photo courtesy Aman
I had the best sleep of my life at Amangiri.
Maybe it was the mattress, or maybe it was the mood lighting and omnipresent crackling fire in every room. It could have been the sheets’ high thread count or possibly that I spent all day outdoors hiking, swimming, or immersed in sound baths. Who’s to say? All I know is that when the sun crested over the sandstone mesa outside of my window and my hand reached for the room service button to request a green juice, I caught a glimpse of my sleep score and it was a perfect 100.
Aman Hotels, An Overview
Aman is a legendary luxury hotel group known for its minimalist architecture, serene locations, and deep integration with nature and culture. And exclusivity. Their boutique properties, which often host fewer than 50 rooms, are the getaway of choice for celebrities. Amangiri in particular has long been on my radar because of this. Located among stunning desert landscapes only the American Southwest can deliver, Amangiri is the most well known stateside Aman resort and exemplifies the brand’s reputation for discreet luxury and ability to exist alongside natural and cultural settings.
Like all Aman properties, Amangiri has a commitment to staying connected and giving resources to nearby communities. They recognize the importance of the people and natural environment around it that makes it what it is—an immersive and intentional experience.
With over 30 resorts spanning 20 countries, Aman is building a bit of a cult fan base, with guests eager to collect as many Aman experiences as they can. They even call themselves Aman Junkies. (Only a bit ironic as Aman means peace in Sanskrit.)
Inside Amangiri Resort
Amangiri is quite literally tucked away behind one of the towering plateaus and unique rock formations that dot the property’s 920 acres in Southern Utah, just over the border of Arizona. It’s positioned just so to give guests sweeping views toward the spectacular Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. As we arrived, fresh off a small plane that landed in nearby Page, Arizona, a team of smiling staff members greeted us and welcomed us to our home for the next two days. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t briefly recalling the White Lotus episode that I watched the night before.
While Amangiri’s reputation is elusive and exclusive, it’s really rather down to earth as soon as you step foot inside. Spectacular, but welcoming nonetheless. Large wooden doors open into a cozy lobby and dining room bordered by floor-to-ceiling windows, giving the illusion that you never really came indoors at all. An open concept kitchen with a roaring wood-fire oven fills the room with the sweet smell of charred food—only fitting for the remote desert setting.
Built around a central swimming pool, there are 34 on-property suites situated in two outdoor wings branching from the main pavilion. A five-minute golf cart drive takes you to the even more secluded Camp Sarika, a grouping of 10 tented pavilions, each with a private plunge pool for an even more secluded experience. These tent-esque structures give guests a proper glamping experience–temperature controlled rooms, en suite bathrooms, and an outdoor shower that faces your private canyon view.
I stayed in one of the Desert Suites—a stunning room with a king-sized bed, fire pit, bathtub, dual rain shower, and just a short walk from the spa, which was quite honestly an otherworldly experience.
Amangiri's Aman Spa
Behind a nondescript door is a dark, candlelit hall—the beginning of a labyrinth of indoor-outdoor corridors that move through the rock, leading to private soaking tubs, saunas, and steam rooms tucked throughout the facility. Small gaps in the cement walls lined up perfectly with rock formations in the distance, and the smell of piñon pine burning in fireplaces wafted through the air. There was no cheesy spa music, only the sound of birds, crackling fire, and water gently flowing. A true oasis in the arid desert landscape. After a few sauna and cold plunge cycles, I had a 60 minute massage in one of the spa treatment rooms that began with a white sage smudge ritual. It’s safe to say that was the fastest hour of my life.
Outdoor Activities Offered at Amangiri
The extensive outdoor activity list is as integrated into the natural environment as the architecture itself. Everything is designed to deepen your connection to the world around you, rather than distract from it–whether you're on a guided hike, a horseback ride, a slot canyon tour led by a Navajo guide, a sunrise hot air balloon ride, stargazing (when else are you someplace with almost zero light pollution?), or any number of cultural activities like a pottery or dreamcatcher workshop. I joined in on a private boat ride of nearby Lake Powell and a Via Ferrata climb on the resort’s property.
The boat tour of Lake Powell, which is a must-do activity in my opinion, brings your group out on a boat ride with a customizable itinerary where you can see the breathtaking buttes and canyons of the lake and learn about its fascinating history. From the sleek Axopar boat, you're able to swim, paddle board, or hike from Lake Powell’s impressive 2,000 miles of shoreline into one of many backcountry canyons.
Amangiri has built seven different Via Ferrata routes on its impressive 920 acre property, with options for varying adventure levels, all led by experienced guides, and all private to Amangiri guests. Via Ferratas, which roughly means “Iron Paths,” were originally created in WW1 for troops to traverse the Dolomite Mountains of Italy. They are now a popular hybrid of hiking and climbing where, with your climbing harness, you are clipped into a cable that runs alongside steel rungs that you use to climb like a ladder up and across the rock. Amangiri's via ferrata routes include ladders, bridges, scrambles, with exposure varying from section to section. The 18-inch wide suspension bridge spanning a 450-foot-high gorge was a memorable way to see panoramic views of the area, sweaty palms and all.
If you're looking to explore even further from the property, Bryce Canyon National Park, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and Monument Valley are each roughly a 2.5-hour drive from the resort, though all in opposing directions. Zion National Park on the other hand, is just 90 minutes west.
Getting to Amangiri
The best way to reach Amangiri is by flying into the Page Airport (PGA) in Arizona, just 25 minutes away from the resort. Larger hubs like Las Vegas or Flagstaff will make for a longer, albeit no less scenic desert road trip commute.
Cost and Community Involvement
The resort and its offerings are really in a class of their own, and that is reflected in the price—from $3,800 USD a night in a suite room to $10,000 USD a night in the Grand View Pavilion at Camp Sarika. Airport transfers, meals, and amenities are all included.
Like all Aman properties, Amangiri gives a significant amount of support to the local community. The resort donates resources to local K–12 schools in the remote region of southern Utah and works with knowledgeable Navajo community members and local vendors for its guided experiences, cultural programming, and operations.
In such a remote location, I appreciated the resort’s effort to stay connected with the Navajo Nation and other nearby communities, while sharing and teaching about the landscape that makes it so special with visitors.
As I was leaving, I spotted a little Navajo woven fabric bag tag on my suitcase that wasn’t there before. Small gilded text read Amangiri. They are good.
Am I an Aman Junkie now?!
Published 04-29-2025
