When we found ourselves in Phoenix, Arizona as part of a family Thanksgiving, we couldn't resist a stop at Amangiri. We self-drove 4 hours from PHX to the Grand Canyon, staying at the historic Buckey O'Neill cabin directly on the edge of the South Rim. We drove the remaining 2.5 hours to Amangiri using the directions provided by the resort which made it easy to find. Staff members buzzed us onto the property and we were immediately blown away by the beautiful valley, the entrada sandstone and the vastness of the place.

This was our 17th Amanresort, and we found it to be the most striking of all. We normally don't appreciate very contemporary architecture or decor, but the resort blended so well with the landscape. As most of the resort's activities were geared towards the outdoors, people were dressed in hiking and workout clothes giving Amangiri a very comfortable, casual feel.

Driveway

Public Spaces

Room

We stayed in a base level desert view suite. Amangiri was at or near full capacity so there were no upgrades available, but that didn't matter since all of the (interior) room layouts were the same and the plateau view from our room was spectacular. The floor to ceiling windows brought the outside in; as did the white and cream stone, light colored concrete, gray green tile, and natural stained "barn wood" doors. There was no private place for our 3-year old's rollaway bed since the room layout was one large open space and the bathroom/vanity area, while generously sized, was too narrow. So we asked GM Christophe to locate a privacy screen for us and he was kind enough to purchase a beautiful brown leather one which we hope other families will make use of in the future. (Thanks to DavidO for facilitating this discussion). Both our king bed and the rollaway were incredibly comfortable and fluffy. We're not sure if this was their standard bedding or if they automatically placed a mattress topper for us based on our profile. Our room also had a romantic outdoor gas fireplace with a very Aman-like outdoor lounging space. Guests staying in warmer months would enjoy the higher room categories with larger terraces and pools.

Desert Suite #16

Bedroom

Terrace

Service

We would characterize the service at Amangiri as genuinely friendly, but there were definitely some employees who were young and/or inexperienced. There were some service hiccups which we outline below in Opportunities for Improvement. But there were also a few folks that really "got it". Jade did a remarkable job helping us plan our activities in advance of our stay. Our private guides were both personable and incredibly knowledgeable about the area. And Chef Jon created an exact replica of a McDonalds Chicken McNugget for our toddler son. He obviously sent someone out on a reconnaissance mission in order to copy the batter and shape, and even collect dipping sauces. It's the most our son ate all week and we got a chuckle out of it, too; freshly made with high quality ingredients, they were the best McNuggets ever!

A Frequent Visitor

Dining

We really loved the food at the resort. There were some great house smoked meats, a fabulous brussel sprout side dish featuring bacon and cranberries, an unusual duck egg omelet and some wonderful pastries with breakfast. They were trying out a "breakfast table" and "lunch table" concept while we were there which were....not buffets. :-) The "tables" could be used as a standalone meal or as a supplement to items ordered off the menu. The food quality at the "tables" was excellent and looked like a nice option for folks rushing out for a hike.

Signature Aman Salt & Pepper

Pool

Overall

We plan to return again because there were so many activities we weren't able to take advantage of; hot air ballooning, via ferrata, paleantology excursions, late night star gazing, etc. And of course, Amangiri was unbelievably beautiful. It's a very special resort in a very special location.