Amanusa

Indonesia
Asia

The Experience

Bali's Jimbaran Bay is beginning to get cluttered with luxury resorts. Bulgari has joined the Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton and Karma Resorts--and that’s just on the island's southernmost tip. But the timeless design of the Amanusa--a complex of stone buildings resembling sleek Mayan temples, surrounded by manicured lawns, blossoming trees and reflecting pools--keeps the 15-year-old property on par with the competition. The now-legendary Aman chain actually has three resorts on the island: Amandari in Ubud for culture seekers and Amankila for honeymooners; Amanusa is prized by the golfing set. The resort looks over the Bali Golf and Country Club, considered by some to be one of Asia's best courses.

The Rooms

Emphasizing privacy and seclusion, the resort is a loose necklace of 35 discrete thatched roof suites laced with stone pathways. Even the bottom-tier garden suites offer plenty of escape: cool marble interiors, romantic four-poster beds and local wood furniture. Bathrooms are the show-stealers here, however; each one features a sunken bathtub overlooking a small water garden. Unless an ocean view is absolutely mandatory, the garden suites are a better value than the deluxe suites (they're identical except for location). The eight pool suites are in another class entirely, with expansive terraces and outdoor beds.

The Service

Chilled washcloths on the terrace, fresh fruit by the bed, a spur-of-the-moment en suite massage--you name it and the staff at Amanusa will make it happen with an easygoing smile. The beauty here is in the details, from complimentary sarongs and sunscreen to the evening candles in your suite's courtyard. But don't expect instant service: If you're counting seconds, then you need to slow down to Bali speed, which locals call "rubber time."

The Highlights

Golf is king here, and Amanusa offers guests use of three courses: the nearby Bali Golf and Country Club, the Greg Norman-designed Nirwana Bali Golf Club and the Bali Handara Country Club, set near an extinct volcano about 90 minutes away. But it's not all the hotel does. While the resort is set in the hills overlooking the bay, its beach club is just five minutes away via private car and features 10 private bales and all-day light meal and refreshment service. Beaches on Bali are less pristine than most first-timers are led to believe, but this white-sand wonder is fringed with snorkel-friendly coral reefs. Recline on the chic lounger, ask for a cool drink and join the ranks of Aman junkies worldwide.

 

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