Short stay: Amankila, Bali, Indonesia

100   Recommended
August 24, 2015 by EXPERT

 Map | 14 Reviews | 57% Recommended
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Amankila
 Map | 14 Reviews | 57% Recommended

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Liked:
Location
Service
Food
Amenities
Room
Stats

DISCLAIMER: I was hosted by Amanresorts in the Kilasari Suite for a media stay. I am under no obligation to write a review on FlyerTalk. Thoughts expressed below are my honest opinion.

I think what best sums up Amankila is that, after reading plenty of reviews on here about it, my expectations were sky high. Transferring from our prior resort (FS Jimbaran Bay - review coming shortly), I quipped to my friend that Amankila might disappoint because our expectations for it are so insanely high, it couldn't possibly match that. It matched it, and then some.

POSITIVES

PICK-UP AND ARRIVAL
Since we were transferring from another resort, we didn't experience the VIP immigration service this time. The car was about 30-45 minutes late to arrive but they kept us informed throughout and the driver was very apologetic (traffic on the way due to a congregation). Car was well equipped with snacks, cold drink, refreshing wet towel, and decent enough WIFI. Arrived at the resort and was given a moment to enjoy the three-tier pool before being led to our suite.

KILASARI SUITE
Home for 3 nights, this signature suite (#31) is absolutely fantastic. It's perched high up on the hill (don't try walking up there from the main pool - we tried it once and never again), and enjoys shrouded views of the sea and mountain side. There's a 12-metre long infinity-edge pool, a very expansive large terrace.

OTHER SUITES
As with so many other Amans, I've increasingly found that unless you have the budget to spend, don't fret about not having a private pool. The suites are well appointed, but you'll find yourself having a dip at one of Amankila's several pools, which are never overflowing with people, and sometimes it is like having your own private pool. I personally think the pool suites - walled in (some with a view, but the pool itself is walled in), are probably not worth it. If budget were tight, opt for a garden or ocean view - if there's budget to play with, would prefer to splurge a little extra and go for the Kilasari suite.

INDRAKILA AND AMANKILA SUITE
The other two signature suites, the 2-bedroom Amankila suite is certainly a showstopper, with a bale to either side of a large pool. It also enjoys the best position at the resort, right by the seafront beside the three-tier private pool offering unobstructed views, as can be seen here:


The Indrakila suite also enjoys a near unobstructed view with a large terrace and pool (no infinity pool), and unlike the Kilasari suite, there's a bale. However, personally, I prefer the Kilasari suite to the Indrakila suite.

ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIORS
Understated, elegant. Very Aman. This truly is a masterpiece. As with so many other Amans, it's ridiculously picturesque, and not just from one angle but from nearly every angle - aerially (as seen above) it blends in so beautifully with its surroundings.

THREE-TIERED POOL
Need I say more?

BEACH POOL, BEACH CLUB AND BEACH
The 41-metre long beach club pool might be the most underrated pool ever. More than at the three-tier pool, we found ourselves spending time at the beach club pool. It's calmer, the waves are audible, and you're surrounded and shaded by a coconut grove. The beach club itself is fantastic - lovely bales offering privacy, and sunloungers in front. Refreshing fruits and drinks served beachside. The black sand beach glitters in the sun and is absolutely beautiful. The water is fairly clear. Plenty of activities at the beach itself - kayaking, catamaran, hobie cat, body boarding. Kids at the beach club can enjoy a game of water polo too.

SERVICE
Was excellent throughout. No complaints at all. Beach club service in particular was fantastic. Proactive (preparing the lounging chairs for us in the neatest of Aman fashions when they see us coming and on the way), pleasant - the resort truly exudes a family-like atmosphere.

FOOD
I was there when Shane Lewis was acting-GM - he's the executive chef, but I understand he has now moved to Amanusa. Shane has done an incredible job with the food here - breakfast is hearty with touches of elegance. For most lunches, we kept it light with a pizza or a shared Indonesian dish or two, and for dinners we had a good Indonesian-style meal every time. 

We were treated to a dinner at the resort's 'helipad'. There are several private dining options available - the usual: dinner in your bale/suite terrace, dinner at the poolside bale, dinner at the beach etc. But I would highly suggest going for the countryside bale (which is about a 30-45 minute ride away) or the helipad. Every course was brilliant, but in particular we loved the succulent prawn satays and the fish. 

THE AREA
I don't think I'm ever staying on the Bukit Peninsula again. Manggis, Karangasem and the whole East Bali region is absolutely lovely. If you fancy seclusion, there's plenty of that. If you want to explore cultural and historical Bali, there's plenty of that. Nature? Lots of that. The villages in the surrounds are teeming with character too. Sure, you won't get (drab and overpriced) beachside restaurants like at Seminyak or party-beach-clubs, but then that's not why I come to Bali.




NEGATIVES/THINGS TO NOTE

PRIVACY IN ROOMS
This has been touched upon in some of the reviews. Due to how the resort is shaped and laid out with its elevated walkways, not all the terraces of each suite is entirely private - I can see this being an issue when the resort is at full occupancy (but is it ever at full occupancy when not booked out privately? I suppose even in a private booking, you want full privacy). Typically when the resort runs at low occupancy, I think the front office staff do a good job of arranging the guests so that you're well spread out over the resort. 

On the other hand, I do think the elevated walkways can work well for multiple families or smaller groups offering suites close to each other and kind of inter-connected (in particular if you are mixing a pool suite with a non-pool suite) but still offering individual space.

BEACH AND SEA
The black sand beach is absolutely fantastic. However, trash washes ashore frequently from the oil tankers that dot the horizon in the distance. This is not something Aman can do much about other than try to lobby the government about it (there's an oil refinery marginally south of the resort), and do their own intensive beach clean ups.

LEAVING
A negative is that I had to leave. 





PHOTOS - all photos below are my own. The aerial of Amankila above is an Amanresorts photo.

THREE TIERED POOL







KILASARI SUITE









AMANKILA SUITE





BEACH CLUB, BEACH CLUB POOL, BEACH













AREA - and Amankila's duck farm















FOOD AND DINNER AT THE HELIPAD









I'm here for any questions!

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