world reviewer
Amanjiwo
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$700 per room per night* Book now » Amanjiwo (which means “peaceful soul” and opened in 1997) is fashioned out of limestone and takes its inspiration from the surrounding culture of Central Java. The resort is located within a natural amphitheatre with the limestone Menoreh Hills rising directly behind, the Kedu Plain in front and four volcanoes – Sumbing, Sundoro, Merbabu and Merapi – gracing the horizon. Amanjiwo looks out onto Borobudur, the largest Buddhist sanctuary in the world. Indeed, Borobudur is carefully mirrored in the resort’s design and central dome. The view runs arrow-straight through Amanjiwo’s entrance and the stone corridor that neatly cleaves the resort, up the steps to the soaring, bell-shaped rotunda, down to the Dining Room, on to the Terrace, past rice fields in an unwavering line to Borobudur itself. Several kampungs (small villages) are within walking distance.
Amanjiwo is constructed from paras yogya – the local limestone. Thirty-six suites radiate outward from the main building in two deep crescents. These are rimmed by high, limestone walls set off by spider lilies and morning glory. The walls blend into the stone walkways that link the suites to the main building and the Pool Club. At the far end of the resort, in a lush tranquil setting, is the Dalem Jiwo – a large private suite with two separate bedrooms.
Amanjiwo’s suites feature terrazzo flooring, high ceilings, domed roofs and sliding glass doors that open onto a garden terrace with a view of Borobudur or surrounding farmland. Fifteen suites come with private swimming pools. All suites include a thatched-roof kubuk (pavilion) with a daybed for outdoor lounging and dining and two loungers. Interiors include a central, four-pillar bed on a raised terrazzo platform, sungkai wood screens, coconut wood and rattan furniture, old batik pillows in classic Yogyakarta style, traditional glass paintings and a large sunken stone outdoor bathtub.
Garden Suites: There are 10 Garden Suites in varying locations with views of the Menoreh Hills and terraced farmland. Each suite category has the same size and room configuration as well as all the amenities and interior features mentioned above.Borobudur Suites: Ten Borobudur Suites offer enhanced views of the Borobudur temple and the surrounding valley. Garden Pool Suites: Five Garden Pool suites have views of the Menoreh Hills and surrounding farmland. The natural stone pool stretches from the bedroom toward the outdoor pavilion. The pool is six metres by three. Borobudur Pool Suites: All nine suites in this category have views of Borobudur and Java’s most sacred mountains – Merapi, Merbabu, Sumbing and Sundoro. The Dalem Jiwo Suite: This retreat is set in a discrete compound complete with a private entrance, a classically styled rotunda and surrounding terrace with two separately walled bedrooms, each with stone steps descending to the suite’s private swimming pool and its two lounging kubuks. The 15-metre infinity pool, finished in a green Javanese stone known as hijau danau, is set into the rice fields. The Dalem Jiwo personal butler, always on call, has separate quarters in the compound.
The rotunda Bar is a circular salon, with columns and drop fans, a coconut-wood bar and acid-etched bronze-drum tables. The Dining Room, with its silver-leaf ceiling swirling with muted colours, is defined by a double row of stone columns. At either end, gold-leaf murals recreate scenes from the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The tables are of black terrazzo, the chairs silver-painted rattan with batik cushions. Indonesian and Western cuisine is served in an open-air setting with panoramic views over the rice fields to Borobudur and its surrounding volcanoes. The specialty of the house is makan malan, a series of classic Javanese selections served in brass dishes.
The Dining Room looks out onto the crescent-shaped Terrace, with its banquette seating, black terrazzo-topped brass tables, teakwood chairs and Yogya batik cushions. The view from the Terrace is particularly arresting at dawn and twilight, or after a cleansing rain, when the views open up over the Kedu Plain. Borobudur is directly ahead. Drinks, snacks and light lunches are also available at the colonnaded Pool Club that stretches into the rice fields. From the deck or from the 40-metre, green-stone pool itself, guests can enjoy views to Mt. Merapi.
Library: The library is large and bright, with a black terrazzo table and daybeds for two at either end. A selection of books on Indonesia is available in several languages, including Japanese and German. A variety of CDs, tapes and games can be borrowed.
Art Gallery and Studio: Regular exhibitions are held in the art gallery. Amanjiwo’s informal artist-in-residence is available for private sketching sessions in his studio nearby or for guided field trips into the surrounding countryside. For those inspired by the views from Amanjiwo, a box of watercolours is provided in each suite.
Swimming Pool: A 40m infinity swimming pool, lined with green tiles and overlooked by banyan trees, is set into the rice paddies below the resort. It is surrounded by loungers and umbrellas and lies adjacent to a raised, colonnaded semicircular deck with tables and chairs for poolside snacks and drinks available from 8am to 8pm.
Tennis Centre: Amanjiwo has two tennis courts located just above the resort nestled into the Menoreh Hills. There is also a thatched-roof kubuk for shaded breaks and refreshments.
Massage: A range of Javanese and traditional beauty treatments are available at Amanjiwo, some of which incorporate the ancient holistic jamu method of healing. These can be enjoyed in the privacy of guest suites or in the specially-designed spa suite which has twin massage tables and an outdoor kubuk for relaxing afterwards with spicy ginger tea. The two-hour Mandi Lulur is a highlight, the traditional Javanese preparation of a princess on the eve of her wedding. Facials, massages and cream baths as well as a masculine version of Mandi Lulur are also available.
Boutique: A wide variety of Javanese clothing and textiles, both antique and new, is available at the Boutique, which also features gamelan instruments, shadow puppets, old ceremonial baskets, jewellery and other Javanese craft and antiques.
Gallery: Exquisite hand-woven, hand-dyed and painted silk scarves, shawls and other pieces are featured here.
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* Prices are approximate guideline rates only, and vary by date, room type and length of stay. Please consult the provider for availability and pricing.
