Photographs by Thomas J. Story
The best pool in the West isn’t tucked into the glamor of L.A. or Palm Springs. No, head to southern Utah’s Amangiri to find the ultimate in poolside bliss. Out here, you’ll forget the ocean even exists. Wrapped around Utah stone, this lagoon takes the Western ethos of local, artisanal to a whole new realm. Will the hot new question to hoteliers be: “Is your pool sourced locally?”
However, we’ll be putting it on our special occasion bucket list, since it starts at $1,050/night. Yeah, it’s steep. But its cult of of well-heeled travelers (known as Amanjunkies) come for perks like flotation therapy at the spa, a star lounge, and, yes, that fantastic pool. Plus it’s set on 600 acres of buttes and mesas and surrounded by some big-deal national parks: Bryce Canyon, Zion, and the Grand Canyon.
Until that special occasion, some armchair travel: