Amanjiwo Resort

Resting in the rural heartland of Central Java, Amanjiwo is surrounded by a plethora of extraordinary cultural, physical and spiritual beauty, embracing its good fortune with serene Yogya (local limestone) arms. The main structure, a circular limestone monolith, is centred by a soaring bell-shaped rotunda; the cool atmospheric entrance leads to the rotunda Bar and stately colonnaded Dining Room and Terrace, fronted with views to savour a life-time, that of the Kedu Plain and Borobudur; it is a rich visual feast staying at Amanjiwo, though being here impacts on all the senses. Upon arrival, a heartfelt welcome is offered from local village girls, dressed in traditional sarongs, as they shower you with fresh scented rose petals; an uplifting warm and reverent spirit that lives with you throughout your stay and often beyond. Outside, the ‘Romanesque’ amphitheatre-style pool, built by blocks of tactile Yogya limestone, reflects the cornucopia of foliage in its enchanting and inviting water, with views of the nearby jade green paddy fields and the empowering volcanic tips of Merapi and Merbabu. Amanjiwo is a discerning portal, proffering numerous paths for cultural pursuit: from a personalised tour by car to the solid back of a Sumatran elephant.

* The Dining Room: The Dining Room, with its silver-leaf ceiling swirling with muted colours, is defined by a double row of stone columns and looks out onto the crescent-shaped Terrace. 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 Yogya 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 Malam, a series of classic Javanese selections served in brass dishes. 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. * The Pool Club : Breakfast, light lunches, drinks and snacks are also available at the colonnaded Pool Club that stretches into the rice fields. From the deck or from the 40m, green-stone pool itself, guests can enjoy views to Mount Merapi. * The Rotunda Bar : From Amanjiwo’s entrance, five steps climb to the Rotunda Bar, a circular salon with columns and drop fans, a coconut-wood bar and acid-etched bronze-drum tables. * Massage : A deeply therapeutic massage, Pijat stimulates the nerve channels and blood vessels to improve circulation and to liberate the energy flow. This massage can even verge on the painful, but the result is always blissful, both relaxing and healing. This treatment, passed down through generations, is done by the local healers. * 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 bale for shaded breaks and refreshments. * Internet : Wireless broadband connections are available in all resort accommodations and public areas.

* Amanjiwo’s remarkable rendezvous with its natural environment is evident throughout the resort, the heart of which lies within its open circular monolith, crafted from paras yogya (local volcanic limestone from Yogykarta), as it liberally breathes in the Javanese country air. * Thirty-four suites are designed in two deep crescent formations rimmed with high limestone walls, crawling with spider lilies and lilac and cream convolvulus, that curve into stone walkways connecting the suites with the Pool Club and main building. * The suites are domed with volcanic ash tinted roofs, serenading their ancient neighbours and in particular Borobudur itself. A four-pillared bed is raised on a terrazzo platform which moulds into the smooth expanse of caramel mapped terrazzo floor and local materials and artefacts; coconut wood, hand carved furniture, exotic Javanese textiles and antique glass paintings, are meticulously placed to soothing effect. Sliding glass doors open out onto garden terraces featuring the intensely special views and a thatched-roof bale or pavilion provides the perfect opportunity for dining or just relaxing, while 15 of the suites have private swimming pools.