theLuxuryTravelExpert

Last May, I enjoyed a wonderful trip in Japan. I did stay at some terrific hotels (Ritz-Carlton Kyoto, Hyatt Regency Hakone, Andaz Tokyo, and Park Hyatt Tokyo) but none came close to both Aman resorts, and I want to share with you my impressions and some keypoints.

AMAN TOKYO

I made a clip of my impressions during my stay which you can watch here:


PROS:
- excellent location in the heart of Tokyo, within walking distance of the Imperial Palace and its gardens
- The hotel occupies the top six floors of a newly built skyscraper affording spectacular panoramas in all directions
- Stunning, minimalist decor incorporating traditional Japanese elements
- Phenomenal lobby beneath a ceiling of translucent washi rice paper (with adjacent library and cigar room)
- Beautiful and spacious room with lovely bathroom and a deep soaking tub made of black granite set against the floor-to-ceiling windows
- Amazing indoor pool overlooking the Tokyo skyline
- Excellent French and Italian restaurant (and not overly expensive)

CONS: it's hard to fault this hotel, except for the fact that it does not offer an authentic Japanese eatery

AMANEMU (SHIMA PENINSULA)

I made a clip of my impressions during my stay which you can watch here:


PROS:
- Peaceful setting within the borders of a national park
- Exceptional design (a modern take on traditional Japanese architecture) by the same team that developed Aman Tokyo
- The villas are gorgeous with some overlooking the gardens, others the sea
- The Aman Spa is the highlight of the resort and the massive yet intimate outdoor onson (hot spring) is the best I encountered during my travels across the country
- There's only one restaurant but it features mouthwatering Japanese cuisine

CONS:
- the vegetation still feels spare (needs time to mature)
- Although it's in a pretty spot, Amanemu's setting is not mindblowing. The bay can only be seen at the horizon
- Room rates and food is extremely expensive

0bsidian

Thank you for this - I follow your youtube channel with pleasure.

FlyerEC

Thank you !

Seems teething issues sorted for both
Somewhat similar to the more rugged expansive N'oi .

Did you have the onsen to yourself ?

Any mention of better times to stay ? Less busy ??

op487062

Thank you for the video, very thorough.

theLuxuryTravelExpert

thx

theLuxuryTravelExpert

The larger onsen facility is communal (bot men & women) but there's also a separate onsen that can be booked by private parties.

The best weather in the area is spring and autumn (with mostly clear skies). With only 24 villas the resort can never feel really busy I guess, even when it operates at full capacity.

scented

Lovely report, especially the video, though I would love to know more about Aman Tokyo's performance in terms of service. Considering you've been to a couple of Aman, did you feel service was lacking compared to our usual standard? Here's hoping the new GM was able to fix some of the issues.

theLuxuryTravelExpert

During my 2 night stay, I did not encounter any service issue. Every member of the staff did a great job and service was excellent. Service at Amanemu was more personalized though, but that is obviously explained by the resort's smaller scale.

scented

But still rather a luxury hotel than an Aman?

theLuxuryTravelExpert

Service was up to the usual Aman standard at both hotels (although I was more blown away by the exceptional design). Are you a member of the Aman group since you wrote 'our standard'?

FlyerEC

This is good to know , helpful as deciding if to visit in autumn this year or perhaps spring next year .

FlyerEC

This is good to know , helpful as deciding if to visit in autumn this year or perhaps spring next year . Private onsen has a view ?

Not sure about trains especially after a relaxing stay though ..

One can perhaps do Tokyo on a separate trip . Fly into Osaka instead .

uclabruin82

Great report, thanks for the videos.
At Amanemu did you do any of the excursions? Anything you liked or did not?

Musken

Thanks for your reviews. Having looked at the video of Amanemu, I personally have to admit that I do NOT want to go there. Not because of your video - it was excellent - but the resort itself (maybe with the exception of the spa) was just too cold an minimalistic for my taste. Had a bit of the same feeling when I first saw Amanoi, but this is extreme in comparison.

Is there anything to see or do nearby?

vuittonsofstyle

I am glad it was not just me who felt that. I agree that the resort is overly minimal and, despite the excellent video, it did not make me want to go there. Amano'i is positively gaudy compared to Amanemu!