Renown for dramatic flat-topped mesas striated with oxidation, the painted desert of Utah attracts adventurers from the world over, each seeking an exemplary degree of solitude and unforgettable grandeur unique to this region of the Western United States. It is amongst these arid formations sandwiched between Arizona and Utah awaits Amangiri – Aman Resort’s ‘mountain of peace’ – a contemporary architectural pavilion designed to blend into the landscape while also highlighting its incomparable beauty.
The Amangiri’s design owes its birth to three parents, the collaborative effort between architects Marwan Al-Sayed, Wendell Burnette, and Rick Joy. Their collective efforts are sedate and calmly harmonious with its surroundings, referencing Native American Navajo and Pueblo hogan architecture, alongside mirroring the caves regularly found dotting the desert landscape.
The most dramatic feature can be found at Amangiri’s communal pool, where an enormous rock formation intrudes onto the glassy reflective waters like a jurassic creature seeking respite from the dryness of the desert.
With only thirty-four suites strewn across Amangiri’s two wings stretched out from each side of the resort’s main pavilion, guests won’t be left wanting for privacy. Every room features its own dedicated terrace, each framing the desert landscape with a painterly eye, and made that most dreamy with the inclusion of an outdoor fireplace and daybed to complement the room’s king-size beds and desert hued decor.
It’s not all quiet contemplation at Amangiri. The resort also features a luxe 25,000-square-foot spa offering guests an assortment of options to appease health and beauty desires with the tranquil view of the desert ever near.
Amangiri is where one goes to be starstruck by the actual stars overhead (though the chance of rubbing shoulders with a celebrity as a guest is a strong possibility).
What: Amangiri Resort
Where: Canyon Point, Utah
How much: Starting at $1,550 per night.
Highlights: Buffered within 600 acres of desert sunburnt mesas and slot canyons of the Colorado Plateau, the journey to find this hidden resort situated on the border of Utah and Arizona presents an adventure in itself – the first indication a stay here is both a physical and mental getaway from the madding crowds. Once there, the great outdoors operates as both agent of adventure or relaxation.
Design draw: Architects Marwan Al Sayed, Wendell Burnette, and Rick Joy’s modernist desert oasis utilizes shadow and light with sharp concrete geometry softened by an earthen palette and selection of materials drawn from the Utah desert landscape.
Book it: Amangiri Resort
Photos courtesy of Aman Resorts.
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