This Tranquil Luxury Resort Completely Blends Into The Utah Desert

This winding road is actually the resort's driveway.

And here's the Amangiri. All of the buildings are low like this one.

There are no ostentatious decorations, and the only 'hallways' are outside.

The pool is heated to more than 80 degrees at all times.

That big rock in the middle is about 150 million years old.

And the edge of the pool features a small waterfall. Parked there, of course, is a new Range Rover.

There are a bunch of water features around the Amangiri, like this small pool.

There's plenty of seating too; this is in a staircase.

In the middle of the resort, poems are carved into this stone.

There's a large central space that acts as the lobby, lounge, and dining room.

Here, Amangiri's general manager introduced us to his 'mother-in-law.'

This computer can be used by anyone, and the resort has WiFi, of course. It is secluded enough that there's no need for a password.

Plenty of DVDs, books, and board games are provided, too.

The kitchen produces some amazing food. I had lamb, shrimp tacos, and pizza during my stay. The chefs also cook using dutch ovens in a fireplace.

This lounge area was deserted when I found it, maybe because the heat lamps were not turned on.

Here's the 'hallway' leading to our room.

Unlike most hotels, the Amangiri uses actual keys for its doors.

Here's the room.

Everything in the mini-bar is complementary, but there's no booze. That's because of Utah's strict alcohol laws. Beer and liquor were available for meals, though.

Strangely, this soda was mostly empty when I took it from the fridge. It was the worst thing about my stay.

Most of the decorations are practical: There's an umbrella hanging on the wall.

And that little pouch has a flashlight, which came in handy for getting around at night.

On the opposite wall, there is some hiking gear.

Of course, there's a big television, and a sound system that supports an iPod.

The remote is kept in this little box.

And the television swings out, if you want to watch while in bed.

In front of the bed is a sofa, and the coffee table had some apples and silverware on it.

Naturally, the bathroom had his and her sinks.

There's a deep tub with a view of the desert outside. I didn't find the blinds until my second day at Amangiri.

Oddly, there was no door on the bathroom. Even with the floor sloping toward the drain, I managed to create a small flood in the room.

The room was equipped with books about the area, and plenty of seating.

I'm not sure why anyone would sit in this chair.

Especially with this patio-like area a few feet away. I settled down on the sofa, enjoying the amazing view.

And it comes with a fireplace, so I didn't get too cold sitting there at night.

It was easy enough to use: First, open the slot with a small hook. The thing is filled with ethanol, and there's a lighter to get the fire going.

Just outside the hotel's property, we went on an early morning hike on Studhorse Trail.

The highlight was sliding through a slot canyon, carved by the erosion of the local sandstone.

It's easy to forget there are other guests when you're sitting in your room. That's the big draw of Amangiri: the chance to relax in peace.

Now see how we got to the desert >

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