Luxurious retreats: realize intimate luxury with aman resorts

Aman Resorts are located all around the world, with each hotel designed in harmony with the local culture and environment while cherishing privacy and intimacy. Combined with Aman’s impeccable service, these small resorts are favored by couples who want their honeymoon or destination wedding to be as distinctly memorable as it is luxurious.

Indonesia is home to more Aman Resorts than any other country, and the charms of Bali are captured succinctly at Amandari, set beside the rushing waters of the Ayung River in the small village of Kedewatan. Newlyweds can spend peaceful hours in thatched-roof suites, each with its own walled garden, before setting off to explore Bali’s cultural capital of Ubud, famed for its museums, galleries and artist workshops. One of several Aman Resorts that hosts destination weddings, Amandari can be the setting for an intimate affair in an outdoor bale, a midsized wedding in a tropical garden, or a lavish affair for 150 guests with a buyout of the entire resort.

Amanusa, set on Bali’s Indian Ocean coastline, is a timeless setting for a wedding on a white sand beach or a magical escape for honeymooners with its 10 new villas, each with an open-air dining area next to a private, full-sized swimming pool. Located beachfront between the Lombok Strait and dramatic Mount Agung, Amankila offers royal luxury in the heart of Bali’s quiet countryside. Each of the resort’s villas is elevated to take full advantage of views of the sea and black sand beach, with weddings held at the Beach Club under the shade of coconut palms, the air scented with orchids, frangipani and other tropical flowers.

Amanjiwo can be your key to a spiritual retreat: This resort on the Indonesian island of Central Java, whose name means “peaceful soul,” overlooks Borobudur, the world’s largest Buddhist sanctuary. The resort’s temple-like Dalem Jiwo suite, a private compound with two bedrooms, a pair of shaded outdoor bales, and a pool lined with local green stone, can be a honeymoon hideaway or a venue for an intimate wedding ceremony.

Adventurous souls will love Amanwana, the “peaceful forest” on the protected island of Moyo where guests stay in luxury tents, dive over protected reefs, hike to hidden waterfalls, and set sail aboard the resort’s luxury coastal cruiser, Amanikan, to discover the legendary Komodo dragon on nearby shores. 

Amanpulo, on Pamalican in the Philippines’ Sulu Sea, is a world away from modern civilization yet pampers guests with a remarkable array of amenities, fine dining, spa treatments, tennis and water sports, including diving the coral reef just offshore. Small weddings are hosted on the brilliant white sand beach, while newlyweds can scoot around the island on their personal beach buggy before returning to a private seaside or hillside casita.

Not every Aman Resort is a tropical beach paradise: While Sri Lanka’s Amanwella is located in a seaside coconut grove near the town of Tangalle, the Amangalla resort resides within the walls of the 17th-century Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in a beautiful Sri Lankan colonial town. Whether you prefer a stay on the beach or in town, whale watching is a must-do in this Indian Ocean destination.

History and the sea are also deeply intertwined in Greece, home of the Amanzoe resort. As with every Aman property, the design cues here are authentic and in harmony with the landscape: With its columns and pavilions shaded by olive trees, the resort resembles an ancient Greek acropolis. Overlooking the Aegean Sea, Amanzoe is close to the nightlife of Porto Heli and historic islands like Spetses and Hydra, with classically inspired villas suitable for honeymoons or destination weddings.

Likewise, the Aman Canal Grande Venice is surrounded by history: This 24-room resort is located in one of the oldest parts of Italy’s famous floating city, in a 16th-century palazzo. Accommodations include “stanzas” with high frescoed ceilings and views of the Grand Canal and the palazzo’s private gardens.

Oceanfront guest pavilions open on three sides to Caribbean sea breezes at the Amanyara resort on Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The resort’s location in a nature reserve close to some of the world’s best reef and wall diving ensures tranquility, while the nightlife of Provo is conveniently close by. Weddings can be held on the white sand Malcolm’s Beach, one of the island’s most secluded beaches.

The two Aman Resorts in the U.S. exist in glorious harmony with the dramatic scenery of the American West. Wyoming’s Amangani is perched atop East Gros Ventre Butte near Jackson Hole, affording panoramic views of the snowcapped peaks around Grand Teton National Park, as well as easy access to Yellowstone and some of the country’s best skiing. Couples can choose from a variety of suites or homes with magnificent views, and the resort’s homelike setting makes Amangani an ideal location for a honeymoon or wedding embraced by nature. 

The buttes and canyons of southern Utah surround Amangiri: The resort’s swimming pool was even built around one natural rock formation. Amangiri has just 34 suites, making it a quiet and secluded setting for a honeymoon or a timeless destination for a wedding of up to 75 guests, with a reception featuring the resort’s signature Hot Stone Dinner served fireside under the endless stars. 

> Written by Bob Curley