Arriving back to Bali we were again met and assisted by Aman staff at the airport and transported to our next pleasant surprise - Amandari. The resort is a about a one hour drive into the village of Kedewatan just north of Ubud. The hotel is built on land sacred to the villagers and in respect of this the hotel allows the villagers access to the land.
The style of the hotel is fashioned after a Balinese village - each room or villa is a house with it's entrance oriented to properly to ward off bad spirits. This is an a lovely oasis overlooking the Ayung River. Each of the villas has a unique style - ours had a wooden spiral staircase to the upper level bedroom with a hand carved and painted four poster bed and a toilet room, so you didn't have to negotiate the stairs in the middle of the night.
The main building is a large, open air pavilion - when you arrive you are handed a cold towel and drink - then you sit down to register. There are seats dotted around the lobby and the lounge proper where you may have cocktails and canapés overlooks the pool and river. Off to the other side overlooking the pool is the open air but covered restaurant. It has such a charming feel to it, so while it is elegant it never feels stuffy. From lounge pool and restaurant you can witness magnificat sunsets and then listen to the live music and the music of the frogs.
The hotel hosts weekly music and dance performances which come with some narration and so provide a more meaningful glimpse into Balinese culture.
There are a host of activities: hiking or biking in the villages and along the river or to surrounding temples, to towns for shopping or spas for wellness.
No comments:
Post a Comment