My Life's A Trip

The stunning entrance to the Amangiri

The sublimely designed Amangiri Resort in Canyon Point Utah is one of the most stunning resorts I’ve ever visited, and it’s here in the American Southwest. The resort’s minimalist design effortlessly showcases the amazing landscape of southern Utah. You feel the five star service that Aman Resorts are known for the second you pull up to the resort and are welcomed by the staff, and make your way into the reception area.

The Amangiri’s amazing pool (photo courtesy of Amangiri)

Architects Rick Joy, Marwan Al-Sayed, and Wendell Burnette embraced the natural features of the property into the resort’s design. The pool is built around a natural rock formation. The landscape is dramatic from every angle, and one could easily never Amangiri’s grounds and have a great time.

Time Lapse at the Amangiri with rabbit

Located within an area known as the Grand Circle, the Amangiri resort is located close to Zion National Park, Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and Monument Valley. The hotel has a fleet of BMW vehicles that guests can borrow (and test drive) to explore the nearby attractions that are off site. They hotel fleet remained spotless despite the dusty environment of the surrounding desert.

Lovely light in a corridor at the Amangiri

The Amangiri does not come cheap. In early February, our Desert View Suite cost $1,400 per night, including food.  We had to book a Desert View Suite since we brought our two dogs on this trip. Yes! The Amangiri is pet-friendly, although additional fees apply.

The Amangiri’s architecture makes the most of the magical desert light

While our room was spacious, I don’t think it technically qualified as a “suite” since it did not have a door which physically divided the sleeping space from the living space in the room. I’m not complaining, but I don’t understand why such a luxurious and small 34 room resort wouldn’t have this feature in every level of accommodation, especially since the Amangiri is stretched out over more than 600 acres of space.

Concrete and blue sky at the Amangiri

The resort also has a few homes available as accommodations. These are favored by celebrities who want to ensure privacy. I recognized the surroundings when my social media feeds showed me that Kylie Jenner announced her daughter’s birth while I was staring at the same starkly beautiful backdrop where she cradled her baby bump.

Water feature in the Amangiri

The hotel has a beautiful 25,000 square foot spa that has all the usual and some specialty treatments. The facilities are just as impressive as the rest of the property and my deep tissue massage (complete with a sage smudge) was definitely higher quality than one would expect from a hotel in the desert.

The front patio of our Desert Suite

As I exited the spa I came across a s’mores station set up on an outdoor fire pit, where a staff member helped us keep away the evening chill by toasting marshmallows and various kinds of chocolate on graham crackers. It was a next-level s’mores experience!

Neutral hues and modern simplicity in our Desert Suite

Afternoon light on a water feature at the Amangiri

The food is included in the room rate and when the weather allowed, we preferred to eat outside in sunshine by the pool, where our dogs could join us. The menu featured local cuisine including bison burgers and Navajo fry bread tacos as well as the usual salads and pizzas. The standout was the excellent margaritas which tasted especially delicious in the desert air.

Daybeds by the Amangiri’s pool

Breakfast standouts were the Huevos Rancheros and Tamale Benedict. Since breakfast and lunch tended to be hearty, we ate light at dinner. The fire roasted Tortilla Soup and Three Sisters Consommé were delicious.

The Amangiri looks magical after dusk

While the food was included in the room rate, an additional charge applies for room service.

Table with a view in the Amangiri’s dining room

A gorgeous outdoor patio space at the Amangiri

Bison burger & fries

The mushroom pizza was delicious

Navajo fry bread tacos served by the pool

Don’t miss the margaritas at the Amangiri

Tequila drinks taste better in the desert.

Tamale Benedict for breakfast

Tamale Benedict served on a masa cake with smoked pork, poached hen egg, roasted corn relish, and chipotle hollandaise. Yum!

Pastel desert skies with beautiful views

There is so much natural beauty that you can get your fill just by hiking the trails on the Amangiri grounds. But I’d highly recommend taking the Slot Canyon tour with a Navajo Guide. Our three hour tour of Antelope, Rattlesnake, and Side Canyon was one of the best three hour tours I’ve ever taken. You can read my previous post about it here.

Minimalist yet gorgeous winter trees and February skies

We also borrowed one of the hotel’s BMWs to venture to nearby Horseshoe Bend, located just over the state border in Arizona. It was a nice place to watch the sun rise and didn’t require a tour.

Utah desertscape

My morning view of Horseshoe Bend

While the clouds weren’t particularly interesting the morning we drove to Horseshoe Bend to see the sunrise, the view was spectacular and it was an easy area to explore with the dogs. It’s a user-friendly and intimate canyon experience.

Here I am in action photographing Horseshoe Bend

Zeppelin & Ribeye enjoyed their walks on the Amangiri property

My labs really enjoyed their stay at the Amangiri. We kept them on leash since they were extremely tempted to chase after the wild hares in the area.

Amangiri Signage

My trip was booked through Thom Bissett of TheFussyFlyer.com