Amara Resort and Spa

Contemporary-design boutique hotels took their time arriving in the Southwest, but with the advent of Sedona, Arizona’s Amara Resort and Spa, it’s safe to say they’ve officially arrived. Sedona, with its dramatic red sandstone formations, is one of Arizona’s most beautiful places, and it turns out that when you add a bit of thoughtful modernist-inspired luxury to its already stunning setting, you end up with something that’s just about unforgettable.

The color palette is warm but relatively muted, with just a tasteful touch of turquoise; it must have been tempting to go all-out on Southwestern kitsch, but they’ve exercised an admirable degree of restraint, with excellent results. Not that local textures are entirely absent: the headboards in the bedrooms, for example, are carved from fallen trees, for a bit of rustic roughness that provides a lively contrast with the soft plushness of the rooms themselves. Yoga mats come with every room, as do Atelier Bloem bath products, and the Amara is extraordinarily pet-friendly as well.

In this part of the country you can expect a spa to offer much more than just a cursory massage, and that’s certainly true at the Amara. Here, in addition to the signature Rain Dance massage, you’ll find scrubs, wraps, facials, even guided meditations. Meanwhile SaltRock Southwest Kitchen serves Southwestern cuisine with a California influence, along with craft margaritas, tequila, and mezcal drinks — very necessary after a day spent hiking or biking through Red Rock country.