Category: Stay in Europe

Google Amanzoe. Go ahead, I’ll wait.

With 156,000 search results, Amanzoe is hardly a well-kept secret. What can I say or write that hasn’t already been said or written about this palatial property? How can I uncover beauty not instantly available by scrolling postage stamp-sized squares on the phone? Or, found in a quick Google search?

Let me give it a try. But perhaps first, a few things you will find in a quick Google search of Amanzoe, because essentials are still important, naturally.

Amanzoe, Greece: The Facts

Where is Amanzoe?

Amanzoe sits on the Peloponnese Peninsula, which is on the southern coast of the Greek mainland. It’s about a 2.5-hour drive from Athens and overlooks the Argolic Gulf and the Saronic Islands.

How do you get to Amanzoe?

There are three ways to get from Athens to Amanzoe: helicopter, Aman private car, and rental car. As you might imagine, this list is not only ordered from most to least expensive but from shortest to longest travel time.

How many rooms does Amanzoe have?

Amanzoe has 38 unique accommodations. A combination of one-bedroom pavilions, beach cabanas, and villas. The villas range in size from one bedroom to nine.

Nine-bedroom Villa 20 is the stuff of Aman legend. It has six swimming pools, multiple dining areas, four kitchens, and a Greek Taverna barbecue. Villa 20 also has a private spa, a private gym, sculpture gardens, and 360-degree panoramic sea views. Did I mention it is spread over a whopping six levels on four acres?

Oh, and a staff of 18.

Villa 20—an Aman within an Aman. How meta.

 

Amanzoe Facts aside

Six days isn’t enough time to become an expert on Amanzoe, or on anything, for that matter. Nonetheless, six days was enough time to learn a few noteworthy aspects of the property. As well as the people who keep it running seamlessly. Not to mention the Argolis peninsula, which is ever so gracefully situated between the Saronic and Argolic Gulfs.

Amanzoe, First impressions count

We arrived at Amanzoe at 4pm, after three flights, two layovers, and a scenic 30-minute helicopter ride. Any signs of fatigue evaporated the moment we walked through the monumental entrance. Greek in design, glossy, and white. The scent of jasmine filled the air. I turned my head left and noticed the tell-tale, star-shaped flowers, en masse.

Looking ahead, a wide, elongated reflecting pool drew my eye toward the centerpiece of Amanzoe. An enormous circular marble platform hovered above the Aegean Sea. When I use the term jaw-dropping, it is not metaphorically.

Olive trees with their chalky green leaves, and age-revealing gnarled trunks, dot the Amanzoe property. Some, are crooked and wrinkled (the elders), others skinny and lanky, (the teenagers), and all the life stages in between.

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Amanzoe, Sunset commentary

In May, the sun starts to set well after 8pm. That gave us plenty of time to settle into our villa and return to the platform for cocktails. Later, we would witness the nightly ritual of ‘sunset commentary’.

We overheard guests compare the sky to the one of the previous night—were the streaks more tangerine or pumpkin-colored? Those purples, would you say plum or eggplant?

I wondered if the staff ever tired of the setting sun, or the running commentary. I imagine they don’t since each night was similar in terms of sheer beauty but quite different in the details.

The shifting rays made the marble glow and forced deep shadows from the olive trees. Mother Nature must live here, I thought.

To add an unnecessary, yet ethereal touch of theater to the scene, a fire table was ignited each evening. A gesture of solidarity with the sun’s disappearance.

Amanzoe, Greece: Questions, Answered

Paul Linder is the master of ceremonies (aka General Manager) at Amanzoe, Greece. He floats breezily among the guests, speaking en français to the French, and en español to the Spanish. All the while looking like he stepped out of Italian Vogue. And ever-smiling—Paul is in his element.

“What don’t people know about Amanzoe?” I asked, “because it seems as if it’s all been said.” Paul paused. Then he told me that the area where Amanzoe resides, Porto Heli, is considered “the Hamptons of Greece”. That, I didn’t know.

Kings, former kings, celebrities, former celebrities, shipping, and business tycoons come here to not be seen. The entire peninsula has a distinguished air of privacy. Their mega-villas dot the landscape. And their bespoke super-yachts peek out from secluded coves and pop from the sapphire blue waters.

Paul went on to speak of the architectural elements that make up Amanzoe itself: stone, glass, marble, and wood. He spoke of the natural elements, the flora, and fauna, all native to Greece.

Each olive tree at Amanzoe had been artfully placed or replaced—some of which are up to 600 years old. Ed Tuttle, the creative genius behind Amanzoe, as well as over 30 other Aman properties, sadly died last year. But his work lives on, and what an awe-inspiring body of work it is.

If you build it

The palette of the Peloponnese Peninsula, and Amanzoe, is subtle shades of yellow, green, and purple. Wispy grasses, Mediterranean herbs, and slender emerald-colored cypress trees thrive. Bursts of  fuchsia breakthrough in the form of a single flower. Or, a cluster of berries and a wave of bougainvillea. Lavender abounds.

Perhaps, the most interesting thing Paul remarked upon, was how the setting of Amanzoe was purposely built and designed. The grandiose main pavilion was created to represent the Acropolis. The villas below symbolize the city of Athens. How clever.

An intentional nod to ancient times. Amanzoe even replicated the famous theatre from nearby Epidaurus (in miniature, thankfully) on the property. Guests can reserve the amphitheater in advance, and dine privately among a hundred ambient lanterns. Mr. Tuttle, I stand in awe.

This intriguing mini-city design is certainly one way that Amanzoe stands out among its peers. Which prevents it from ever feeling crowded, even at capacity. If I had Villa 20, I would never leave it. In fact, I doubt I could even find my way out.

Amanzoe’s Villa 31

Villa 31 has the distinction of being the only one-bedroom villa at Amanzoe. There are many freestanding one-bedroom pavilions. However, Villa 31 is one-of-a-kind, perched on the far western tip of the property. It quietly overlooks the untamed landscape and the Aegean Sea.

Towards late afternoon, the mountains across the gulf start to lose detail and their sharp edges. The layers of blue melt into one another, creating a panoramic watercolor.

Mediterranean gardens surround the villa and the 25-meter infinity-edged pool. Bees feast on lavender. Amanzoe’s Villa 31 is made of stone and possesses a rustic, farmhouse feeling, unlike the other villas.

The interior is as serene and inviting as the exterior. Nearly every window and door open to the pool and sea.

A shaded terrace with cushy seating and a small reflecting pool form a separate structure from the villa. This is where our inventive chef, Stelios, created our in-villa meals.

Irina, our lovely dedicated host, helped organize everything from bicycles and golf carts to picnics, and afternoon cocktails. The staff is so warm, knowledgeable, and friendly. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t come home with a few new people to follow on Instagram.

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Plain Sky, at Amanzoe

The most unusual aspect of Villa 31 is its immersive art installation created by the acclaimed artist, James Turrell. The only one of Turrell’s permanent works found in the Mediterranean.

“Sky Plain” is a subterranean room accessed by a hidden staircase on the side of the villa. The perimeter of the 20 x 20-foot space is lined with built-in cushioned benches. The walls and floor are comprised of streaky, glossy black marble.

A square opening, in what looks like a paper-thin ceiling, appears cut with a razor. It established a one-dimensional color-blocking effect as we looked toward the sky. This flattened effect, we were soon to discover, was an essential component of the display.

In the span of about twenty minutes, colored lights in the room slowly changed, and so seemingly did the sky. It was an illusion. The sky was not gray, green, or dark blue.

In fact, it was sunset. (Or sunrise, which is the two times of day the exhibit is displayed.) The sky was pure cerulean blue. Believe me, we checked.

Only guests of Villa 31 have access to Mr. Turrell’s perception-defying installation, which made us feel like total Amanzoe VIPs.

Daytrippin’ from Amanzoe

One of the many things Aman does extraordinarily well is excursions. Amanzoe has more ways to explore the Peloponnese than we had time. We chose carefully, knowing how hard it would be to leave the villa.

At 9am, we boarded the Amanzoe One, a Wally powerboat, with a bottle of wine and a picnic lunch.

We sped past the islands of Spetses and Dokos on our way to Hydra. Hydra, we were told, is an island where time has stood still for over 200 years.

Hydra, Idra, Ydra

There are no motorized vehicles on Hydra (aside from the local ambulance). Horses, donkeys, and mules roam the streets as they had done in centuries past. They carry packaged goods, produce, and sometimes people, from the port into the town. Water taxis bob in the marina to take residents and tourists to the mainland.

Hydra isn’t only a picturesque town, with a central clock tower, and lemon and orange trees growing in abundance. It’s also an appealingly quiet one. The clip-clop of hooves was a welcome change from engines.

The slick stone steps led us high above the port, from where we could see daily life unfolding below. I got lost in a daydream of living on Hydra, with its simplicity, calm, and natural beauty.

Where wellness began

It can appear that ‘wellness’ is a new phenomenon, as it’s so trendy and newsworthy these days. The ancient town of Epidaurus, however, was at one time considered the healing and wellness center of the universe.

Sick people traveled by boat, and then walked for miles, to cure their ailments here as early as the 6th century B.C. As the fame of the region grew, so did its prosperity, which enabled an enormous stone amphitheater to be built.

When completed, it seated 14,000 people. To this day, while in partial ruins, even a lowered voice still carries to the uppermost rows. In fact, a yearly music festival returns to the stage each June. Mark your calendars.

Epidaurus also includes the ruins of a sanctuary, a hospital, temples, and a posh hotel. In 1988, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since Greece had just re-opened its doors to tourism, we were nearly alone at this ancient spiritual site.

Lunch Detour

We took an alternate route back to Amanzoe via the enchanting seaport town of Nafplio. Nafplio is a popular weekend destination for Athenians, the authenticity of the old town was palpable. There we shared a traditional Greek lobster and pasta lunch. To say we overindulged is an understatement.

Tourism is the primary source of revenue in Nafplio. Yet, it didn’t feel overly touristy. I noticed how everyone seemed to know one another along the waterfront promenade of local restaurants. After a few hours of wandering, we headed back to the resort. We were eager to sit poolside and dream about our next meal.

Amanzoe’s 24-hour menu

Excellent food and wine are to be expected at Amanzoe. That again is nothing Google can’t tell you. No guest will go hungry between the two open-air Greek/Mediterranean restaurants, and Nama, the Japanese-inspired restaurant off the main pool.

Thankfully, we discovered the 24-hour menu on our first day. No, not the room service menu, but a list of special dishes that need extra preparation time. The choices were abundant, and I wished I had another week to try them all.

We opted for Lamb ‘Kleftiko’ the following evening. It was presented in a traditional rustic dutch oven overflowing with aromatic scents. Like, rosemary, cinnamon, honey, and lemon. The 12-hour slow-baked lamb fell off the bone and soaked up the juices below. Potatoes and cubes of melting ‘Kefalotyri’ cheese completed the dish. It was divine.

Our personable waiter, Adam, revealed the origin of ‘Kleftiko’, which means ‘stolen’. During the Greek revolution, the guerrillas, called Klephts, survived by stealing lamb or goats from the hillside. Who needs Google when you have Adam?

Amanzoe’s Sustainability Sidebar

The Aman brand has a strong commitment to sustainability, environmental protection, and local culture. As an example, the food at the resort was both seasonal, as well as ethically-sourced.

Wine, From the Fire

The ‘Greek Hellfires’ ravaged 670,000 acres of land in 2007. Thousands of fires scorched the hillsides, and many vineyards didn’t survive, including the Brintziki Vineyard outside of Olympia. However, almost miraculously, their grapes did. From those unscathed grapes, left to struggle in extreme conditions, came wine. They named it ‘Dia Pyros’—‘from the fire’.

There are only 2300 bottles of this celebrated wine, each bottle numbered and signed by the vintner and the oenologist. Our waiter offered us a glimpse of this rare vintage, paired with the story of its endurance.

Peaceful Life found, at Amanzoe

What’s left to know? What parting words can complete our extraordinary experience? Perhaps this—in Sanskrit, ‘Amanzoe’ means ‘peaceful life”, a fitting name if there ever was one. But, maybe you already knew that.

Go ahead, Google it. I’ll wait.

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