Amankila Hotel 

Having been to the other two Amans in Bali with mixed results, we were not quite sure what to expect going into our stay. In the case of Amankila, we are happy to report that not only is it the best Aman in Bali, but it also ranks amongst the very best Amans we have ever visited, and this was our 13th Aman stay. First, there's the setting. The ever-famous three-tiered pool was every bit as stunning as it looks in photos. Then there's the view from the rooms, the beautiful beach club, and the glittering black-sand beach. On top of that, whether you're attending the satay evening, going on the boat cruise, or kayaking out towards the east, you can see Mt. Agung on a clear day. The architecture, staircases and walkways are also absolutely beautiful. Second, there's the food. Arva served very good and authentic Italian food. The beach club restaurant was very good too, and at the Indonesian restaurant, the beef rendang and duck betutu were probably the most delicious Indonesian dishes we have ever had across Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, which is quite something at an Aman no less. The satay evening was equally good, and somehow much better than the satay ayam we ordered at lunch at the restaurant. Third, there's the service. We all come to Aman mostly for two reasons, the environment and the service. The staff here more than delivered on the legendary Aman service. Everything was arranged and taken care of effortlessly. They also kindly gave us the room #32/#33 combo, which worked well as a family group travelling together. In the very rare case that something didn't go smoothly, the service recovery was strong. The very friendly GM, Takahiro Ouchi, was there to greet us from arrival to departure, and checked in with us every day to make sure everything was great. It was, as always, a much appreciated gesture. My wife and I discussed whether it could simply be recency bias that led us to rate Amankila as one of the best Amans. However, having reflected on the stay at length, and believing that we have become more attentive to detail over time, only reassured us of the greatness of this resort. We will definitely return, as this is a truly special place.