The Perfect Place To Stay In Sedona: The Amara Resort & Spa
Written by Jaillan Yehia
The Amara Resort & Spa, Sedona, Arizona
It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey, right? Well sometimes, wrong.
When the destination is Arizona’s famed scenic and sacred red rock panorama, specifically the high class hippy hiking mecca of artsy Sedona, and that final section of your journey is a spine-tingling first glimpse of looming rocks under the cloak of darkness, then the journey is forgotten and it’s very much about the out-of-this-world place at which you’ve now arrived.
So what better way to wake up on your first day among the monoliths of the USA’s southwest and shake off the stresses of the journey than with a holistic and healing hour of yoga right on site at The Amara Resort & Spa.
I loved Cathleen’s yoga class and wanted to wake up like this every morning
Here Cathleen is one of 3 yogis who lead guests in a morning workout that’s as much about mediation as it is about movement; this may be Arizona but there’s something distinctly Californian about these good vibrations.
Of course if you wake up as I did like an excited child on Christmas morning, ready to open those presents you caught a sneaky glimpse of the night before, you may even be around for the complimentary coffee and tea which kicks off at 5.30 am – perfect to prepare people for an early morning foray into the high desert, though a tad early for my own late-rising tendencies.
My post-yoga breakfast at Saltrock
There isn’t just dry and arid desert to discover in the 1.8 million acres of national park surrounding Sedona – there are a selection of six of America’s best State Parks in the vicinity – including the Grand Canyon.
A stroll around uptown Sedona reveals some interesting film history
And despite this being one of the most well-known filming locations for Westerns from the likes of John Wayne and Henry Fonda, there are also swimming holes, waterfalls, creeks, streams and gullies all waiting to be bathed in when your enthusiasm for dusty exploration on foot, by bike or 4×4 has dried up.
When the clouds cleared and a filter was applied I did manage a couple of scenery shots
Like most good spa hotels Sedona’s best boutique property is also very much a destination in its own right and you could easily spend a decadent weekend doing your swimming right here in the outdoor pool.
Sweet dreams
One of the curses and blessings of such a desert climate is that rain is much needed, but when it comes it’s bound to confine you to your hotel for the day – which for me meant a few hours soaking in the jacuzzi, lazing on the large terraces, then sipping and sampling in the Saltrock restaurant, before finally raiding the movie library and retiring to my room to covet the colourful and contemporary interior design touches.
Cute touches at Amara
In fact Kimpton hotels, of which Amara is a member, pride themselves on stand-out style – they even have a dedicated website to help guests buy the beautiful things they’ve discovered during their stay – this is the kind of hotel that carries in-room yaga mats, Aveda products and animal print fluffy robes as opposed to trouser presses , and the religious reading material tends towards the style bible of Wallpaper Magazine and books on the local vortex legends.
Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village, Sedona
In small town Sedona itself there are a surprising 40+ art galleries, so pretty things aren’t in short supply but I have to admit I personally preferred the contemporary cool stylings of my hotel’s interior design to the artisan boutique galleries of uptown Sedona.
Interior design details at the Amara – who knew spoons could be this artistic?
I was also a big fan of Amara’s open bar hour when guests are given free wine hour each evening and if that doesn’t inspire a journey to the bar, making it your final destination for the day, I don’t know what will.
More Info
I was floored by some of the interior design touches at The Amara
The Amara is set in the heart of uptown Sedona – which is the equivalent of downtown – among the shops and restaurants but set well back from the main street, so rooms have views of the pool and surrounding peaks.
There is plentiful parking on site including valet options, and a good restaurant and bar – and even breakfast is served a la cart from the standard menu.
For more information on The Amara Resort & Spa in Sedona, Arizona you can visit the Amara website www.amararesort.com or browse Kimpton’s selection of 65+ hotels across the world at www.kimptonhotels.com.
If you’ve stayed at a this or another Kimpton property and fancy an item from their collection the hotel’s shopping site is www.kimptonstyle.com.
SavoirThere was a guest of Kimpton Hotels
