Amanjiwo

A tranquil atmosphere, exquisite design, spectacular architecture, plus world-class luxury and excellent food — all this bear the hallmark of Aman Resorts. But there is something else that puts Amanjiwo ahead of the pack: the proximity to the ancient Borobudur.

It is in Indonesia, a predominantly Muslim land, that you’ll find Borobudur, the long-lost Buddhist sanctuary whose stone pathways tell an illustrated story of Buddha’s life.

It is one of the most famous sights in the country, and Amanjiwo is designed to have the ancient monument as the focal point, visible from many windows and most terraces.

Timeless design

Constructed entirely from blush-beige local Jogja limestones, Amanjiwo echoes Brobodur in architecture and style. At the heart of the property is a domed pavilion, clearly inspired by the historical stupas. Positioned on top of the hill and featuring majestic porticos, the rotunda tops the main restaurant and opens it to the fantastic views — and to the rest of the resort which cascades down in terraces and lush gardens.

The guest suites are laid out in a crescent configuration and are joined by stone walkways. Many suites come with private pools, but all have thatched-roof outdoor bales with a daybed, four-poster beds on raised platforms, and elegant furniture. Bathrooms feature stone tubs, sunk in a paved mini-courtyard.

There are two quasi-wings of the property, both ending in a swimming pool, though one is private, belonging to a two-bedroom villa. On the other side, the main pool offers much in the way of leisure — and you’d often find us there. That is if we could be asked to leave our suite. But leave we did, as there was a lot to explore in Amanjiwo and around.

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The Borobudur experience

Thanks to the proximity to Borobudur, Amanjiwo guests have unparalleled access to the monument, and can easily visit it at dawn, when the site is said to be at its most spectacular.

However, we decided to go for the sunset, as sunrises are busier (and the bed was too comfy for us to be early risers). We got special tickets allowing to linger on the site long into the night. As they are more expensive, most visitors leave and the temple empties just as the sun dips below the horizon.

That evening we ended up completely alone, savoring solitude among the ancient stupas… and then the muezzins began to call, from the mosques all around. They sang long into the night, filling the air with the most amazing sounds. It was a magical moment.

This in many ways embodied for us the experience of Amanjiwo. On offer here is something more otherworldly than just the trademark Aman cocktail of luxury and sophisticated atmosphere. To us, it felt like the perfect companion to Borobudur.

*This review contains affiliate links. 

in our opinion

Amanjiwo embraces the romance of the Borobudur temple, channeling the air of sanctity through design, a tranquil atmosphere, and excellent service.

*This post contains affiliate links and we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. 

What we love

• Wonderful location with excellent access to the ancient Borobudur. Amanjiwo overlooks the temple and has great views of the picturesque hills of central Java and four volcanoes on the horizon
• This is one of the first-ever properties by Aman but it does not feel aged. This is due to exceptional maintenance, but also to its timeless design by the architect Ed Tuttle, who has a great track record with other Aman Resorts, such as Amankila in Bali, Amanbagh in India, or Amanzoe in Greece (all of which we stayed at and admired for their architecture or design. Click on the links for our reviews!)
• The guest suites are well laid out, with four pillars flanking the centrally-situated bed with a domed roof above. The clean design features terrazzo floors, high ceilings, wooden screens, and it feels very “Aman”. So does the outdoor courtyard with a stone-carved, sunken "bathtub"
• All suites have a very spacious terrace with loungers and a bale (or a gazebo) just in front of the bedroom. It was our favorite place to rest, or to have a meal. We stayed in the Borobudur Suite, which overlooked terraced farmland, and we could see the temple from our bale too
• The absolute best in guest accommodation is the two-bedroom Dalem Jiwo Suite. It comes with its 15-meter pool, a domed rotunda, and two Balinese bales with daybeds. A private driveway means the guests can be picked up and dropped off right in front of the villa. 24-hour butler service can make the stay truly exceptional
• Every member of staff here is professionally courteous—and there is a very high level of service throughout, living up to the Aman standards
• The food at the resort is delicious, though perhaps less refined in the poolside restaurant. We very much enjoyed the afternoon tea, served under the main lobby dome — it's a whole performance that involves special tea kettles and a ceremony of mixing spices
• Sunset at the Borobudur temple in Indonesia was an unforgettable experience. After all other tourists were gone we stayed until the night, listening to the beautiful muezzin calls that filled the air as the sun dipped below the horizon. See our photos from the experience on Instagram here and here.

What you should know

• Some notes on the suites: only fifteen of them come with private swimming pools, and not all enjoy the view of (distant) Borobudur. There are no TVs in the guest suites (fine by us!)
• Tennis court is available and so is a small gym. Spa treatments are provided but there is no real spa at Amanjiwo. The boutique shop is excellent, and the library well-stocked
• One of the volcanoes close to Amanjiwo does wake up from time to time. One eruption, only a decade or so ago, covered the area with a thick layer of ash
• The hotel is located only 10 minutes by car from the Borobudur temple, but getting here from the airport can take two hours, depending on traffic
• If you choose to visit Borobudur at sunset or sunrise, get tickets with a special pass that allows you to come to the site early or leave late
• Getting there: The flight-comparison sites such as Skyscanner (www.skyscanner.com) or Kayak (www.kayak.com) will help you find the best flights and deals.