Web Search
|
|---|
Amanpulo Island Resort and Hotel
Superlatives are scattered throughout all these hotel reviews, but the truth is that Amanpulo tops the lot – the whitest beaches, the clearest waters and an almost legendary reputation. “Aman” is the Sankrit word meaning peace, while “pulo” is a Filipino word for island. And this is certainly a haven on earth, if not a heaven on earth.
The list of Amanpulo’s celebrity guests is impressive but the hotel stays suitably discreet about exactly who has spent time here, protecting the privacy of those more usually in the limelight. The glossy magazines have no such qualms and have named Naomi Campbell, Mariah Carey, Claudia Schiffer, Tom Cruise, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert de Niro, and Diana Ross as past guests. Luxury is a draw to be sure, but another big plus is that it’s practically paparazzi-proof.
Amanpulo Island Resort is set on one of the tiny island group incorporated into the Cuyo Islands, set between northern Palawan and Panay, almost directly south of Manila. Filipino architect Bobby Manoso, a specialist in design in bamboo, designed the hotel and it opened in December 1993. Forty individual “casitas” of 65 square meters sit in 84 tropical hectares. Each “casita” comes with its own golf cart for guests to get around, or you can jump on a bike to explore the island.
The Beach Club and Club House décor have a colonial feel. Here you can borrow a book or a DVD, laze by the expansive pool or enjoy delicious gourmet food at the restaurant.
The “casitas” are spacious and airy with light wood floors and natural rattan, coconut-shell and bamboo furniture, and everything blends to create a relaxing and soothing atmosphere with minimal fuss and clutter. The bathroom occupies over half the area of the “casita” and offers a shower, bath and changing area. Open up the sliding glass doors and you’ll find a wrap-around deck offering ample sun or ample shade, depending on your whim. What you pay for is the knowledge that no one can invade your space; there’s no noise but your own.
Getting to Amanpulo is the start of this fantastic adventure. Check-in formalities are carried out at a private airport lounge before you are flown in a 19-seater plane to the island’s private strip around an hour from Manila.
(L. Bennett, Island Guide: Philippines, 2008)