Here’s the clean setup for hosting one static HTML page on AWS, like an ID page / entity page.

Option A — fastest: public S3 static website

Use this when you just need a public HTML page live quickly.

1. Create the bucket

Go to AWS Console → S3 → Create bucket.

Use a simple bucket name, for example:

colony-insulation-id-page

If this will use a custom domain later, the bucket name often needs to match the domain/subdomain, like:

id.getcolonyinsulation.com

Leave most defaults alone for now.

2. Upload your HTML file

Inside the bucket, upload:

index.html

Make sure it is exactly lowercase:

index.html

Not Index.html, index.htm, or index.html.html.

3. Enable static website hosting

Go to:

S3 bucket → Properties → Static website hosting

Choose:

Enable
Host a static website
Index document: index.html

Save it.

AWS’s static site setup specifically requires enabling static website hosting and configuring the index document before testing the website endpoint. (AWS Documentation)

4. Make the bucket public

Go to:

S3 bucket → Permissions → Block public access

Click Edit.

Uncheck:

Block all public access

Save.

AWS notes that public S3 websites require disabling relevant Block Public Access settings and adding a bucket policy granting public read access. (AWS Documentation)

5. Add a bucket policy

Still under:

Permissions → Bucket policy

Paste this, replacing the bucket name:

{
  "Version": "2012-10-17",
  "Statement": [
    {
      "Sid": "PublicReadForStaticWebsite",
      "Effect": "Allow",
      "Principal": "*",
      "Action": "s3:GetObject",
      "Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::colony-insulation-id-page/*"
    }
  ]
}

Replace:

colony-insulation-id-page

with your real bucket name.

Save it.

6. Use the website endpoint, not the raw S3 URL

Go back to:

Properties → Static website hosting

Copy the Bucket website endpoint.

It will look like:

http://colony-insulation-id-page.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com

That is the URL you use.

Do not use the regular S3 object URL like:

https://colony-insulation-id-page.s3.amazonaws.com/index.html

That is the common cause of the XML AccessDenied page.

Option B — better/professional: S3 + CloudFront

Use this if you want HTTPS, cleaner delivery, and a better long-term setup.

Basic flow

1. Create the S3 bucket.
2. Upload index.html.
3. Keep the bucket private.
4. Create a CloudFront distribution.
5. Set the S3 bucket as the origin.
6. Use Origin Access Control so CloudFront can read the private bucket.
7. Set:

Default root object: index.html

CloudFront uses the default root object when someone visits the distribution root instead of requesting a file directly. (AWS Documentation)

CloudFront URL will look like:

https://d123abc456.cloudfront.net

If you use CloudFront, you do not necessarily need S3 static website hosting enabled. CloudFront can serve the object directly from S3, but you must set the default root object and bucket access correctly.

For your current AccessDenied error

Most likely, one of these is wrong:

You are using the raw S3 URL instead of the website endpoint.
index.html is not public.
Static website hosting is not enabled.
The bucket policy does not grant s3:GetObject.
CloudFront has no default root object.
CloudFront does not have permission to read the bucket.

My recommended setup for your use case

For these simple generated entity/ID pages, I’d do:

S3 public static website first

Then later, if you want HTTPS/custom domain polish:

CloudFront + custom domain + SSL certificate

For right now, get the page working at the S3 website endpoint first. Then layer CloudFront/custom domain only after the base page loads.