Amandari

In terms of sheer luxury of the leave-it-all-behind variety, it is hard to imagine anyplace more relaxing than an Aman resort. This is a chain that is consistently at the head of the class, whose secluded resorts marry top-notch spas with unparalleled service and exquisite natural surroundings.

Amandari is one of the originals, and for that reason it bears the curse of the trend-setter; it has been copied so many times that the casual visitor is unlikely to be dazzled at first sight. Give it a chance, though, and you will see why this resort is the blueprint for countless others (especially in Bali). Here it's all in the details, the execution, the way the resort seems to spring organically from the land.
The location is adjacent to the village of Kedewatan, five minutes from the arts community of Ubud, in central Bali, Indonesia. The resort itself is designed after a Balinese village, with river-stone walkways and high paras-stone walls. The open-air lobby is reminiscent of a wantilan, a village meeting place, and a pathway runs through the resort and down the valley to the river below, where three shrines sit alongside a pool of reputedly holy water.

Amandari’s 30 thatched-roof suites each feature a private courtyard and features as outdoor sunken marble baths, twin vanities and dressing areas, and separate bathrooms with Javanese marble floors. Some suites feature private pools; others are duplexes, with bedrooms on a mezzanine level. The Amandari Suite offers one or two detached bedrooms, with a separate living room pavilion, a private swimming pool, and an outdoor bale of teak and bamboo, with views of the Ayung Gorge. And for maximum decadence there is the Amandari Villa, five pavilions nestled in rice terraces, embracing gardens, a two-tiered swimming pool and serviced by two Amandari staff, with a vehicle on call to make the short one-minute drive to and from the resort.

The restaurant is open to the breeze, crafted from teak wood, and overlooks Amandari’s swimming pool and the gorge. Other facilities include the terrace-style bar, the library, stocked with books, newspapers, and CDs, and offering internet access. The health and fitness center are outfitted with a fully equipped cardio-gym, with views of the surrounding lotus pond – and if the name Aman means anything to you, then you know what to expect from the Spa: an embarrassment of beauty treatments, sauna and steam rooms, and outdoor massage bales, surrounded by lush gardens and overlooking the pond.

How to Get There: Amandari is approximately a 1.5-hour drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS).