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Indonesia
The Experience
When it opened in 1989, the Amandari was a pioneering small luxury property that in terms of design was as harmonious and magical as the island of Bali itself. Built on the edge of a dramatic river gorge and inspired by the layout of a traditional Balinese village, with river-stone walkways, graceful thatched public spaces and high stone walls, architect Peter Muller's unique hotel drew magazine photographers and celebrities alike. Since then, Bali has seen its share of new and glamorous resorts, but the Amandari still reigns as one of the island's landmark destinations.
The RoomsLeave behind any concept of a hotel room. Here, guests are ensconced in their own enormous stand-alone suites, which range from 1,100 to 1,600 square feet and feature a romantic four-poster bed and garden courtyard. Large sliding-glass windows, rich tropical wood and rattan furnishings bring the best of the outdoors -- stunning views of colorful jungle gardens or emerald green rice paddies -- inside. The Javanese marble floors continue into the spalike bathroom, which features an outdoor sunken bath. Several of the larger suites even have their own pool.
The ServiceConsider a resort that instead of using lawnmowers to cut the grass will have the staff do it by hand to avoid any disturbing noise. Any request here, at any time of day or night, is met with a nod and a smile, and the staff is more than happy to advise guests on local Hindu ceremonies in nearby Ubud, and even take them there personally.
The HighlightsThose with a more active side will welcome the resort's custom activities, from private outdoor yoga classes to whitewater rafting on the Ayung River. But it's just as easy to hide out for days, enjoying the well-stocked library, the open-air restaurant serving a mix of gourmet European and Indonesian specialties and the dramatic seamless pool over the river gorge. Perhaps most Balinese of all is a journey to the spa, where traditional treatments are given in open-air bales surrounded by a lotus pond at the end of one of those river-stone paths that have been luring travelers for 17 years.
-- Gisella Williams
