Aman resorts casts its authentic spell across remote America with Amangani and Amangiri, two check-me-in-now properties.
Amangani was the first Aman resort in North America, an all-season Wyoming wilderness with total wow factor. Clinging to a crest in Jackson Hole, immense views of the Grand Tetons and Snake River Valley unfurl from every window. Meaning 'peaceful home', Amangani is a clever cross between rustic ski chalet and luxury five-star hotel, completed by a laidback Wild West vibe.
The wood-panelled interiors are filled with faux-fur covered chairs, Native American art, lit by crackling fires and the 40 suites all come with huge beds and uber-deep bathtubs. No room is left wanting but the wrap-around vistas from the four corner suites pip the others to the post. The restaurant is all rawhide and rattan with banquette seating and a grill that produces melt-in-the mouth bison ribs, Kobe beef and beautifully cooked fish. The cosy Zinc Bar is the perfect chill-out zone where you can prop up the bar or relax around one of a handful of tables. But the icing on the very large cake has to be the outdoor heated swimming pool with 360-degree mountain views, a hot tub and under stone heating to ensure never a cold toe.
In winter, Jackson Hole is a wonderland of snow, carpeting the entire valley from mid November until early April. Voted number one ski hotel in North America by Condé Nast Traveler, there is no better place than Amangani for snow bunnies to bed down. Just 20 minutes away by (complimentary) transfer is Teton Village, the base for all alpine adventurers. Shops, restaurants, cafes and bars line the streets of this mountain resort where Amangani has its own ski centre from which you can explore more than 1,000 hectares of terrain. Above and beyond two skis or a snowboard, guests can try anything from cross-country and snowshoeing to dog sledding and moonlit sleigh rides.
When winter melts into spring, a different Jackson Hole comes alive. The mountain trails wind through wild flowers; safaris go in search of grizzly bears, elk, bison and bald eagles; there's fly fishing, canoeing and white water rafting on Snake River and brilliant mountain biking through the forests of Grand Teton National Park.
Another epic all-season escape is Amangiri in southern Utah near where it meets Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. Meaning peaceful mountain, it is hidden away in Canyon Point amid 600 acres of private land and within easy reach of the Grand Canyon, Colorado River, Monument Valley and Zion National Park.
This natural stone resort blends into its surroundings where deep canyons and towering rocks create a raw landscape of stark beauty. The region, home to the native Navajo and Hopi tribes, is sparsely populated and you feel the strong pull of solitude.
The 34 suites are simple but gorgeous with clever concertina glass doors that open out onto private desert courtyards.The restaurant features an open kitchen with a wood-fired oven; the walk-in wine cellar is a must-peek and the spa (all 25,000 square feet) is a vast complex of stone, water and light complete with a number of unique treatment venues including a water pavilion and flotation pavilion.
The central swimming pool wraps around a huge rock and the desert lounge transforms into a sunset cinema. At Amangiri light changes by the minute as colours dance across the land shifting from ochre and bright pink to soft yellow and flaming red.
An in-house team of guides oversees horse riding, hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking, canyoning, hot air ballooning and ferrata excursions (fixed rung climbing routes - not for the vertiginous). Head further afield to the Grand Canyon (two and a half hours away), take a boat trip on Lake Powell for access to some of the area's most amazing scenery or float down the Colorado River between 300 metre high sandstone walls. This is epic America infused with Aman authenticity.