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If you make it to Amangiri, I’d recommend arriving at night as I did, and you’ll be welcomed by an incredible blanket of stars stretching across the skyline before you. With almost zero light pollution, it’s a scene to marvel at when the clouds allow, and one of the best starscapes I have ever seen.
It was followed by an equally delightful Amangiri surprise – the sunrise view that greets you in the morning. Thanks to jet lag, I rose early to see the undulating desert landscape stretched out before me, punctuated by incredibly shaped rock formations weathered over millions of years.
As the sun rose, the rocks gradually changed colour, warming from yellow to gold, then into a soft grey and bright white as the daylight set in. I set my time-lapse to capture the scene, and with steam rising invitingly off the oversized plunge pool outside my room, I slide in and gaze at the desert view and skyscape beyond.
Amangiri is set in 900 acres on the Colorado Plateau in Utah, originally national park land bought via an Act of Congress, the hotel is nestled in a natural bowl of mesa (mountains). The name Amangiri means ‘peaceful mountain’ in Sanskrit. It's a short 20 minutes from the nearest town, Page, a short flight from Arizona or a 4.5-hour scenic drive from Las Vegas.
It is also a hotel that people-in-the-hotel-know get very animated about. When I posted my stay on social, my DMs blew up with messages from fellow travellers who wanted to know the lowdown. All with confessing it was their number one, must-see hotel. Clearly it wasn’t just on my bucket list!
The Aman hotel group is the byword for luxe with unique experience-seeking travellers and the Amangiri is often seen as the pinnacle in the crown. The backdrop of this beautiful landscape juxtaposed with the minimalist modern architecture of the hotel is Insta fodder of dreams.
The hotel is centred around a stunning, large pool moulded against a million-year-old rock, with 34 suites facing out to the desert or up towards the cliffs. The interiors may be minimal chic of dreams and every window view deserving of a photo, but the atmosphere in the main lounge and restaurant is relaxed and understated. Think quiet luxury vibes, with residents chilling in their luxe athleisure wear, before heading to the spa or out on wilderness activities. It draws an international crowd, so there’s plenty of people watching to be done.
It’s a breathtaking spot and one I had always wanted to visit, so when the invite dropped into my inbox, one of six journalists from around the world who got the call up, it felt like I've got the golden ticket.
The reason for our trip was to visit the Aman Cabana, a travelling retail experience that showcases limited collections from the luxury lifestyle brand, Aman Essentials. “The Aman Cabana is more than a retail space; it is an experiential journey into the heart of Aman’s world,” says founder and CEO Kristina Romanova. "Every element – from the pavilion’s elegant design to its meticulously curated collections – is inspired by the captivating allure of Amangiri, promising our guests a unique and unparalleled experience in the desert's embrace."
From the signature towelling two-piece co-ord to monogrammed accessories, in shades of sienna and sand inspired by the landscape of Amangiri, each curated cabana collection is only available to residents during the month of the pop-up. It’s the ultimate in functional chic for the stylish global traveller, offering a special memento from their stay.
During my time at Amangiri, I lived at Camp Sarika, a luxury encampment of ten tented pavilions nestled next to the cliffs, all with plunge pools and views out over the desert or up to the cliffs. Each pavilion has a golf buggy stationed outside so you can whizz around the property and across to the hotel.
Spacious and luxurious, each pavilion consists of a living/dining room, covered outdoor terrace, a large bedroom and bathroom with an indoor/outdoor shower and bath tub with a view. All are available for group hire – imagine the boujiest camp out of your life. Camp Sarika also features a communal spa, pool and restaurant too so there's no need to head to the hotel.
I visited in February, and there had been a recent snowfall, a once or twice a year event, but it was pleasantly warm in the day at 20 degrees and cooler in the morning and evenings. Temperatures can rise to 40 degrees in the summer months.
With snow on the ground, it made for an even more special adventure trekking the West Coyote Trail from the hotel back to Camp Sarika. It's an easy 40-minute hike with a little bit of rock climbing along the way, but it was the utter silence that struck me. With zero human encounters, just the sound of my breath and the occasional bird circling above to keep me company. I realised, as a city dweller, how little I am surrounded by complete silence. It made me focus on the present and being there in this special landscape, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I also had to suppress thoughts on what I would do if a coyote actually showed up!
It was easy to settle into daily life at Amangiri. After my first morning sunrise experience, I woke early to catch the phenomenon again before ordering a delicious breakfast of homemade granola with acai sorbet or spicy eggs to be delivered to the pavilion. Next, I’d jump in the golf buggy and head up to the spa for the complimentary morning class with Connie, featuring a mix of Pilates, mediation, breath work and sound healing. She pulled open the spa window so we could meditate in the fresh air, with the view of the rocks out ahead.
The spa is an experience in itself, you enter by candle and firelight via the reception. Every treatment starts with a white sage burning ritual to cleanse and heal. Inside the dark, wood-lined cabins you feel yourself slipping into a deep relaxation. During my massage, the therapist used warm stones to soothe tension in the body and encourage lymphatic flow - both I can confirm were sleep-inducing
My favourite post-treatment spot was the Water Pavilion, with a plunge pool and steam room and a spa pool outside. I floated on my back staring up at the blue skies and surrounding cliffs, with the pool to myself. The space, the quiet, the solitude, is a divine moment of headspace for calm reflection in nature.
There's a spiritual feel here that’s hard to describe, a calming peace and a special energy radiating from the land and the surrounding hills. It felt powerful, like a sense of awakening and a renewed sense of gratitude for the experience of life and being present in this otherworldly spot on earth.
Now home, I enjoy recalling this sense of calm and reconnection, using the power of scent and memory. For me, this is invoked by the warm, rich scent of the Aman Grounding collection, featuring ingredients such as amber oil, sandalwood, geranium and rose, designed to soothe stress and induce calm.
On the flip side of the wellness experiences, there's also daring, fun-filled adventure to get the adrenaline going. One of the hotel's excursions on offer is sunrise yoga on a nearby mountain plateau, complete with helicopter transfers! There's also plenty of hiking, horse-riding and water sports available on nearby Lake Powell in the Summer.
Also worth exploring are nearby Antelope, Rattlesnake and Owl canyons, where you can stroll your way through the coloured maze of rocks, at times squeezing through gaps and climbing up and out on ladders. For the more daring, try a Via Ferrata climb, where you'll cross deep ravines on ladder bridges with sheer drops below. Make sure to pack your chichi Amangiri rucksack with plenty of water, sunscreen and snacks.
After my 3-day trip to Amangiri it was time to pack up and head home, but the trip had been more profound than I had imagined. Spending time in this wide open, lunar-esque landscape and beautiful skyscapes, surrounded by the silence was breathtaking and awe-inspiring. A reminder how small we are in the universe, and how the troubles I arrived with seemed insignificant compared to this raw natural beauty. With time and headspace to reflect on life away from the business of everyday, an immersion in nature, it was a mesmerising and uplifting experience I will always remember.
Amangiri room rates start at $3,900 (in taxes and service charge) with airport transfers and meals included.
Camilla Kay is Executive Editor at Glamour UK, for more from Camilla, follow her at IG camilla.kay
