Amankila Bali

There was something about the airy clifftop setting of Amankila that made me feel like flying while I was there. Perhaps it was the way the three-tier pools flowed into each other and, seemingly, off the side of the precipice. It could have been the fact that the adjacent bar had no walls, just pillars, through which sunbeams and breezes swooped in and out. Or it could have been the far-reaching views, with the Lombok Strait fading into the horizon. A pair of wings would have been a good idea, though, to get down to the beach. Guests at this hotel can take a pathway cut into the hillside – or hitch a ride on a hotel buggy. Either way, the destination is worth the journey to the base of the cliff, to find a long, long swimming pool, its emerald surface reflecting the green of the coconut grove in which it sits.

It feels secret somehow – although not as secret as the beach lounging areas, set into the sand, surrounded by foliage, to create a sense of privacy. It might feel private, but hotel staff are instantly on hand to provide any requisites, should an urge to snorkel or sail or kayak or surf take hold of you. The hotel has a 40-foot outrigger anchored just offshore, designed after a jukung – a traditional Balinese fishing craft – and available for island cruising or private picnics on board. As you sail out to sea and look back at the resort, it barely makes an impression against the rich green hillside, with just some roofs visible: and even these fit perfectly into the Balinese backdrop, crafted as they are with alang alang thatching. Just as the boat reflects traditional Balinese design, so does the hotel, built to blend into the area instead of standing out starkly, as so many other hotels in beautiful places do. The individual suites here are set far apart from each other, and follow the lines and flow of their eastern Bali surroundings: in particular they echo the royal water palace just outside the district capital of Amlapura.

They are a little like mini-palaces themselves, these suites, with their canopied, king-size beds, and outdoor terraces with daybeds, and – depending on the suite – private pools. One suite has not just an aquamarine-tiled pool, but lily ponds and private butler service. Whichever little house on the hill you choose, even without a private butler, you could stay there without leaving for a week. These are rooms with views indeed, and the standard of room service is almost as high as the cliffside setting. But the surroundings are seductive too, and demand to be explored. A beguiling mix of religion, royal culture and architectural splendour is to be found in Old Bali, as this area is often called, and the nearby temples and villages have enough charm to make the walk along the winding walkways that lead away from each suite worthwhile. And that’s saying something.