private beach dinner which I have organised as a birthday surprise for my partner. The staff were very discreet all along and it was a very pleasant surprise when we went down the beach and found a bonfire and table set on the beach waiting for us with our own waiter and chef attending to the barbeque. The setting was stunning and the grilled lobster is probably the best we ever had! Another highlight was our picnic breakfast at a bale which was set amidst paddy fields and high in the hills with a fantastic view to the sea. We woke up quite early and were driven there in an open jeep and our driver/waiter Wayan could not be more attentive. It was certainly worth the early wake up call and a very memorable morning.

There is something in the air...

Wayan, our hero

Bale Tirta Sale

- Staff

All have been said about Amankila but its wonderful staff. Tracy, the general manager, was warm and welcoming. She was nearly always around and offered insightful suggestions to our stay in Indonesia. Her supporting staff at the reception always knew where and what we were up to and was always happy to stop for a chat. The rest of the staff did their best to look after us and offer a level of personal service that is intimate without too overpowering. Never once I was asked about my room number nor my name. Ask them for one thing and they will come back with it and more. It seems like Aman understands exactly what we want and how we want it. We felt so pampered after our 3 night stay that we actually felt a bit sad when leaving the resort.



Smile...

More on Amanjiwo coming up...