Trip report: Amanpuri and Trisara, Phuket, Thalland
Mar 26, 2011, 8:41 am
#31
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: OSL
Posts: 2,145
My husband had to change the one he got as it was too small and I seem to remember that he was asked if he wanted black or White. After hearing about this discussion he is considering to sell the one he got. ;-)
Last edited by Musken; Mar 26, 2011 at 9:54 am
Mar 26, 2011, 9:19 am
#33
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Enroute to ? & likely flying in ' A ':)
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[QUOTE=pinpin;16104406]Thank you for the great report Musken. I made reservations for my parents' anniversary for the beginning of april (4 days garden pool pavillion Amanpuri, 4 days ocean view villa Trisara) and they were so excited but beginning of the week I had to cancel due to my father's health problems. I have sent him your report which I hope will quicken his recovery
and I hope they can do it before the rainy season. I, myself, also looking forward to a trip to Trisara with the kids after reading all the good reports here. By the way has anyone stayed in the new pool pavillions at Amanpuri?
I posted somewhere about our stay in last month.
Hope your father recovers fully & quickly to celebrate at Amanpuri..Trisara.
Really enjoyed it .. the views too but wish the pool was a bit larger.. These pavilions are rather high up so we buggied everywhere .. and either stayed down i.e. pools, beach, beach club , restaurants , library .. or up in the pool pavilion. Of course, there're the spa sessions in between ..gym?
We decided to get black ones ( as we've many white ones ) the last couple of times at Amanpuri. Yes, they're the only ones that only say ' Amanjunkie '
and I hope they can do it before the rainy season. I, myself, also looking forward to a trip to Trisara with the kids after reading all the good reports here. By the way has anyone stayed in the new pool pavillions at Amanpuri?I posted somewhere about our stay in last month.
Hope your father recovers fully & quickly to celebrate at Amanpuri..Trisara.
Really enjoyed it .. the views too but wish the pool was a bit larger.. These pavilions are rather high up so we buggied everywhere .. and either stayed down i.e. pools, beach, beach club , restaurants , library .. or up in the pool pavilion. Of course, there're the spa sessions in between ..gym?
We decided to get black ones ( as we've many white ones ) the last couple of times at Amanpuri. Yes, they're the only ones that only say ' Amanjunkie '
Mar 26, 2011, 10:12 am
#34
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Turkey
Programs: thy miles and smiles, lufthansa miles and more
Posts: 51
Thank you all for your wishes. Actually the pool pavillion at Amanpuri was hard to reserve. There are 3 or 4 I think is that right FlyerEC? We exchanged a quite a few e-mails to get the dates. By the way I checked, the amankila ones say amanjunkie (one on the front the other on the back) but also amankila (one on the arm, the other on the chest) could not find the amandari ones yet
Mar 26, 2011, 12:09 pm
#35
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: New York, USA,
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Posts: 432
It is a really nice shirt
Mar 26, 2011, 12:17 pm
#36
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: UA1K, *G & Wife of UA1K MM
Posts: 3,431
Mar 26, 2011, 12:22 pm
#37
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: OSL
Posts: 2,145
Mar 26, 2011, 7:04 pm
#38
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Enroute to ? & likely flying in ' A ':)
Programs: TPPS, UA, EK ...; Marriott BONVOY , HH, GP, GC..
Posts: 4,217
Thank you all for your wishes. Actually the pool pavillion at Amanpuri was hard to reserve. There are 3 or 4 I think is that right FlyerEC? We exchanged a quite a few e-mails to get the dates. By the way I checked, the amankila ones say amanjunkie (one on the front the other on the back) but also amankila (one on the arm, the other on the chest) could not find the amandari ones yet
See in my earlier post - not sure if in another Aman thread.
Have fun checking out the ' not for sale, exclusive ' Amanjunkie T-shirts - they vary from one Aman to another
Last edited by FlyerEC; Mar 28, 2011 at 3:14 pm Reason: Clarification , addition
Mar 26, 2011, 10:35 pm
#39
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: ua 1k, hh diamond, spg PLT, marriott PLT
Posts: 617
All the best to your farther. I do not think that something I have ever written has been used to stimulate recovery before. Hope it helps.
Regarding rainy seasons, it might already have started this year... Vuittons talked about extreme weather many places in Thailand this year. As discussed in another thread, we had quite a lot of rain during our visit (two first weeks of March). Still no problem, we got great suntans and could do whatever we wanted in terms of activitites, but we had some rain almost every day. Made me think that I will not be afraid of visiting in the rainy season some time, since the rain did not disturb me (and in rainy season there is the great low season rates as well).
Think vuittons stayed in pool favillions at Amanpuri when she visited.
Regarding rainy seasons, it might already have started this year... Vuittons talked about extreme weather many places in Thailand this year. As discussed in another thread, we had quite a lot of rain during our visit (two first weeks of March). Still no problem, we got great suntans and could do whatever we wanted in terms of activitites, but we had some rain almost every day. Made me think that I will not be afraid of visiting in the rainy season some time, since the rain did not disturb me (and in rainy season there is the great low season rates as well).
Think vuittons stayed in pool favillions at Amanpuri when she visited.
Mar 28, 2011, 7:00 am
#41
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Here there and everywhere
Posts: 6,303
They are not pushing the pool pavilions at Amanpuri because they are right near the construction of the new Villas - i.e. at the rear of the resort on the spa side.
The 2-bedroom pool pavilion is OK as it is set forward. It resembles the Amankila Suite - i.e. same interior accommodation but with a spacious terrace and pool. Actually, it is probably closer to the Indrakila Suite - but a bit larger in exterior space, with outdoor dining sala, lounging sala, pool and bench seating and tables for cocktails etc. It overlooks the tennis courts, but plantings have been installed and once grown, should conceal this.
The 2-bedroom pool pavilion is OK as it is set forward. It resembles the Amankila Suite - i.e. same interior accommodation but with a spacious terrace and pool. Actually, it is probably closer to the Indrakila Suite - but a bit larger in exterior space, with outdoor dining sala, lounging sala, pool and bench seating and tables for cocktails etc. It overlooks the tennis courts, but plantings have been installed and once grown, should conceal this.
Jan 16, 2012, 7:16 pm
#42
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: MEL
Programs: QF CL
Posts: 689
Which one would your son choose to go back to?
Hi all, first time poster to this forum.
Thank you Musken, for such a useful report on these two resorts. Sorry to reinvigorate an old thread now, but I have one question for you - which property did your son like better? I am considering a family holiday (with husband, and two boys aged 4 and 6), and am tossing up between Trisara and Amanpuri (or possibly Amandari, but perhaps that's one for another thread).
Thank you Musken, for such a useful report on these two resorts. Sorry to reinvigorate an old thread now, but I have one question for you - which property did your son like better? I am considering a family holiday (with husband, and two boys aged 4 and 6), and am tossing up between Trisara and Amanpuri (or possibly Amandari, but perhaps that's one for another thread).
Jan 22, 2012, 7:50 am
#43
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 70
I'll join the chorus of people replying to thank you for this report, Musken - incredibly helpful.
We'll be doing a similar itinerary as you for the first part of our honeymoon in early April (before going to Amanpulo)... 4 nights in Amanpuri, followed by 5 in Trisara.
I have a few questions on the stay, and would love feedback from anyone's who's been to these properties:
Thanks in advance!
We'll be doing a similar itinerary as you for the first part of our honeymoon in early April (before going to Amanpulo)... 4 nights in Amanpuri, followed by 5 in Trisara.
I have a few questions on the stay, and would love feedback from anyone's who's been to these properties:
- As far as activities and excursions, are there any must-dos? More importantly, is there a reason to book excursions at one property vs. the other? We're definitely looking to spend a day on a cruise - sounds like Trisara is the less expensive place to do that?
- I've booked a Garden Pavillion at Amanpuri - is there a specific one, or a specific location I should request? (I understand that this room category gets mixed reviews, but this is the "inexpensive" hotel of the three we're staying at, so would prefer not to book into a higher category...)
- Is one of the two spas significantly better than the other? (I'm sure we'll end up using both at least somewhat)
- What's the current assessment of the various Amanpuri restaurants? Any musts in Phuket off of the properties?
Thanks in advance!
Apr 8, 2015, 7:59 pm
#44
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Barcelona
Posts: 3,317
This seems to be the predominant Amanpuri on the forum [mods, feel free to move if I was mistaken].
Currently at Amanpuri.
In general, a fantastic experience, bordering on perfect.
That said, it's not perfect.
A few negatives [and keep in mind I'm being uber picky...being that this is an Aman and it's costing huge amounts of money just on incidentals/food/car...]
- No TV in room. I'm not a TV person. On most travels, I probably only watch 1 hour of TV or less...for a whole week! But, Amanpuri is on a secluded part of the island with not much to do within a 45 minute drive [already did Patong and Phuket Town]. A few nights after dinner and a night cap, the wife and I were kind of left scratching our heads when we wanted to plug in our laptop to a TV to watch some shows we had on iTunes. Hugely disappointed when we couldn't find a TV!
- Service is off and on, and seems to depend on individual employees. I'd say 7 out of the 10 employees we interact with are STELLAR. Like: best service industry people you could hope for. That said, 3 out of 10 being not stellar is too much for me at an Aman. That 30% [and yes, this is a rough estimate] is cold as ice...acts as if you're inconveniencing them when you ask for something...etc. I'd go so far as to say they're ignoring the guests with that "I'm about to leave work, what do you want now" look. I've seen this both at the breakfast restaurant with 2 females and the Japanese restaurant [almost across the board]! Not acceptable IMO.
- You cannot come here if you have mobility issues. Period. They say "we can take you XYZ" with a buggy....yet they can't. I tried. The buggy is actually a car with no doors [which, btw, looks a bit trashy for a place this nice], and they take you up what amounts to a service road. Once they drop you off wherever you need to go, you still have a substantial walk ahead of you [unless your villa/pavilion is ON the service road]. Steps are everywhere and quite huge. I'm physically fit, my wife is a yoga instructor, and we were just commenting on how incredibly winded we were at walking to/from our pavilion. Can't imagine sending an older client here...even an 'in shape' one.
- Major design flaw [which I'll excuse them as this was the first Aman]: the main way to get from pavilion to central area is to walk through the lobby. This can be weird/awkward in ones bathing suit, dripping wet, while people are taking hotel tours/checking-in. Yes, there is a "side" method of getting to the main stairwell, but it can be a bit inane for some. In the same vein, I find the placement of bathrooms to be a bit off. The one for the beach is one toilet, unisex, which amounts to the size of something fit for Frodo Baggins. Otherwise, you have to trek all the way back to the lobby area [!] or to a secluded bathroom near the bar or beach club.
- I find F&B to be on the expensive side. Yes, most people who come to an Aman are insanely wealthy. That said, I don't agree with the idea that they somehow don't care about the bottom line, or what they're spending. I haven't left a single meal here without spending $100 USD.
- Seeing lots of misquotes on pricing. Published pricing has differed from "actual pricing" on everything from spa treatments to the Aman boat tours.
- They haven't refilled out coffee mugs since the day we got here.
- I've had better hotel beds.
- And lastly, I'm not convinced there is anything timeless about the room decor. These things WILL need a soft-reno within the next few years. Are they tired, old, or worn? NO! But they're also not "so perfect" that I can't ever imagine a change....in fact, I'd almost come back here if I were to hear they were updating rooms.
Anyways, HUGE fan of this property, and kinda cool being at the place that started the whole thing. It is top notch, and I hope my negativity didn't sway others from coming. The beach is incredible, as is [MOST] of the staff and F&B. "Sense of place" is huge here.
Overall, incredibly impressed, but it's far from a flawless experience. I've had many better hotel stays at lesser places. To be honest, when I asked my wife what she thought of the hotel, she said: "this is fantastic, I love it, but damn I miss The Siam [BKK]." And I kind of agree...
Anyways, off to take a boat ride on the Aman I.
Currently at Amanpuri.
In general, a fantastic experience, bordering on perfect.
That said, it's not perfect.
A few negatives [and keep in mind I'm being uber picky...being that this is an Aman and it's costing huge amounts of money just on incidentals/food/car...]
- No TV in room. I'm not a TV person. On most travels, I probably only watch 1 hour of TV or less...for a whole week! But, Amanpuri is on a secluded part of the island with not much to do within a 45 minute drive [already did Patong and Phuket Town]. A few nights after dinner and a night cap, the wife and I were kind of left scratching our heads when we wanted to plug in our laptop to a TV to watch some shows we had on iTunes. Hugely disappointed when we couldn't find a TV!
- Service is off and on, and seems to depend on individual employees. I'd say 7 out of the 10 employees we interact with are STELLAR. Like: best service industry people you could hope for. That said, 3 out of 10 being not stellar is too much for me at an Aman. That 30% [and yes, this is a rough estimate] is cold as ice...acts as if you're inconveniencing them when you ask for something...etc. I'd go so far as to say they're ignoring the guests with that "I'm about to leave work, what do you want now" look. I've seen this both at the breakfast restaurant with 2 females and the Japanese restaurant [almost across the board]! Not acceptable IMO.
- You cannot come here if you have mobility issues. Period. They say "we can take you XYZ" with a buggy....yet they can't. I tried. The buggy is actually a car with no doors [which, btw, looks a bit trashy for a place this nice], and they take you up what amounts to a service road. Once they drop you off wherever you need to go, you still have a substantial walk ahead of you [unless your villa/pavilion is ON the service road]. Steps are everywhere and quite huge. I'm physically fit, my wife is a yoga instructor, and we were just commenting on how incredibly winded we were at walking to/from our pavilion. Can't imagine sending an older client here...even an 'in shape' one.
- Major design flaw [which I'll excuse them as this was the first Aman]: the main way to get from pavilion to central area is to walk through the lobby. This can be weird/awkward in ones bathing suit, dripping wet, while people are taking hotel tours/checking-in. Yes, there is a "side" method of getting to the main stairwell, but it can be a bit inane for some. In the same vein, I find the placement of bathrooms to be a bit off. The one for the beach is one toilet, unisex, which amounts to the size of something fit for Frodo Baggins. Otherwise, you have to trek all the way back to the lobby area [!] or to a secluded bathroom near the bar or beach club.
- I find F&B to be on the expensive side. Yes, most people who come to an Aman are insanely wealthy. That said, I don't agree with the idea that they somehow don't care about the bottom line, or what they're spending. I haven't left a single meal here without spending $100 USD.
- Seeing lots of misquotes on pricing. Published pricing has differed from "actual pricing" on everything from spa treatments to the Aman boat tours.
- They haven't refilled out coffee mugs since the day we got here.
- I've had better hotel beds.
- And lastly, I'm not convinced there is anything timeless about the room decor. These things WILL need a soft-reno within the next few years. Are they tired, old, or worn? NO! But they're also not "so perfect" that I can't ever imagine a change....in fact, I'd almost come back here if I were to hear they were updating rooms.
Anyways, HUGE fan of this property, and kinda cool being at the place that started the whole thing. It is top notch, and I hope my negativity didn't sway others from coming. The beach is incredible, as is [MOST] of the staff and F&B. "Sense of place" is huge here.
Overall, incredibly impressed, but it's far from a flawless experience. I've had many better hotel stays at lesser places. To be honest, when I asked my wife what she thought of the hotel, she said: "this is fantastic, I love it, but damn I miss The Siam [BKK]." And I kind of agree...
Anyways, off to take a boat ride on the Aman I.
Apr 8, 2015, 9:38 pm
#45
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Enroute to ? & likely flying in ' A ':)
Programs: TPPS, UA, EK ...; Marriott BONVOY , HH, GP, GC..
Posts: 4,217
Glad you finally made it .
Aman ethos when founded was that all came to enjoy being away so no TV & such . So earlier Amans do not have TVs . Could even be ' eerie ' in the evenings especially if one is accustomed to city life .
Puri ' s concession was to have one in the library lounge area . The layout was different back then . Fewer pavilions & villas for sure , no spa .
We always request for one to be set up in our pavilion . You can still can .
Villas have TVs as owners request them installed .
The main beach used to where the iconic steps are , more restrooms found that side .
Where the main beach is now is relatively ' recent ' , it wasn't even around as is or used , see what global warming, etc has done ?
The lounges are now on what used to be grass i.e. Aman land , till last year when the government banned them on public beaches . Yes , Puri replaced with sand , extended beach .
There used to be more restrooms when Naoki was the gym , pre tsunami .
They do maintenance annually in June , sometimes with ' updates ' . Like those unnecessary heated WCs , in the tropics ! ( which can be requested to be switched off )
See you have encountered the newer staff
Interesting to see how Amanpuri has evolved / maturing .
Enjoy the rest of your stay .
Aman ethos when founded was that all came to enjoy being away so no TV & such . So earlier Amans do not have TVs . Could even be ' eerie ' in the evenings especially if one is accustomed to city life .
Puri ' s concession was to have one in the library lounge area . The layout was different back then . Fewer pavilions & villas for sure , no spa .
We always request for one to be set up in our pavilion . You can still can .
Villas have TVs as owners request them installed .
The main beach used to where the iconic steps are , more restrooms found that side .
Where the main beach is now is relatively ' recent ' , it wasn't even around as is or used , see what global warming, etc has done ?
The lounges are now on what used to be grass i.e. Aman land , till last year when the government banned them on public beaches . Yes , Puri replaced with sand , extended beach
.There used to be more restrooms when Naoki was the gym , pre tsunami .
They do maintenance annually in June , sometimes with ' updates ' . Like those unnecessary heated WCs , in the tropics ! ( which can be requested to be switched off )
See you have encountered the newer staff
Interesting to see how Amanpuri has evolved / maturing .
Enjoy the rest of your stay .
Last edited by FlyerEC; Apr 8, 2015 at 10:08 pm