Amankila in Bali is a hotel with a strong sense of history!

Designed by Ed Tuttle, Amankila opened in 1992 and is the second Aman hotel on Bali. The hotel is built on a cliff by the coast, with a total of 34 rooms. Facilities include four swimming pools, a bar, and nominally three restaurants, although the Indonesian and Western restaurants actually share the same space.

For an architect who has been designing hotels for ten years, Aman has always held a very special place, but personally, this Aman does not stand out.

Firstly, maintenance is poor. The grass and landscaping under the corridors show no signs of care, with many patches already bare, which is unacceptable in Bali’s climate. The most incomprehensible issue is the musty smell upon entering the rooms, a problem that should not exist in a hotel at this price point.

The service experience, however, is quite good. The staff are well-trained, responsive, and very enthusiastic. Several front desk staff have the feel of old mansion butlers, quickly resolving any requests. The dining staff kindly reminded us about portion sizes, suggesting not to order too much at once. It’s clear the staff genuinely care about their guests. An interesting point is that the musician during dinner performed with a blank expression, as if playing the role of an emotionless robot.

In terms of design, the hotel uses a direct elevated structure approach, ignoring the terrain’s influence. This reduces damage to the landscape but does not follow the terrain as Geoffrey Bawa would, who designs in harmony with the land. A major planning flaw is the poor privacy of the rooms; many rooms can be seen directly from the corridors, a mistake unacceptable at this price level.

In the public areas, the three-tiered main scenic axis pools are very impressive. The entire hotel’s decorative materials consistently use square mosaic elements, from floor and wall coverings to soft furnishings like tables, chairs, boxes, and even products in the gift shop, creating a distinctive design language. However, there are significant functional flaws, such as the overly exposed kitchen prep area and the fact that restrooms are only located in the lobby. Guests in the restaurant and bar must climb steep outdoor stairs to reach the restrooms, which is especially problematic on rainy days.

The room design is not particularly stunning, just standard. The layout does not provide a strong sense of vacation relaxation. The room design follows a partial axial symmetry logic, with a building area of about 90 square meters, but the overall feel does not reflect this size. The windows are arranged to frame views by combining various small functional areas.

Overall, the hotel delivers most of its value through the Aman brand. In my personal view, it is not an outstanding case study, but Aman is still Aman, and it surely has its unique charm to attract people.

Post by CodeCrusader_678 | Mar 21, 2025