Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants begins renovations today at Amara Resort & Spa in Sedona, Ariz., one of the leading resorts in the area, that includes a design refresh of the resort’s 100 guest rooms, common areas and restaurant.
The refresh is rolling out in stages, as to not affect the guest experience, with completion expected at the end of June. As Kimpton’s newest addition to its Arizona properties, Amara is a boutique resort located in the heart of uptown Sedona. Nestled along Oak Creek, the resort overlooks the Cleopatra Red Rock Formation where Camel Rock and the much-loved Snoopy Rock are in perfect view.
“‘Modern native’ is the idea our design team was inspired by and we held ourselves to that creative development in all aspects of the refresh,” said Patrick Gaskin, general manager at Amara. “It was important for us to infuse elements of the craftsmanship and traditions of the Hopi and Navajo tribes that are indigenous to Northern Arizona, such as basket-making, rope-weaving, rain sticks and turquoise. Our designers were inspired by native patterns and indigenous skills, but we’ve reinvented it in a contemporary way instead of trying to be too literal.”
Pulling from the color palette of the surrounding lush foliage and the brilliant desert flowers that dot the property, green, aubergine, bright marigold and injections of hot fuchsia can be found throughout the new interiors, which perfectly complement the red rock views that envelop the resort.
Design elements found throughout the rooms are live-edge wooden headboards that were individually crafted from fallen trees and vary from room-to-room, crystal drawer accents and geode artwork that pull inspiration from Sedona’s spiritual center, turquoise table lamps, oversized sitting chairs with woven rope accents, colorful rain sticks positioned above the bed to promote sweet dreams and artwork featuring a jackalope, the mythological creature, adding a bit of whimsy.
The resort’s common spaces that are undergoing design renovations include the living room where guests enjoy complimentary wine hour nightly, the outdoor lounge and lawn areas and the 26,000-gallon infinity edge saltwater pool that overlooks the serene Oak Creek and red rocks.
“With spectacular weather year-round, our outdoor spaces are very social environments and we wanted to create a place that invites our guests to relax in cheery Adirondack chairs on the lawn, cozy up with plush blankets on starry nights over a glass of wine with new friends by the fire pits or catch some Arizona rays by the pool while enjoying the view,” said Gaskin.
The resort’s signature restaurant, Hundred Rox, is being completely redesigned and reimagined by Kimpton, known for their award-winning collection of seasonally-inspired restaurants and bars lead by creative, local chefs that turn farm-fresh flavors into memorable dishes. Set to be unveiled later this summer, the restaurant will embody a new concept along with a new menu and name. Hundred Rox will remain open to resort guests and the public throughout the renovation process.
Guests of Amara can enjoy complimentary morning coffee and tea service in the living room, hosted evening wine hour from 5pm – 6pm daily, a 24-hour fitness center, complimentary daily yoga, a heated, sea salt infinity pool and hot tub overlooking the red rocks and Oak Creek, free Wi-Fi for Kimpton loyalty members, custom PUBLIC Bikes for complimentary use, pet-friendly amenities and accommodations and 5,000 square feet of multi-use space accommodating up to 160 people, which can be customized for social and business events.
While Amara is just steps from the hustle and bustle of Sedona’s uptown shopping, dining and cultural hub, the resort is situated below the main area, nestled on the banks of the creek, which makes it feel worlds away.
To learn more about Kimpton’s Amara Resort & Spa, visit www.amararesort.com or call 928-282-4828.
