LILY POND APPROVED

Meet Amangiri. A 45-minute drive from the closest airport, in Page, Arizona, this southern Utah-based luxury resort is for anyone looking to reconnect with themselves, away from the rest of the world.

Opened in 2009, this 34-suite retreat was created with the vision of honoring Native American Heritage – particularly Navajo culture. Spread over 600 acres, with views of the rock formations and mesas of the expensive desert, the hotel further transports guests into a Navajo-esque environment with the sounds of traditional music and crackling fireplaces, visions of handcrafted rugs and lighted candles, and the smell of sage drifting through the air.

Today, it’s best known as an ultra-private retreat that caters to the A-list and well-heeled clientele alike, and is one of our most requested for bucket list birthdays, anniversaries, proposals, and more.

Activities

With ample space to explore, guests can choose to hike with a guide that will teach them about the environment, or to hike on their own – the Broken Arrow Cave where 6,000-year-old artifacts and petroglyphs were found makes a magical final destination. Further opportunities for exploration include horseback rides tailored to each guests’ level of adventure and expertise – with the most challenging including ridge-top hacks high above the canyons. For those who prefer water activities, Lake Powell is the perfect spot, with beautiful canyon walls towering above and the Rainbow Bridge to admire, guests will never want to leave. The new 200-foot-long Cave Peak Stairway is suspended 400 feet above the ground from one canyon wall to another and offers a thrill for adrenalin-junkies. We curate a wide array of activities for guests, including hot-air balloon trips, yoga, and Navajo story-telling.

Dining

The Amangiri restaurant boasts sustainable, seasonal menus inspired by traditional Navajo dishes as well as Utah’s Southwestern culinary heritage, with the main restaurant set in a room with floor-to-ceiling windows that provide expansive views of the plains that surround the hotel. Food can also be served outside on the pool terrace. The restaurant has a wood-fired oven in the open-plan kitchen, which gives the food an authentic flavor. While the menus take inspiration from Native American cuisine, the chef also incorporates modern global influences to create new flavors.

Wellness

Guests also have the opportunity to unwind and reconnect at the Aman Spa, where treatments incorporate Navajo healing traditions that draw on the elements of earth, wind, fire, and water. Before performing treatments, therapists “smudge” the client with white sage to help them reconnect with nature. Guests can also do yoga on the rocks, guided meditation wherever they feel most comfortable, and relax while immersed in a crystal sound bath. All part of reconnecting with oneself and nature, the Aman spa centers on the philosophy of hózhó.

Camp sarika

Just a five-minute drive away is the sister location to Amangiri, Camp Sarika. The new “glamping hub” for the resort is located just a short drive away and offers a totally unique resort experience (guests often ask to experience both parts of the property). Each of the 10 one and two-bedroom tents comes with its own private plunge pool, and the camp centers on a communal area with a lounge, restaurant, and pool. Meals are served family-style, meaning you get more interaction with other guests (and makes it perfect for families or social couples), and this resort offers the same outdoor adventure and in some ways, even greater seclusion and opportunities for deeper mediation and reconnection.

About aman

Aman is in a resort class all to its own. Guests dub themselves #AmanJunkies and up to 50% of the hotel’s travel is from repeat guests who simply love Aman. It’s rare that we see a brand with this level of following and desire, and as a result, guests often book these properties months and months in advance to secure best rates and dates.

Eager to experience another Aman? The sister property Amangani (Jackson Hole) is a popular option, and the brand’s first city escape, Aman New York, is set to open this fall. The Caribbean boasts Amanera in the Dominican Republic and Amanyara in Turks and Caicos while other properties dot Europe. The brand dominates in Asia, with true standout options ranging from Cambodia, Thailand, China, Japan, and even Bhutan.

If you are in search of a luxury retreat that offers seclusion and reconnection with the earth, as well as cultural education on the Navajo tribe, let’s chat to find out more about Amangiri – and if Utah isn’t for you but you’re still tantalized by this chain’s philosophy, contact us to find out more about their other locations.

Lily Pond Luxury guests get an extra resort credit and priority for upgrades, early check-in, and late check-out at all Aman properties, plus extra perks when applicable.

Written by Michaela Barrett for Lily Pond Luxury.