Turn off the highway near the Utah–Arizona line, follow an unassuming road into the desert and, just when it seems there can be nothing out here, Amangiri appears, low and pale against the mesa, as if it has always been part of the rock. Opened in 2009 and designed in raw concrete tinted to match the sand, it is one of the most photographed and most coveted hotels in America. For a honeymoon it delivers something rare: deep, unbroken silence.
The main resort has just 34 suites, each angled toward its own slice of canyon country. A few minutes away, Camp Sarika adds ten tented pavilions with private plunge pools. Rates include meals in the restaurants, guided hikes and a daily yoga or Pilates class. Beyond that, the landscape is yours: slot canyons, Lake Powell, Horseshoe Bend and, on property, a via ferrata route bolted into the cliffs. It is an extravagant choice, with rates typically well into four figures per night, but few places on earth make two people feel so wonderfully small and so completely alone together.
Highlights at a glance
- Just 34 suites on a vast desert estate
- Signature pool wrapped around a sandstone escarpment
- Camp Sarika tented pavilions with plunge pools
- About 25,000 square feet of Aman Spa
- Guests-only via ferrata climbing route
- Meals and guided hikes typically included
Into the Desert
Amangiri sits on the Colorado Plateau near Canyon Point, a short drive from the shores of Lake Powell and from Page, Arizona. The land around it is all white and red sandstone, mesas, dunes and juniper. Architects Marwan Al-Sayed, Rick Joy and Wendell Burnett designed the resort to almost disappear into it. Walls are thick, colors are muted and the windows frame the landscape like paintings.
The heart of the resort is its swimming pool, which wraps around a jutting sandstone escarpment so you swim alongside the rock itself. Cell service is limited, nights are dark and the sky is thick with stars. With a protected, private setting and national parks such as the Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce Canyon within driving range, it doubles as a peaceful base for exploring the great canyon country of the Southwest.
Suites and the Tents of Camp Sarika
The 34 suites are generous, stone-and-concrete sanctuaries, each with its own outlook over the desert. Interiors are pared back, with soft natural fabrics and an oversized bathroom with soaking tub and dual rain showers. Outside is a terrace with a fireplace where staff can set up s'mores or a stargazing kit. Higher categories add private pools: the Desert Pool and Mesa Pool suites have their own. The Girijaala Suite pairs a large sky lounge with a pool, while the Amangiri Suite offers a bigger pool and dining space.
Camp Sarika, opened in 2020 a short distance from the main resort, is the more intimate alternative. Its ten tented pavilions, with one or two bedrooms, feel like camping at its most refined. Each comes with a heated plunge pool, fireplace and wide desert views. The camp has its own pool and restaurant. Guests can move freely between the two areas.
Dining in Canyon Country
Meals are included in most stays, which removes the friction of bills and lets you settle into a slow, easy rhythm. The main Pavilion restaurant serves food with American Southwest and Native American influences, built around local ingredients. A seat at the counter facing the open kitchen often brings surprise dishes from the chefs. Dinner reservations are still required, so book your preferred times early.
Camp Sarika has its own restaurant and a private dining room. Suites have in-room dining for much of the day. For a honeymoon moment, ask the team to arrange a private dinner on your terrace with the fire lit, or a picnic packed for a desert hike. Drinks are generally charged separately, so check the details with your booking.
Why guests fall for it
Aman Spa and the Water Pavilion
The Aman Spa is huge by any standard, about 25,000 square feet of stone corridors, candlelit spaces and quiet courtyards. Treatments take their cues from the desert and its rhythms. There is also a dedicated couples treatment room. Even without a booking, guests can use the sauna, steam rooms and cold plunge.
The Water Pavilion is the spa's signature: a mineral pool where you can float in warm water, with a water shiatsu pavilion and a still reflection pool. Yoga and Pilates classes, sound bowl sessions and personal training are available too. Your rate typically includes a daily class. After a morning climbing through slot canyons, an afternoon here, followed by a fireside evening on your terrace, is about as restorative as travel gets.
A Day at Amangiri
Start early, because the desert looks its best at first light. A guided hike departs most mornings, threading through washes and up onto slickrock for wide-open views. Later, try the via ferrata, a fixed route of iron rungs and suspended bridges on the cliffs, open only to guests and graded for beginners through to experienced climbers.
Afternoons might bring a horseback ride, a UTV expedition across the dunes or a speedboat trip on Lake Powell. The concierge can arrange guided visits to Antelope Canyon, scenic flights over the canyons and hot-air balloon rides. Evenings are for the pool at sunset, Navajo storytelling, geology talks or simply stargazing from your own terrace. Horseshoe Bend is close by and is best seen when the light is high in the middle of the day.
Why Guests Are Spellbound
Critics and guests alike tend to describe Amangiri in superlatives. The architecture is the first thing they praise: the way the buildings frame the desert, the play of light on concrete and stone throughout the day and the feeling of being inside the landscape rather than looking at it.
Next comes the silence and space. Couples say they lost track of time, swam at sunset with the cliffs glowing above them and slept with the curtains open to the stars. The service earns praise for being intuitive and personal, with staff known for quickly learning names and preferences. And many say the activities, especially the via ferrata and guided hikes, gave them some of the most exhilarating moments of their trip.
Good to Know
- Rates typically include meals, a daily yoga or Pilates class, guided hikes and use of the spa's water facilities, plus airport transfers from Page; activities such as boat trips and private tours cost extra.
- Children are welcome, so the resort is not kid-free, though its calm atmosphere suits couples perfectly.
- Summer days are scorching; spring and fall are ideal. Winter brings crisp, quiet days and occasional snow on the mesas.
- Book Antelope Canyon tours and popular dinner times well in advance.
- During the July and August monsoon, slot canyon tours can be canceled at short notice because of flash-flood risk, so keep a backup plan for that day.
- Pack layers, sturdy shoes, sunscreen and binoculars.
Insider tips
- For sunset views, ask about Mesa-facing suites or a Sunset Canyon Pavilion at Camp Sarika.
- Request a terrace fire and stargazing setup on a moonless night.
- Sit at the kitchen counter for dinner at least once.
- Schedule Horseshoe Bend for midday light and the via ferrata for a cool morning.
