What It’s Like to Stay at Amanyara During Turks & Caicos’ Quieter Summer Months
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Welcome to Checking In, a review series in which our editors and contributors rate the best luxury hotels based on a rigorous—and occasionally tongue-in-cheek—10-point system: Each question answered “yes” gets one point. Will room service bring you caviar? Does your suite have its own butler? Does the bathroom have a bidet? Find out below.
Amanyara
Describe the hotel in three words: Serene, seductive, restorative
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What’s the deal?
Amanyara has been a jewel in the Caribbean for nearly two decades, each winter enticing snow-weary northerners to descend in droves on its silken sands and preternaturally blue waters. But the summer’s low season promises its own set of marvels. Less rainy than other Caribbean destinations this time of year, the island of Providenciales tends to remain sunny with temperatures in the balmy 80s, yet as resorts empty out when warmer climes divert travelers to Europe and beyond, you’ll often feel like you have the islands to yourself. Privacy is already paramount at Amanyara, where villas and facilities scattered across a lush 100-acre expanse are hidden away from view, but during the summer the setting is even more idyllic. There’s also a host of guest practitioners keeping things interesting in the coming months: NFL legends Vonn Bell and Cameron Sutton host a football clinic this weekend; sisters Lindsay and Laura Mensen, founders of Turks & Caicos’ own holistic lifestyle company KYN, will be stopping by July 15 and 16, while Spanish Biodanza instructor Ainara Varela Pino arrives August 19 and 20. Celebrated Thai chef Jet Tila will also be on hand to celebrate Fourth of July Weekend with a three-day residency, serving up Thai fare and hosting beachside cooking lessons across the resort.
The best room:
The Amanyara Pavilion is the only room that has both a sea view and a pool — what’s not to love? Spread across 850 square feet designed in Aman’s signature Eastern-leaning aesthetic, the roomy king bed and freestanding tub are both prime places to hole up after a languid day in the sun. But it’s hard to move your gaze from the soaring floor-to-ceiling windows, which look on to a private garden and the T-shaped pool with a private seaside sala just beyond.
The Rundown
Did they greet you by name at check-in?
Yes, though there is no traditional check-in here — after being welcomed at the arrival pavilion by a trio of staff members, I was swept away to my room where the actual check-in formalities were breezed through in comfort.
Was a welcome drink ready and waiting when you arrived? (Bonus points if it wasn’t just fruit juice)
The Amanyara Wellness cooler was just the thing I needed on a sultry summer afternoon, a refreshing blend of grapefruit, mint, and club soda and garnished with dried lime. If you need something stronger, rooms have a fully stocked mini bar with everything included.
Is there a private butler for every room?
Not all, but some do. All of the villas come with a butler and private chef, and the Amanyara Pavilion and two deluxe pool pavilions have their own butler as well.
Is the sheet thread count higher than 300?
The resort uses 300-thread-count Frette linens in all the rooms, and when you factor in the pillowtop mattresses and a pillow menu with seven options and a gossamer-light mosquito net making a cosseting bubble around you, you have all you need for a sublime night’s sleep.
Is there a heated floor in the bathroom? What about a bidet?
No need for a heated floor here (unless you’re planning on running wild with the AC, perhaps), but the Kohler toilets come with one of the more comprehensive control panels I’ve encountered — 15 buttons encompassing everything from water pressure to temperature to position and beyond.
Are the toiletries full-sized?
Aman is known for its Aman Essentials skincare line, and in the pavilions it appears in the form of decadent bath products scented in jasmine and grapefruit in full-size refillable bottles.
Is there a private pool for the room’s exclusive use? How are the spa and gym?
Nine of the pavilions come with their own pools, including the singular Amanyara Pavilion. And these are not mere plunge pools or glorified bathtubs – they’re generously sized and utterly secluded, and could even preclude the need to make your way to the main pool for a dip. The gym is vast and fully equipped, but you aren’t restricted to it: There are separate facilities for tennis, soccer, pickleball, and pilates. And of course, the spa is Aman’s main event, a complex of four treatment rooms set around a tranquil pond, where you can book in for indulgent massages, facials, and much more—but for a true reset you’ll want to book in for a multiday wellness immersion to help you manage stress through a tailored regimen of spa treatments, mediation, and exercise.
Do you want to spend Friday night in the lobby bar?
How about every night? The poolside bar area is a dream, with a soaring circular pavilion with cozy cushioned nooks as well as plenty of seating spilling out onto the terraces. There’s no better place to watch the sun set.
Is there caviar on the room service menu? If so, what kind?
Not technically, but you can have anything from the restaurant and bar menus (and even virtually anything you’re craving that’s not listed) delivered to the privacy of your villa — so that could include the Oscietra V20 and Sevruga from the Aman & Volzhenka caviar experience typically served at the pool.
Would you buy the hotel if you could?
Yes. A sexy beach hideaway that’s faster to get to from New York than the Hamptons in the summer—where do I sign?
Rates: Pavilions start at $1,750 per night in the summer. aman.com
Score: 8
What Our Score Means:
1-3: Fire your travel agent if they suggest you stay here.
4-6: Solid if you’re in a pinch—but only if you’re in a pinch.
7-8: Very good. We’d stay here again and recommend it without qualms.
9-10: Forget booking a week. When can we move in permanently?
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