Getting there
After a 24+ hour journey to Bali with an extended layover in Incheon due to fog, we finally made it to Bali around midnight of our arrival day. We checked into the Grant Hyatt close to the airport before being picked up the next morning by our driver to take us to Amankila.
The drive to East Bali was quick 45 minutes, and I loved that the car was stocked with homemade snacks and local Bintang beer. Amankila is located in Manggis, a less traveled Eastern coastline about 15 miles from the base of Mount Agung, which coincidentally was erupting just days before our arrival. We almost had to postpone the trip!
The suites are connected by stilted walkways 
Amankila main Pool 
Afternoon tea snacks
Indrakila Suite
We initially booked an Ocean Pavilion, which at best is a partial ocean view and at worst, staring directly onto the pavilion in front of it. We weren’t happy with the room and worked with the general manager to upgrade to the Indrakila Suite, which turned out to be a great decision. We loved the Indrakila suite. The interior of every suite on property are more or less the same size but the Indrakila suite provided us amazing outdoor space, a huge private pool and private bale lounging hut. It also gave us dead on, unobstructed views of the Lombok Strait. I can’t recommend this room enough. I mean look at the view! 😍
Indrakila Suite Pool 
Rose Petal Bath 
Welcome Amenity 
Indrakila Suite Entrance
We enjoyed leisurely breakfasts outside and sometimes under the veranda if there was tropical rainstorm coming down (which happened to be the case most mornings). We took hikes around property and enjoyed dips in our private pool. Something I really appreciated about the breakfast inclusion at Amankila is that you can order as much as you’d like – it allowed me to try some more typical Balinese dishes while knowing I could always have a Western breakfast if I didn’t like it. And no surprise, the fruit was some of the best I’ve ever had. My favorites were dragonfruit and mangosteen.
Service
The same family has run Amankila for years and you get the family vibe almost immediately with live music and young girls preparing offerings every day in the lobby. It definitely added to the feeling of being a guest in someone’s home versus a hotel.
For this trip we booked the romance package, which included the following
- Welcome amenities
- Traditional Melukat water blessing with a local priest
- Guided tour of East Bali
- Satay picnic in the hills at sunset
- 60-minute Amankila couple’s massage
We like booking packages with Aman when available because we often find a lot of value in otherwise pretty expenses add ons. As of the publication of this post the resort still offers this package and I would absolutely recommend it.
I still remember the afternoon balinese snacks and tea each afternoon that we couldn’t get enough of and ate at the main pool. The 3-tier infinity pool that seemingly spills into the ocean is stunning and the resort’s main attraction. I loved watching sunrises and sunsets there.
We also enjoyed the more casual restaurant at the beach club, which is only a short walk or buggy ride from the main resort. We found this area of the property to be less crowded and the pool was great for swimming laps.
Considerations
We visited Amankila over festive season and the weather wasn’t great – it was overcast and there was a lot of rain. The GM told us there is 50/50 chance at good weather during that time of year and mentioned that last Christmas it was significantly warmer and sunnier. We still had an amazing experience but it’s a long way to travel to not have sunshine if you’re expecting it.
Upgrading to the Indrakila Suite was absolutely worth it and I’d recommend this room if you’re planning a trip to Amankila.
