Amangiri Trip Reports (combined threads)
Dec 6, 2014, 6:56 am
#76
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Baltimore MD
Posts: 3,457
Fdw
Dec 8, 2014, 1:06 am
#77
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: United global services, BA gold,
Posts: 839
Thank you Ericka! What a great report, my husband and I have been to most of the Aman resorts ( and several multiple times) but not to any in the US or Caribbean! Giri is at the top of our list and we are hoping to go this spring. Thank you for the great insight! With every report I read, I get more excited to go!
Jan 5, 2015, 9:46 am
#78
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: MSP
Programs: DL, UA, AA
Posts: 48
Amangiri 'service charge'
I am off to Amangiri for three nights (flying into St George today and driving there tomorrow morning). They are running a rejuvenation package through the end of March, meals inclusive, plus some other benefits through Andrew Harper. I visited Amangani two years ago so it will be interesting to see how they compare. I much prefer the desert to the mountains, so Amangiri is the clear winner in terms of location.
I never know at resorts like this if the 10% service charge is intended to be in lieu of tips, or if additional tipping is expected. At Twin Farms last summer someone at the resort indicated that additional tips above the service charge are appreciated as a lump amount upon checkout, so I added $100 to be split among the staff. At Amangani I only gave an extra tip to two staff members who were particularly outstanding.
Any suggestions or advice for Amangiri?
Thanks!
I never know at resorts like this if the 10% service charge is intended to be in lieu of tips, or if additional tipping is expected. At Twin Farms last summer someone at the resort indicated that additional tips above the service charge are appreciated as a lump amount upon checkout, so I added $100 to be split among the staff. At Amangani I only gave an extra tip to two staff members who were particularly outstanding.
Any suggestions or advice for Amangiri?
Thanks!
Jan 5, 2015, 5:57 pm
#79
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Here, there … you know how it goes.
Posts: 1,518
This question probably belongs in a more general "Luxury Hotel Tipping" thread - I'm sure there are a few - but as it's my TR, I'll respond here.
For me, a Service Charge is in lieu of tips. But, if an individual goes above and beyond, I will tip him/her extra, and directly.
For me, a Service Charge is in lieu of tips. But, if an individual goes above and beyond, I will tip him/her extra, and directly.
Jan 5, 2015, 11:51 pm
#80
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: OSL
Posts: 2,145
Amangiri Trip Report
At amangiri we did not tip the staff on top of the service charge (we never do for Amans or other hotels where there is a service charge on top of everything). However, we did tip our guides for excursions/activities as they were not aman employees and (most importantly) delivered fantastic service and experiences for us. They were all really happy getting something extra which made me feel it was not at all expected.
Last edited by Musken; Jan 6, 2015 at 2:42 am
Jan 6, 2015, 1:02 am
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Germany
Programs: Some
Posts: 11,525
I am off to Amangiri for three nights (flying into St George today and driving there tomorrow morning). They are running a rejuvenation package through the end of March, meals inclusive, plus some other benefits through Andrew Harper. I visited Amangani two years ago so it will be interesting to see how they compare. I much prefer the desert to the mountains, so Amangiri is the clear winner in terms of location.
I never know at resorts like this if the 10% service charge is intended to be in lieu of tips, or if additional tipping is expected. At Twin Farms last summer someone at the resort indicated that additional tips above the service charge are appreciated as a lump amount upon checkout, so I added $100 to be split among the staff. At Amangani I only gave an extra tip to two staff members who were particularly outstanding.
Any suggestions or advice for Amangiri?
Thanks!
I never know at resorts like this if the 10% service charge is intended to be in lieu of tips, or if additional tipping is expected. At Twin Farms last summer someone at the resort indicated that additional tips above the service charge are appreciated as a lump amount upon checkout, so I added $100 to be split among the staff. At Amangani I only gave an extra tip to two staff members who were particularly outstanding.
Any suggestions or advice for Amangiri?
Thanks!
Apr 2, 2015, 7:21 pm
#82
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Baltimore MD
Posts: 3,457
Amangiri Spring 2015
Mods: I know that there is a temptation to merge this with another review but I would prefer it if you wouldn't
Also, I apologize for my writing style... it's more stream of conscious.... also note that all pictures were taken with my iphone. I have more on my camera that I haven’t yet pulled off…
Planning
I recently received the joyous news that I was to become a father…. Again…. The third iteration of NotFlyingBabyWu is on the way. Alas, that means I will be grounded for a certain period of time as FlyingMrsWu and I tackle the joys of introducing a new one into the world. But, it did seem appropriate to have one more hurrah… but where? I really wanted to go somewhere special, but FMW had a lot of stipulations, which seemed to change by the week. First it was “nowhere to far away”…. Ok. PH DC booked with a DSU (my wife loves the cupcakes at Baked and Wired). Then it was “ok maybe we can go farther” away but non stop flight… so then I started looking at Puerto Rico (Dorado beach), Jamaica (return to Goldeneye), Nassau (when does the new Rosewood open) and the Mayakoba ( Banyan Tree, Rosewood, Niyuc?)… then I got the “maybe not anywhere that’s beachy..” So I started looking at Amangiri…. Then my parents (who were the keepers of the other two) were coming back from an international trip told me that they could only give us more than 4 days (when taking my work schedule into account), which would make a trip to Amangiri tough. So I looked at Blackberry Farm. 4th night free during the week, non stop flight from DCA using Avios. Almost perfect., but, the more I read about Blackberry, the less I wanted to go. Jackets required at dinner, lots of extras that they charged for, and I really wanted to be able to swim/use a hot tub. Fortunately, my parents were able to change their schedule just enough to allow us 6 days away, so then a trip to Amangiri was possible. Amangiri offers the Season of Adventure and Rejuvenation until March 31st which includes:
Three meals daily (including healthy menu options)
• • Three meals daily (including healthy menu options)
• Two daily one-hour guided group hikes on property
• One daily group yoga class
• One daily group Pilates core-strengthening mat class
For stays of four nights or more, a complimentary 60-minute massage, facial or wellness coaching session will be offered (for up to two people per suite). For stays of seven nights or more, guests will also receive a personalised Amangiri hot stone dinner.
I booked 4 nights through DavidO, who was also able to confirm that Amangiri would also extend the Virtuos amenities as well which are:
Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
Continental breakfast daily, for up to two in room guests
Toiletry kit with Amangiri's signature
◦ sage shampoo, conditioner, body lotion and body wash
Choice of 30 minute scalp massage or neck/shoulder massage
Early check-in/late check-out
subject to availability
Reading the excellent other reviews (Ericka, aa213bb and others) it definitely appeared that flying into Page was sub optimal. Our choices were thus Phoenix and Las Vegas. Given that the plan was to spend the final two nights somewhere, my wife opted for Las Vegas over Phoenix. It was actually, LM225’s excellent advice that swayed me here: he basically told me that Scottsdale would be a definite let down after Amangiri. With Las Vegas there’s no pretense that it’ll be even close. I’ld be remiss here to not mention that LM225 is an excellent travel advisor as well. I spent an inordinate amount of time bouncing questions off of him, which definitely gave me excellent information. If he had been a Virtuoso agent, it would have been one stop shopping… oh well.. With Las Vegas as out point of entry and exit, the next goal was to figure out where to stay. Since my wife was with child, she didn’t want to stay anywhere that was too much of a scene in LV, which ruled out pretty much everywhere…it came down to the MO or the FS. Given the FS location and older product, we decided it was time for our first MO stay ever.
Also, I apologize for my writing style... it's more stream of conscious.... also note that all pictures were taken with my iphone. I have more on my camera that I haven’t yet pulled off…
Planning
I recently received the joyous news that I was to become a father…. Again…. The third iteration of NotFlyingBabyWu is on the way. Alas, that means I will be grounded for a certain period of time as FlyingMrsWu and I tackle the joys of introducing a new one into the world. But, it did seem appropriate to have one more hurrah… but where? I really wanted to go somewhere special, but FMW had a lot of stipulations, which seemed to change by the week. First it was “nowhere to far away”…. Ok. PH DC booked with a DSU (my wife loves the cupcakes at Baked and Wired). Then it was “ok maybe we can go farther” away but non stop flight… so then I started looking at Puerto Rico (Dorado beach), Jamaica (return to Goldeneye), Nassau (when does the new Rosewood open) and the Mayakoba ( Banyan Tree, Rosewood, Niyuc?)… then I got the “maybe not anywhere that’s beachy..” So I started looking at Amangiri…. Then my parents (who were the keepers of the other two) were coming back from an international trip told me that they could only give us more than 4 days (when taking my work schedule into account), which would make a trip to Amangiri tough. So I looked at Blackberry Farm. 4th night free during the week, non stop flight from DCA using Avios. Almost perfect., but, the more I read about Blackberry, the less I wanted to go. Jackets required at dinner, lots of extras that they charged for, and I really wanted to be able to swim/use a hot tub. Fortunately, my parents were able to change their schedule just enough to allow us 6 days away, so then a trip to Amangiri was possible. Amangiri offers the Season of Adventure and Rejuvenation until March 31st which includes:
Three meals daily (including healthy menu options)
• • Three meals daily (including healthy menu options)
• Two daily one-hour guided group hikes on property
• One daily group yoga class
• One daily group Pilates core-strengthening mat class
For stays of four nights or more, a complimentary 60-minute massage, facial or wellness coaching session will be offered (for up to two people per suite). For stays of seven nights or more, guests will also receive a personalised Amangiri hot stone dinner.
I booked 4 nights through DavidO, who was also able to confirm that Amangiri would also extend the Virtuos amenities as well which are:
Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
Continental breakfast daily, for up to two in room guests
Toiletry kit with Amangiri's signature
◦ sage shampoo, conditioner, body lotion and body wash
Choice of 30 minute scalp massage or neck/shoulder massage
Early check-in/late check-out
subject to availability
Reading the excellent other reviews (Ericka, aa213bb and others) it definitely appeared that flying into Page was sub optimal. Our choices were thus Phoenix and Las Vegas. Given that the plan was to spend the final two nights somewhere, my wife opted for Las Vegas over Phoenix. It was actually, LM225’s excellent advice that swayed me here: he basically told me that Scottsdale would be a definite let down after Amangiri. With Las Vegas there’s no pretense that it’ll be even close. I’ld be remiss here to not mention that LM225 is an excellent travel advisor as well. I spent an inordinate amount of time bouncing questions off of him, which definitely gave me excellent information. If he had been a Virtuoso agent, it would have been one stop shopping… oh well.. With Las Vegas as out point of entry and exit, the next goal was to figure out where to stay. Since my wife was with child, she didn’t want to stay anywhere that was too much of a scene in LV, which ruled out pretty much everywhere…it came down to the MO or the FS. Given the FS location and older product, we decided it was time for our first MO stay ever.
Apr 2, 2015, 7:22 pm
#83
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Baltimore MD
Posts: 3,457
Amangiri
Amangiri
Pre-Arrival
I received the contact information for the GM at Amangiri from Mark Swinton. I emailed requesting coffee in room, a mattress topper and the activity list. I also mentioned that we particularly enjoyed the Ayam Gorgen at Amankila and if there were any Asian dishes on the menu at Amangir. All requests were acknowledged; there was indeed confirmation of Asian dishes on the menu and driving directions also offered. Given I didn’t know how my wife would feel when we got there, we decided not to actually pre plan any excursions. She wasn’t sure if she would be up for a half day of slot canyons or riding in a hummer. We did contact the spa and were able to confirm that we could combine our Virtuoso amenity massage and the package massage into a 90 minute treatment. Of note, Amangiri charges a 2 night deposit at booking, and then the balance at 30 days prior. We booked at 32 days prior so I had two quick charges to my CC. I must not be a frequent enough Aman stayer because their first charge attempt generated a fraud alert from Chase. The reservation is non refundable at the 14 day mark. The deposit and cancellation terms are pretty stiff in my opinion, so if you’re one to change things last minute than keep that in mind.
Arrival
We flew non stop on WN from BWI-LAS, arriving into LAS at around 940 AM. It’s been a long time since I’ve flown that long a flight in coach but it was actually not that terrible. In flight catering was provided via Aunt Annies Pretzels and entertainment via my iPad. Seat pitch in coach was semi reasonably for me (6’ tall). And you definitely can’t beat the convenience of a non stop flight. After retrieving out two bags at the carousel and taking the rental car shuttle, we were firmly ensconced into out Jeep Cherokee (my first car; sadly this model paled in comparison) for the 269 mile drive. Including a couple of stops it took us about 4.5 hours. Of note, there is really nothing between Las Vegas and St. George except for McDonalds to eat at…. It’s quite a beautiful drive and very very easy. After you leave the interstate, there are some stretches of the road where it is very quiet, very straight, and very easy to drive 95 mph… there are options to go via Zion, but we didn’t on the way out thinking we would save that for the way back. The route takes you into Arizona, into Utah, back into Arizona, and the back into Utah… We arrived at the gate right at 4 PM (there is an hour time difference), ringing the bell to be let in… from there it’s another two miles to the hotel on quite the winding road.. The Assistant GM, a front desk agent and a bellman were waiting our arrival. The assistant GM welcomed us warmly, also informing us that the chef has prepared Ayam Gorgeng for us for dinner. Warm towels and apple cider were offered and after a brief chat, he left us with the front desk agent who took us on a tour of the property (thorough tour of the spa) and then showed us to our room, to complete the check in process. Two quick signatures (one for liability) and we were all done. Just as a matter of reference, we left our house at 5 AM EST and arrived at Amangiri at 4 PM MST, a total of 13 hours door to door… Awaiting us in our room was a fruit plate as well as paper containing our itinerary and the weather report for the next couple of days, as well as the upcoming activities.
Location
Just a quick word on Amangiri’s location: It’s pretty much in the middle of nowhere; with the closest town being Page AZ. Don’t expect nightlife, fast access to services, etc. We went into Page for a little while and there’s nothing going on (well there is a Wal-Mart). Amangiri is a great place to unwind and unplug. If you’re used to LTE, 4G, or even 3G service on your cell phone be prepared to say hello to EDGE here. IT’s pretty darn remote. But for our purposes we found the location to be absolutely perfect….
Room
I found the room almost perfect. We had booked a desert view room and were upgraded to the Mesa view. The rooms are exactly the same, they vary by view and location. We were in room 32, which was just past the spa and fitness center. In my mind it was an ideal location. Super convenient to the spa but past all of the foot traffic so pretty quite. Bed super comfy with the mattress topper. Loved lounging on the couch. Didn’t touch the TV once. The included minibar was great. Two bottles of Pellegrino, 4 bottles of Aranciata, were included, as well as a variety of other beverages which we didn’t touch. Lots of other snacks, including yummy Dean and Deluca candy bars. There were, however, not any housemade treats that I’ve come to associate with our other Aman trips. In addition, I felt that the Keurig was a little out of place in the price bracket. I felt that perhaps a Nespresso would be more appropriate. Most days there were Tully’s capsules; however, much to my horror one day Folger’s capsules appeared. Bathrooms were quite nice; the bath amenities were very high quality and we were glad to have a sampler to go home with. Loved having the dual showerheads and the tub was quite nice as well. I felt that the outdoor spaces were however lacking. Maybe it was the time of year but I felt that the little table outside was wasted space. Maybe if we had indulged in room service we would had eaten out there but there wasn’t really anything appealing at all about that area. In addition, the area of the fire pit would have really benefitted from some sort of overhang area. With the rain, the couches got soaked and water got into the firepit. It would have been super nice to lounge outside and use the firepit while it rained but that just wasn’t the case. All and all, we really found our room to be quite comfortable for sleeping and lounging. Of note there was a hat and stick in the room, for use during the stay. Unlike the Indonesian Amans, we were not welcomed to take them home unfortunately. Also of note if you really need to be connected, the wifi here isn't really terribly speedy... but it's fine for email and etc... didn't bother us to much...
Grounds
I found them stunning.. Stunning vistas from pretty much everywhere. Beautiful wide open landscapes. At night lanterns are put out with candles (battery operated). Some have said that the architecture reminds them of a prison camp; I find the architecture absolutely perfect. Lots of different hikes available on property that were well marked and beautiful. I found the library/dining room/main pavilion to be a nice space to sit and read; enjoy a cup of coffee, or have a meal.
Food and Beverage
It was quite nice to have all our meals included; because there really isn’t any options in the area. In fact, I wouldn’t be crazy about navigating the entrance road after a night of eating and drinking. I would say that overall the food ranged from good to excellent. One of the biggest drawbacks was that the menu got a little old after a while. The dining room itself is stunning, with a choice of a desert/mesa view or the pool view. Both quite breathtaking. They also make great fires to sit by, but they do get warm quite quickly. Breakfast was a solid solid meal. Highlights for me was the brisket hash and the orange juice. Absolutely fantastic and fresh squeezed. My wife and I also enjoyed the French press coffee each morning; I think they use a roaster out of Flagstaff. I wasn’t crazy about the espressos I had… they all tasted a bit thin to me, but I tend to really love a nice dark thick espresso… They did indeed have a buffett, or rather a “chef’s table” each morning. It featured fresh fruit, make your own granola/parfait, some pastries, smoked salmon, 3 cheeses, and prosciutto. We ordered entrees each morning and supplemented with the buffett. My wife was particularly fond of the raspberry muffins. She found her sweet spot with the French toast and a scrambled egg with cheese each morning, which she very much enjoyed. She notes that the French toast was quite good; not overly sweet and nice cinnamon notes. I did try the chicken congee one morning and wasn’t a huge fan… it had a bit of a vinegar taste. All and all we very much enjoyed our breakfasts. I had trouble finding something on the lunch menu I really liked. Lunch always started with chips and salsa, with the option of guacamole. The salsa was excellent, but I felt that the guacamole could have used a little acid. The biggest problem though was that while I love chips and salsa, after two days of it; it got a little old and we passed on the rest of our lunches. A little variety would have been nice. I ordered a pizza one day that I didn’t find all that tasty. Then a flatbread another day that was ok. I didn’t really find anything terribly memorable on the lunch menu. Thankfully one day I had arranged to have Nasi Goreng made for me, which while not as good as at Amandari, was quite good and a nice change of pace. My wife on the other hand really enjoyed the burgers and the buffalo chicken wrap. All and all lunch was solid, but not spectacular. After 4 days of the same menu though, it was getting a little old. I enjoyed the dinners; especially our first two. Our first two nights (Saturday and Sunday) they had dinner specials which I really enjoyed. Ayam Goreng the first night (made specifically for us) and Paella the second night. The Ayam Goreng was very good but I think it lacked some of the sweeter notes that I remember from Amankila. The paella was excellent. However, I was quite sad that they didn’t have any dinner specials our last two nights (Monday and Tuesday). I really tend to prefer composed entrees, however, the menu only had 4 (salmon, short rib, and two other choices). My wife enjoyed the short rib preparation; finding it satisfying but not excellent. The rest of the menu was composed of appetizers, soups and salads, vegetables, and then entrees that were sort of a choose your own adventure. Pick the protein (fillet, ny strip, ribeye, Madagascar shrimp, chicken, bison filet, fish) and then pick the preparation. I had the ribeye one night with their classical preparation (salt, pepper, olive oil) and found it quite disappointing. I like a heavy hand in the seasoning and a nice crust on my steak and it really fell short of that. Another night I had the Madagascar shrimp with the Giri preparation. It was merely ok; the texture of the shrimp definitely suggested that it was a frozen product (not surprising given where in the world we were). We did find the sautéed greens to be quite good, as well as the onion rings. I also found the crab taglioni and risotto to be satisfying. All and all the food was quite good, recognizing the limitations that may exist being so far removed. Again though, I would have loved to see some variety in the menu and perhaps more Asian dishes (Thai perhaps? I think there was a green curry on the lunch menu). However, we found that they definitely excelled at dessert. We primarily ate the ice cream and the peanut butter cup was amazing. We had ice cream almost every meal. At dinner, we often paired it with their dark chocolate brownies. Great great great way to end a meal. Finally, I must note that alcohol is very expensive. I forgot to look at the exact taxes and service charges but I can say that my $27 glass of wine each night ended up charging out at $40 a glass. If you’re a whiskey drinker, they have quite a nice selection from High West and actually the sommelier used to work there. They have a 21 yr Rocky Mountain Rye that is almost impossible to get these days (and trust me I specialize in impossible American whiskeys) that was quite nice to taste. However, at $36 a pour it landed on my account over $50….
Spa
My wife and I both availed ourselves of a 90 minute massage. Mine was a deep tissue, hers a prenatal. I found mine to be good, not great with the caveat that I get massages about every 3-4 weeks from a dedicated massage therapist who really knows exactly how to work my body. Still, it wasn’t as good as the massage I got an Amandari but definitely better than average. In contrast, my wife states that her prenatal massage was the best that she had ever had. They had all the right bolsters to support her comfortably during the massage. She also received a facial on another day that she wasn’t as happy with, characterizing is as “lackluster”. I think she prefers a deeper touch with her spa treatments. I found the spa treatment prices to be in line with most 5 star hotels. The spa itself is gorgeous, with a number of different treatment rooms as well water areas. I think that there is a flotation chamber, a hot tub, a cold plunge, sauna, and steam area. We didn’t get around to trying any of the amenities in this area, sticking mainly to the pool. The products that they used in the spa were great and we bought some to bring home with us.
Pool
Loved the pool. It’s absolutely gorgeous and heated to a balmy 86 degrees. Great for swimming, no matter the weather. Speaking of weather, it was awful the first two days we were there.. Intermittent rain with temperatures at max 50 degrees.. But, we still got into the pool and the hot tub that was adjacent to it. We unfortunately never got poolside service which I found surprising, but I guess I can attribute to the crummy weather. One fault I would say is that to move from the hot tub to the pool it involves walking about 15 feet, navigating some steps and walking another 15 feet. Probably not a huge deal in nice weather but really awful in the cold and rain. It would have been nicer to have designed the area for easy transitions….
Fitness
We used the fitness center every day. Yeah I was just as surprised. IT’s small, but at least not an afterthought like at the other Amans we’ve been to (Amandari excepted). Unfortunately, out of 7 cardio machines only 4 worked during our stay. Apparently, via a tripadvisor review from January, cardio machine breakdowns seem to be a consistent theme. I understand that it’s probably hard to get a TechnoGym tech out there (it’s in the middle of nowhere) but maybe it’s time to invest in some newer more durable equipment. I honestly prefer the older stuff without the TV- they seemed to hold up better over time. My wife and I were fine because we are early risers and had the area to ourselves but I can imagine that this could be really problematic. While the area had towels and water, there didn’t seem to be any sanitizing wipes or spray for cleaning the machines off. There were two daily fitness classes (yoga and pilates) included but we never made it to any of them.
Activities
As I said before I chose not to make any plans in advance. The weather the first two days was conducive to spa treatments, reading, sleeping, and maybe sneaking in some time in the pool, which were absolutely perfect. The last two days were nicer and definitely allowed us to do some outside activities. They have guided group hikes twice a day (which I believe even went out on the not so nice days). The AM hike is always to the cave on property and the PM hike is from what I understand decided by the participants. We didn’t go on any of these, instead choosing to follow the maps and hike on our own. We really enjoyed the hikes we did on property. It was so nice to go out for 1-1.5 hours and then return to Amangiri. There is so much beauty right on sight. Plus we really enjoyed our time together. Amangiri does offer the via Ferrata which is a series of bolted ladders and bridges on property for those who would like a little more excitement. I think those hikes start at $295. IT seemed that activities were quite expensive. For example, the Hummer tour of the slot canyons is $850 per car through Aman (strangly the activities copy I got in advance listed a price of $580) or you can deal directly with the outside company that they contract through and pay $600. The Aman tour of the slot canyons is $700. 5 hours of stand up paddle boarding on Lake Powell is $2050, while you can also spend 5 hours bass fishing on Lake Powell for the same amount. I’m sure the activities are very high quality but the price tag seems to be a bit high. We did however, avail ourselves of the BMW test drive for a day which allows the use of either a 6 series convertible or sedan for up to 4 hours, gas included. We used it to drive into Page and visit Upper Antelope Canyon on our own (well with a guided tour) which cost us $25 plus the $8 permit fee. This was a fine option, as our primary goal was to see the canyons. One of the most interesting things we saw were some Russians trying to have a semi-sexy photo shoot in the canyons.
Service
Ahh, here’s the big one. How does an American Aman stack up next to their Indonesian counterparts. Well I’ll go ahead and sum it up for you: close but no cigar. Well what I’m trying to say is that while the service is very good, it’s not downright magical like in Indonesia. Much to my horror I was asked for my room number; twice! Lack of pool service even though it was raining was a bit disappointing- would have been great to have someone come out and say “hey can I get you anything.” I had a coffee order get forgotten. I sat in front of an unlit fireplace reading one afternoon in the library and nobody offered to light the fireplace or check to see if I needed anything. It took two calls to get a new lighter for our fire. We even caught housekeeping in our room once. Our bill was incorrect at checkout (massages weren’t taken off) and I had to ask for our Virtuoso amenity. And finally, there was nobody to see us off . Wow all of these things sure sound awful. We had a great time. Lovely waiters, who eventual figured out that we liked our water with ice. The waiters were all very good. We got cupcakes as a treat one night, congratulating us on our upcoming arrival (with pink frosting as well… I can’t figure out how they figured that out…). Housekeeping kept our room in great shape, at least 3x a day. Nightly gifts as well that ranged from the CD of the musician who had been playing in the library to various Navajo crafts. The smores delivery was also quite nice (once it got nice enough weather to use the fire). After they ran out of peanut butter cup ice cream one night (our favorite), the pastry chef apologized and promised to make some the next day (which he did). On departure day, one of the waiters offered to pack us a bag of our favorite treats. Overall I felt that the service was very very good. I think part of the problem vis a vis the Indonesian Amans is that a service job at the Indonesian Amans is a career.. there are people at Amandari who have been there since the resort opened. So, they are infused with the Aman culture; heck they are the Aman culture. At Amangiri, from talking to some of the staff, I get the impression that the job is good but not a career. One waiter has worked for Amangiri for a year and is planning on going traveling for six months. To build a seamless Aman machine, there needs to be little to no turnover. So the service is of a high level (for America) but doesn’t come close to matching that of Bali Aman… Interestingly enough, I don’t recall ever seeing the GM during our stay, but the assistant was very present and around.
Conclusion
The bottom line is we loved our stay. Amangiri is absolutely one of the most beautiful places we’ve been… Loved the setting, loved how remote it was… it definitely felt special and magical. Definitely seem to capture everything that I’ve come to associate with an Aman. Food overall was good, not great but we still enjoyed it… when I would go back I think that I would try to challenge them and go off menu more.. I did really appreciate the effort that they made to replicate some of the cuisine from Amankila. It was quite nice to have a proper spa which was incredibily lovely… We had a great time; very relaxing.. we enjoyed the pool and hiking and just getting away from it all.. With the prices that an Aman charges, it’s easy to nit pick and expect perfection but I came away from the experience very very happy. The activities were quite pricey and I didn’t feel that there were any standouts that I had to try. I think that where Amangiri suffers is from the costs of doing business in the USA… The costs of doing business are so much higher here that it’s nearly impossible to achieve the service levels of the Indonesian Amans. Nonetheless it was all quite nice and we would definitely return.
Pre-Arrival
I received the contact information for the GM at Amangiri from Mark Swinton. I emailed requesting coffee in room, a mattress topper and the activity list. I also mentioned that we particularly enjoyed the Ayam Gorgen at Amankila and if there were any Asian dishes on the menu at Amangir. All requests were acknowledged; there was indeed confirmation of Asian dishes on the menu and driving directions also offered. Given I didn’t know how my wife would feel when we got there, we decided not to actually pre plan any excursions. She wasn’t sure if she would be up for a half day of slot canyons or riding in a hummer. We did contact the spa and were able to confirm that we could combine our Virtuoso amenity massage and the package massage into a 90 minute treatment. Of note, Amangiri charges a 2 night deposit at booking, and then the balance at 30 days prior. We booked at 32 days prior so I had two quick charges to my CC. I must not be a frequent enough Aman stayer because their first charge attempt generated a fraud alert from Chase. The reservation is non refundable at the 14 day mark. The deposit and cancellation terms are pretty stiff in my opinion, so if you’re one to change things last minute than keep that in mind.
Arrival
We flew non stop on WN from BWI-LAS, arriving into LAS at around 940 AM. It’s been a long time since I’ve flown that long a flight in coach but it was actually not that terrible. In flight catering was provided via Aunt Annies Pretzels and entertainment via my iPad. Seat pitch in coach was semi reasonably for me (6’ tall). And you definitely can’t beat the convenience of a non stop flight. After retrieving out two bags at the carousel and taking the rental car shuttle, we were firmly ensconced into out Jeep Cherokee (my first car; sadly this model paled in comparison) for the 269 mile drive. Including a couple of stops it took us about 4.5 hours. Of note, there is really nothing between Las Vegas and St. George except for McDonalds to eat at…. It’s quite a beautiful drive and very very easy. After you leave the interstate, there are some stretches of the road where it is very quiet, very straight, and very easy to drive 95 mph… there are options to go via Zion, but we didn’t on the way out thinking we would save that for the way back. The route takes you into Arizona, into Utah, back into Arizona, and the back into Utah… We arrived at the gate right at 4 PM (there is an hour time difference), ringing the bell to be let in… from there it’s another two miles to the hotel on quite the winding road.. The Assistant GM, a front desk agent and a bellman were waiting our arrival. The assistant GM welcomed us warmly, also informing us that the chef has prepared Ayam Gorgeng for us for dinner. Warm towels and apple cider were offered and after a brief chat, he left us with the front desk agent who took us on a tour of the property (thorough tour of the spa) and then showed us to our room, to complete the check in process. Two quick signatures (one for liability) and we were all done. Just as a matter of reference, we left our house at 5 AM EST and arrived at Amangiri at 4 PM MST, a total of 13 hours door to door… Awaiting us in our room was a fruit plate as well as paper containing our itinerary and the weather report for the next couple of days, as well as the upcoming activities.
Location
Just a quick word on Amangiri’s location: It’s pretty much in the middle of nowhere; with the closest town being Page AZ. Don’t expect nightlife, fast access to services, etc. We went into Page for a little while and there’s nothing going on (well there is a Wal-Mart). Amangiri is a great place to unwind and unplug. If you’re used to LTE, 4G, or even 3G service on your cell phone be prepared to say hello to EDGE here. IT’s pretty darn remote. But for our purposes we found the location to be absolutely perfect….
Room
I found the room almost perfect. We had booked a desert view room and were upgraded to the Mesa view. The rooms are exactly the same, they vary by view and location. We were in room 32, which was just past the spa and fitness center. In my mind it was an ideal location. Super convenient to the spa but past all of the foot traffic so pretty quite. Bed super comfy with the mattress topper. Loved lounging on the couch. Didn’t touch the TV once. The included minibar was great. Two bottles of Pellegrino, 4 bottles of Aranciata, were included, as well as a variety of other beverages which we didn’t touch. Lots of other snacks, including yummy Dean and Deluca candy bars. There were, however, not any housemade treats that I’ve come to associate with our other Aman trips. In addition, I felt that the Keurig was a little out of place in the price bracket. I felt that perhaps a Nespresso would be more appropriate. Most days there were Tully’s capsules; however, much to my horror one day Folger’s capsules appeared. Bathrooms were quite nice; the bath amenities were very high quality and we were glad to have a sampler to go home with. Loved having the dual showerheads and the tub was quite nice as well. I felt that the outdoor spaces were however lacking. Maybe it was the time of year but I felt that the little table outside was wasted space. Maybe if we had indulged in room service we would had eaten out there but there wasn’t really anything appealing at all about that area. In addition, the area of the fire pit would have really benefitted from some sort of overhang area. With the rain, the couches got soaked and water got into the firepit. It would have been super nice to lounge outside and use the firepit while it rained but that just wasn’t the case. All and all, we really found our room to be quite comfortable for sleeping and lounging. Of note there was a hat and stick in the room, for use during the stay. Unlike the Indonesian Amans, we were not welcomed to take them home unfortunately. Also of note if you really need to be connected, the wifi here isn't really terribly speedy... but it's fine for email and etc... didn't bother us to much...
Grounds
I found them stunning.. Stunning vistas from pretty much everywhere. Beautiful wide open landscapes. At night lanterns are put out with candles (battery operated). Some have said that the architecture reminds them of a prison camp; I find the architecture absolutely perfect. Lots of different hikes available on property that were well marked and beautiful. I found the library/dining room/main pavilion to be a nice space to sit and read; enjoy a cup of coffee, or have a meal.
Food and Beverage
It was quite nice to have all our meals included; because there really isn’t any options in the area. In fact, I wouldn’t be crazy about navigating the entrance road after a night of eating and drinking. I would say that overall the food ranged from good to excellent. One of the biggest drawbacks was that the menu got a little old after a while. The dining room itself is stunning, with a choice of a desert/mesa view or the pool view. Both quite breathtaking. They also make great fires to sit by, but they do get warm quite quickly. Breakfast was a solid solid meal. Highlights for me was the brisket hash and the orange juice. Absolutely fantastic and fresh squeezed. My wife and I also enjoyed the French press coffee each morning; I think they use a roaster out of Flagstaff. I wasn’t crazy about the espressos I had… they all tasted a bit thin to me, but I tend to really love a nice dark thick espresso… They did indeed have a buffett, or rather a “chef’s table” each morning. It featured fresh fruit, make your own granola/parfait, some pastries, smoked salmon, 3 cheeses, and prosciutto. We ordered entrees each morning and supplemented with the buffett. My wife was particularly fond of the raspberry muffins. She found her sweet spot with the French toast and a scrambled egg with cheese each morning, which she very much enjoyed. She notes that the French toast was quite good; not overly sweet and nice cinnamon notes. I did try the chicken congee one morning and wasn’t a huge fan… it had a bit of a vinegar taste. All and all we very much enjoyed our breakfasts. I had trouble finding something on the lunch menu I really liked. Lunch always started with chips and salsa, with the option of guacamole. The salsa was excellent, but I felt that the guacamole could have used a little acid. The biggest problem though was that while I love chips and salsa, after two days of it; it got a little old and we passed on the rest of our lunches. A little variety would have been nice. I ordered a pizza one day that I didn’t find all that tasty. Then a flatbread another day that was ok. I didn’t really find anything terribly memorable on the lunch menu. Thankfully one day I had arranged to have Nasi Goreng made for me, which while not as good as at Amandari, was quite good and a nice change of pace. My wife on the other hand really enjoyed the burgers and the buffalo chicken wrap. All and all lunch was solid, but not spectacular. After 4 days of the same menu though, it was getting a little old. I enjoyed the dinners; especially our first two. Our first two nights (Saturday and Sunday) they had dinner specials which I really enjoyed. Ayam Goreng the first night (made specifically for us) and Paella the second night. The Ayam Goreng was very good but I think it lacked some of the sweeter notes that I remember from Amankila. The paella was excellent. However, I was quite sad that they didn’t have any dinner specials our last two nights (Monday and Tuesday). I really tend to prefer composed entrees, however, the menu only had 4 (salmon, short rib, and two other choices). My wife enjoyed the short rib preparation; finding it satisfying but not excellent. The rest of the menu was composed of appetizers, soups and salads, vegetables, and then entrees that were sort of a choose your own adventure. Pick the protein (fillet, ny strip, ribeye, Madagascar shrimp, chicken, bison filet, fish) and then pick the preparation. I had the ribeye one night with their classical preparation (salt, pepper, olive oil) and found it quite disappointing. I like a heavy hand in the seasoning and a nice crust on my steak and it really fell short of that. Another night I had the Madagascar shrimp with the Giri preparation. It was merely ok; the texture of the shrimp definitely suggested that it was a frozen product (not surprising given where in the world we were). We did find the sautéed greens to be quite good, as well as the onion rings. I also found the crab taglioni and risotto to be satisfying. All and all the food was quite good, recognizing the limitations that may exist being so far removed. Again though, I would have loved to see some variety in the menu and perhaps more Asian dishes (Thai perhaps? I think there was a green curry on the lunch menu). However, we found that they definitely excelled at dessert. We primarily ate the ice cream and the peanut butter cup was amazing. We had ice cream almost every meal. At dinner, we often paired it with their dark chocolate brownies. Great great great way to end a meal. Finally, I must note that alcohol is very expensive. I forgot to look at the exact taxes and service charges but I can say that my $27 glass of wine each night ended up charging out at $40 a glass. If you’re a whiskey drinker, they have quite a nice selection from High West and actually the sommelier used to work there. They have a 21 yr Rocky Mountain Rye that is almost impossible to get these days (and trust me I specialize in impossible American whiskeys) that was quite nice to taste. However, at $36 a pour it landed on my account over $50….
Spa
My wife and I both availed ourselves of a 90 minute massage. Mine was a deep tissue, hers a prenatal. I found mine to be good, not great with the caveat that I get massages about every 3-4 weeks from a dedicated massage therapist who really knows exactly how to work my body. Still, it wasn’t as good as the massage I got an Amandari but definitely better than average. In contrast, my wife states that her prenatal massage was the best that she had ever had. They had all the right bolsters to support her comfortably during the massage. She also received a facial on another day that she wasn’t as happy with, characterizing is as “lackluster”. I think she prefers a deeper touch with her spa treatments. I found the spa treatment prices to be in line with most 5 star hotels. The spa itself is gorgeous, with a number of different treatment rooms as well water areas. I think that there is a flotation chamber, a hot tub, a cold plunge, sauna, and steam area. We didn’t get around to trying any of the amenities in this area, sticking mainly to the pool. The products that they used in the spa were great and we bought some to bring home with us.
Pool
Loved the pool. It’s absolutely gorgeous and heated to a balmy 86 degrees. Great for swimming, no matter the weather. Speaking of weather, it was awful the first two days we were there.. Intermittent rain with temperatures at max 50 degrees.. But, we still got into the pool and the hot tub that was adjacent to it. We unfortunately never got poolside service which I found surprising, but I guess I can attribute to the crummy weather. One fault I would say is that to move from the hot tub to the pool it involves walking about 15 feet, navigating some steps and walking another 15 feet. Probably not a huge deal in nice weather but really awful in the cold and rain. It would have been nicer to have designed the area for easy transitions….
Fitness
We used the fitness center every day. Yeah I was just as surprised. IT’s small, but at least not an afterthought like at the other Amans we’ve been to (Amandari excepted). Unfortunately, out of 7 cardio machines only 4 worked during our stay. Apparently, via a tripadvisor review from January, cardio machine breakdowns seem to be a consistent theme. I understand that it’s probably hard to get a TechnoGym tech out there (it’s in the middle of nowhere) but maybe it’s time to invest in some newer more durable equipment. I honestly prefer the older stuff without the TV- they seemed to hold up better over time. My wife and I were fine because we are early risers and had the area to ourselves but I can imagine that this could be really problematic. While the area had towels and water, there didn’t seem to be any sanitizing wipes or spray for cleaning the machines off. There were two daily fitness classes (yoga and pilates) included but we never made it to any of them.
Activities
As I said before I chose not to make any plans in advance. The weather the first two days was conducive to spa treatments, reading, sleeping, and maybe sneaking in some time in the pool, which were absolutely perfect. The last two days were nicer and definitely allowed us to do some outside activities. They have guided group hikes twice a day (which I believe even went out on the not so nice days). The AM hike is always to the cave on property and the PM hike is from what I understand decided by the participants. We didn’t go on any of these, instead choosing to follow the maps and hike on our own. We really enjoyed the hikes we did on property. It was so nice to go out for 1-1.5 hours and then return to Amangiri. There is so much beauty right on sight. Plus we really enjoyed our time together. Amangiri does offer the via Ferrata which is a series of bolted ladders and bridges on property for those who would like a little more excitement. I think those hikes start at $295. IT seemed that activities were quite expensive. For example, the Hummer tour of the slot canyons is $850 per car through Aman (strangly the activities copy I got in advance listed a price of $580) or you can deal directly with the outside company that they contract through and pay $600. The Aman tour of the slot canyons is $700. 5 hours of stand up paddle boarding on Lake Powell is $2050, while you can also spend 5 hours bass fishing on Lake Powell for the same amount. I’m sure the activities are very high quality but the price tag seems to be a bit high. We did however, avail ourselves of the BMW test drive for a day which allows the use of either a 6 series convertible or sedan for up to 4 hours, gas included. We used it to drive into Page and visit Upper Antelope Canyon on our own (well with a guided tour) which cost us $25 plus the $8 permit fee. This was a fine option, as our primary goal was to see the canyons. One of the most interesting things we saw were some Russians trying to have a semi-sexy photo shoot in the canyons.
Service
Ahh, here’s the big one. How does an American Aman stack up next to their Indonesian counterparts. Well I’ll go ahead and sum it up for you: close but no cigar. Well what I’m trying to say is that while the service is very good, it’s not downright magical like in Indonesia. Much to my horror I was asked for my room number; twice! Lack of pool service even though it was raining was a bit disappointing- would have been great to have someone come out and say “hey can I get you anything.” I had a coffee order get forgotten. I sat in front of an unlit fireplace reading one afternoon in the library and nobody offered to light the fireplace or check to see if I needed anything. It took two calls to get a new lighter for our fire. We even caught housekeeping in our room once. Our bill was incorrect at checkout (massages weren’t taken off) and I had to ask for our Virtuoso amenity. And finally, there was nobody to see us off . Wow all of these things sure sound awful. We had a great time. Lovely waiters, who eventual figured out that we liked our water with ice. The waiters were all very good. We got cupcakes as a treat one night, congratulating us on our upcoming arrival (with pink frosting as well… I can’t figure out how they figured that out…). Housekeeping kept our room in great shape, at least 3x a day. Nightly gifts as well that ranged from the CD of the musician who had been playing in the library to various Navajo crafts. The smores delivery was also quite nice (once it got nice enough weather to use the fire). After they ran out of peanut butter cup ice cream one night (our favorite), the pastry chef apologized and promised to make some the next day (which he did). On departure day, one of the waiters offered to pack us a bag of our favorite treats. Overall I felt that the service was very very good. I think part of the problem vis a vis the Indonesian Amans is that a service job at the Indonesian Amans is a career.. there are people at Amandari who have been there since the resort opened. So, they are infused with the Aman culture; heck they are the Aman culture. At Amangiri, from talking to some of the staff, I get the impression that the job is good but not a career. One waiter has worked for Amangiri for a year and is planning on going traveling for six months. To build a seamless Aman machine, there needs to be little to no turnover. So the service is of a high level (for America) but doesn’t come close to matching that of Bali Aman… Interestingly enough, I don’t recall ever seeing the GM during our stay, but the assistant was very present and around.
Conclusion
The bottom line is we loved our stay. Amangiri is absolutely one of the most beautiful places we’ve been… Loved the setting, loved how remote it was… it definitely felt special and magical. Definitely seem to capture everything that I’ve come to associate with an Aman. Food overall was good, not great but we still enjoyed it… when I would go back I think that I would try to challenge them and go off menu more.. I did really appreciate the effort that they made to replicate some of the cuisine from Amankila. It was quite nice to have a proper spa which was incredibily lovely… We had a great time; very relaxing.. we enjoyed the pool and hiking and just getting away from it all.. With the prices that an Aman charges, it’s easy to nit pick and expect perfection but I came away from the experience very very happy. The activities were quite pricey and I didn’t feel that there were any standouts that I had to try. I think that where Amangiri suffers is from the costs of doing business in the USA… The costs of doing business are so much higher here that it’s nearly impossible to achieve the service levels of the Indonesian Amans. Nonetheless it was all quite nice and we would definitely return.
Apr 3, 2015, 4:17 am
#86
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Germany
Programs: Some
Posts: 11,525
Seems you experience at Amangiri was like ours. Food was our biggest issue so my wife isn´t to happy to stay in an Aman again. Seems they improved but as far as I see you mostly had dishes with meat which I don´t eat.
Apr 3, 2015, 4:41 am
#87
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,151
Thanks for putting this together. The pool and the hike shot are absolutely stunning. Truly odd that they went with Keurig, but that's a tiny detail...really glad that you guys enjoyed your stay. I know there was a lot of waffling back and forth to pick something that fit what you wanted for this trip, and it sounds like you made the perfect choice.
Happy to have been able to help a little, and have gotten more than my fair share of expert advice back from you for our own upcoming trip.
And again, congrats!
Happy to have been able to help a little, and have gotten more than my fair share of expert advice back from you for our own upcoming trip.
And again, congrats!
Apr 3, 2015, 5:54 am
#88
formerly declinespecificinformatiom
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 1,140
Thanks for the great TR. Definitely a place I'd like to visit. Looks simply stunning. Surprised they did a Folger's Krueig. That's akin to serving reheated Burger King for dinner... surprised the chef/manager knows that little about coffee.
Congrats on the third child. Gotta love those Baltimore private schools! We opted not for the old greyhound but a bruin, FYI.
Congrats on the third child. Gotta love those Baltimore private schools! We opted not for the old greyhound but a bruin, FYI.
Apr 3, 2015, 8:56 am
#89
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 1,782
Very nice TR. Looking forward to seeing about LV. Yes, the non-stop flights on WN are terrific out of Baltimore. They've added a lot of international. I'm curious about the flights on Saturday to Cabo. Lucky you that the kids can stay with the grandparents
As to the coffee maker and quality of service, I would guess that they just ran to the Wal-Mart or whatever is in that town and bought up the Keurig. The service is probably so great in Indonesia due to culture differences and the salary to cost of living ratio.
Congrats on the next Wu. My older daughter will become a Bruin in the fall. Or actually August, as they start school so early
As to the coffee maker and quality of service, I would guess that they just ran to the Wal-Mart or whatever is in that town and bought up the Keurig. The service is probably so great in Indonesia due to culture differences and the salary to cost of living ratio.
Congrats on the next Wu. My older daughter will become a Bruin in the fall. Or actually August, as they start school so early