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Amanresorts Thread 2017

Amanresorts Thread 2017

Old Jan 6, 2017, 9:18 pm
  #16  
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Originally Posted by callmedtop
Very, very disappointing. Sorry to hear about your experiences. We are planning on an Indonesia Aman honeymoon in 2018, so hope things turn around by then.

That said, my mother and her best friend just came back from Amandari and only had positive things to say.
Originally Posted by vienna-resident
Well, the resort is still beautiful and well maintained. It's 30 years old, but very charming and we liked it better than the brand-new glitzy RC Mandapa next door. And to be fair, things got a lot better when the management was present, but for an Aman this is simply not acceptable. As my wife said aptly, 'it looks like an Aman, but it doesn't feel like an Aman'.

Looks like we're getting our umbrella now
Getting the cake a day late is not on .. Let ' s see if repeated today .
Should we even hope that today goes better ..
Beach :-: dinner is on right ?

Kila is thankfully coming along with Ernst L , veteran Aman & Shane being based here now but visits / flies to all AmanIndo .
Having lovely weather , even humidity is tolerable with the sea breezes , posting from Kila beach . 3 tankers & a barge .. Many fishing boats

Also there ' s more than a glimmer for the Kila villas happening now
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Old Jan 7, 2017, 5:06 am
  #17  
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Is Shane back at Amankila?

I saw the Amankila villas in the brochure - I'm looking forward to the best villas ever in the whole wide world anywhere. Anything else and I'll be disappointed.
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Old Jan 7, 2017, 7:10 am
  #18  
 
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Amansara after Sally

Spent New Years at Amansara and was very pleased with the experience. Was a bit worried initially how it would be after Sally's departure (big shoes to fill, surely). Astrid K is now GM here (well deserved) and she couldn't have been more accommodating. She cleared space for us so we could stay four nights over New Years and was the perfect host.

It would be perfectly natural for the staff to be a bit lost after the departure of their mentor, Sally, but I found their attitude and spirit perfectly fine. Such a magical place! Due to the influx of Chinese travelers, especially after building these two monstrosities of 700 room+ Sokha Hotels, it is becoming increasingly difficult for Amansara to live up to the expectations we all have. I feel incredibly fortunate to have been able to visit Siem Reap again, as I do believe it won't be like this for much longer. The numbers of (group) tourists are on the rise and the lovely temples are so crowded these days, especially in high season now. In our case we had to get up at 4.30 AM in the morning repeatedly for most of our stay, which meant that after 3 days we were so tired, we cancelled the outings and just went in the afternoon to less frequented areas -- which worked perfectly fine. Although on the flipside, the light and daily Khmer life in the early morning was just magical... seeing kids pass the gates of Angkor Thom in the morning while the fog lifts from the moats -- priceless! Usually early morning outings were followed by a second leisurely breakfast and a nap by the perfect private pool.

For New Years Eve, the hotel had organized one of their famed temple dinners in true Aman style... hundreds, if not thousands of candles illuminated the venue. Canapes and cocktails were offered while they had dancers, acrobats and more entertainment during dinner. Most of the team was on hand to look after every detail (Astrid, Mungo and Zsuzsa). The temple dinner was classic Aman, as standards were upheld perfectly and it was such an elegant affair... even in the middle of the jungle everyone was escorted everywhere, food intolerances and preferences were respected at all times and even cold and hot towels offered frequently. Very civilized affair. The pricey cost of the temple dinner (15,000 USD before taxes and service charge was split amongst everyone in attendance which brought it down to a very low price, considering what was on offer). Back at the hotel, we wrote down our wishes and floated them down the river before midnight came and Astrid offered Champagne, compliments of Amansara.

Couldn't have been happier about the whole experience -- was the right Aman at the right time. I have very high hopes for the resort and if they develop the leisure aspect a bit more (Astrid is working on it), I can see myself staying over and over again. The best thing about Sara is having a leisurely dinner in the dining room after a long day of temples and spa, served by the very kind souls there (still remembering Phanet). They are the true Amansara.

Some observations:

- There is no in-room dining menu currently in the suites. I am not sure if this is a new thing or not. I was brought a menu to order, without problem, but would have been nice to place one in the suite
- The private pool was just the right temperature, not too cold, not too warm
- All the details in the suite have been perfected, it is the best set-up I ever found at any Aman worldwide... so many little touches
- Cudos to Sally in this regard for handing over such a well-maintained and smooth machine... everything is so thought-through and just perfection
- Suite was refreshed several times throughout the day
- Loved the cuisine! While the menu is very limited, everything is so high quality and I ordered 'off-piste' several times without any problem. Fantastic chef.

Room for improvement:

- In-room dining trays were left outside the suite for extended periods of time. Not just an hour, but think breakfast tray still sitting in front of the suite when we returned from lunch... housekeeping covered the leftovers with the napkins, but why not take it away? Was a bit afraid it might start walking away...
- They need to build a gym at some point, especially if they want more leisure guests
- No housekeeping at all on the day of check-out, which is a bit problematic at 2,000 $ a night -- did not expect a full service, but would have been nice if they had set up the loungers for the private pool
- Everyone goes to bed early here due to the extreme schedule, but on the night of New Years Eve, a certain standard should be in place in terms of service. Everyone gathered by the pool to welcome the New Year, so we were having drinks there with friends and good conversation. After Astrid left around 00.30 am, everyone just vanished... which meant no service at all. Couldn't even get water, let alone a drink. This is probably the only night in the year this shouldn't happen! We had a good laugh how everyone disappeared right after Astrid. I accidentally left my key to the suite somewhere and it took the night shift person several calls to find someone to help.
- Spa is as good as ever, although I am worried as they are replacing Sodashi. We shall see what follows. Why replace the best products in the world with something lesser? Zsuzsa was very cryptic about it.
- I don't understand the tipping policy. There is a service charge, but you are still advised to tip guide and driver 30$ and 10$ each day respectively. The tipping I don't mind so much, but knowing myself I rarely have cash on me and it really adds a layer of complication to the stay that I am not used to (I know, I know). Just add the 40$ each day to the bill, but please don't let us deal with this every day. We spoke to other guests who just thought the same -- either do a service charge or don't. I do understand that guides and tour drivers are not directly employed by the hotel, but just simplify the organizational details of it. Tipping should not be part of the experience.
- General note: This stay was right after The Siam... and Amansara really struggled to keep up with it in terms of service... so is Sara bad? No... but it goes to show how excellent The Siam really is, especially now under Nick Downing. It is one in a million, easily. I was at a loss of words when I stayed this time around.

Was very happy and will likely visit Astrid and the team again to see how things are! Astrid is a very nice person and good fit for the property. Let me know if you have any questions.

Last edited by scented; Jan 7, 2017 at 7:33 am
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Old Jan 7, 2017, 7:58 am
  #19  
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Originally Posted by chinmoylad
Is Shane back at Amankila?

I saw the Amankila villas in the brochure - I'm looking forward to the best villas ever in the whole wide world anywhere. Anything else and I'll be disappointed.
Shane is back at Kila and covers all of F & B for the 5 Indonesian Amans .

New Italian chef , Lorenzo , at Nusa is excellent .
Seems all are very pleased , thrilled that he is on board . We are too . Pleasantly " stuffed to our gills " , from our first meal - dinner :-: by him .

Looking forward to the Kila villas , in a couple of years ? The sooner the better ..
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Old Jan 7, 2017, 8:13 am
  #20  
 
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Originally Posted by FlyerEC
Shane is back at Kila and covers all of F & B for the 5 Indonesian Amans .

New Italian chef , Lorenzo , at Nusa is excellent .
Seems all are very pleased , thrilled that he is on board . We are too . Pleasantly " stuffed to our gills " , from our first meal - dinner :-: by him .

Looking forward to the Kila villas , in a couple of years ? The sooner the better ..
Enjoy... hope the weather continues to be in your favor!
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Old Jan 7, 2017, 12:51 pm
  #21  
 
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Originally Posted by BlackHappy
Overall, it was a great time and a great stay.
I'm glad your stay was so enjoyable, but ...
Originally Posted by BlackHappy
- Do not disturb signs. I guess this is just a "suggestion" in their eyes ...

- Plumbing ... 2nd floor lacked water pressure and didn't flush well. Also, drains in the baths in the spa got clogged and flooded the whole room ...
These two are both more than slight annoyances, in my eyes, and not very "Aman".

But even more importantly,
Originally Posted by BlackHappy
- Uighers, Xinjiang, and Muslims: We heard the staff at Amanfayun say that they always report any of "those people" to the authorities because the authorities need to keep a close eye on them. They mentioned there was an undercover cop from the Xinjiang province who had just booked with them in order to test if they would actually alert the local authorities. They were proud to say that they passed with flying colors.
I find this absolutely appalling, and will NEVER visit based on this. I don't want to go OT/OMNI, so I'll leave it at that.
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Old Jan 7, 2017, 1:02 pm
  #22  
 
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Originally Posted by aa213bb

I find this absolutely appalling, and will NEVER visit based on this. I don't want to go OT/OMNI, so I'll leave it at that.
I never found the Chinese Amans intriguing in any way...
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Old Jan 7, 2017, 1:31 pm
  #23  
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Originally Posted by scented
For New Years Eve, the hotel had organized one of their famed temple dinners

charge was split amongst everyone in attendance which brought it down to a very low price, considering what was on offer
do they only arrange such "split" between unrelated guests for holidays/etc ?

Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Jan 7, 2017 at 2:23 pm
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Old Jan 7, 2017, 1:46 pm
  #24  
 
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Originally Posted by Kagehitokiri
do they only arrange such "split" between unrelated guests for holidays/etc ?
From what I gather, yes. Special occasions and holidays... not too often. I was told it is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain the permission to do it. The fees Amansara is required to pay to the city/government increase every year as well, as they try to keep it exclusive and avoid group tourists doing temple dinners.

My hunch is that they will do it, if they have enough guests for it to be financially viable. The cost on NYE was around 530 USD per person IIRC plus tax plus service.

Amansara enjoys many advantages in Siem Reap and so do their guests. They were able to bring in the dancers who usually only perform for the king, they are allowed to bring a monk into the resort to do jasmine blessings, etc. They have pretty good relationships which comes in handy for many.

Last edited by scented; Jan 7, 2017 at 1:59 pm
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Old Jan 7, 2017, 2:16 pm
  #25  
 
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Originally Posted by aa213bb
[...] I find this absolutely appalling, and will NEVER visit based on this. I don't want to go OT/OMNI, so I'll leave it at that.
Why, if I can ask?
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Old Jan 7, 2017, 2:23 pm
  #26  
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aa213bb, that kind of thing exists many places. and considering aman summer palace is government owned, i would not be surprised if amanfayun is also goverment owned, or at least partially.

0bsidian, context is what staff said (vague) not government etc. problem is however many languages aa213bb and others speak, kind of hard to speak every local language and 99% of the time things are not said where they can be overheard.

unclear whether some of it was told directly to BlackHappy, and if it was, whether BlackHappy was seen as same ethnicity as staff would be additional factor.

Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Jan 7, 2017 at 3:12 pm
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Old Jan 7, 2017, 4:50 pm
  #27  
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old >

Originally Posted by FlyerEC
Welcome back an Aman " veteran " ... Ernst L , next Kila GM
Originally Posted by Londonjetsetter
Ernst is a fantastic GM. He went way out of his way to look after us at Kila recently. One of the best.
(interesting weiland also back, to le melezin)

new - re taka GM donald wong >
general manager of sales with Aman Resorts South Asia and China, managing seven resorts within the coveted portfolio. During his six years with Aman Resorts he also served as resident manager of Amankora Paro, Bhutan and global sales manager of Amansara
Originally Posted by FlyerEC
Shane [lewis] is back at Kila and covers all of F & B for the 5 Indonesian Amans .

New Italian chef , Lorenzo , at Nusa is excellent
good to hear re kila & nusa
jiwo remains pending a GM

Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Jan 7, 2017 at 5:12 pm
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Old Jan 7, 2017, 4:52 pm
  #28  
 
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Originally Posted by Kagehitokiri
aa213bb, that kind of thing exists many places. and considering aman summer palace is government owned, i would not be surprised if amanfayun is also goverment owned, or at least partially.

0bsidian, context is what staff said (vague) not government etc. problem is however many languages aa213bb and others speak, kind of hard to speak every local language and 99% of the time things are not said where they can be overheard.

unclear whether some of it was told directly to BlackHappy, and if it was, whether BlackHappy was seen as same ethnicity as staff would be additional factor.
Just some context on how we heard it:

We were on the car with the tour guide and the driver. They were talking about occupancy rates being low--especially during the G20 summit. Then, they mentioned the Xinjiang guest I described. This was all in Mandarin and they knew that we could understand because we've been speaking Mandarin to them the whole time. When we got back to the room, my wife and I confirmed we both heard correctly because it was a shock. No, the comment was not directed towards us, but it was obvious we would hear it.
- I am Taiwanese-American and checked in with a US passport. (Maybe they thought they could provide a preview of what would come with our next presidency? )
- For better or for worse, I do not think this is Aman-specific. I believe this is a mandate from the government for all hotels to report certain people to the authorities.
- This might only happen during certain events (ie, G20, etc). Just a guess.
- Amanfayun is partly owned by the temples surrounding it, which are owned by the government.
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Old Jan 7, 2017, 5:59 pm
  #29  
 
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Originally Posted by BlackHappy
Just some context on how we heard it:

We were on the car with the tour guide and the driver. They were talking about occupancy rates being low--especially during the G20 summit. Then, they mentioned the Xinjiang guest I described. This was all in Mandarin and they knew that we could understand because we've been speaking Mandarin to them the whole time. When we got back to the room, my wife and I confirmed we both heard correctly because it was a shock. No, the comment was not directed towards us, but it was obvious we would hear it.
- I am Taiwanese-American and checked in with a US passport. (Maybe they thought they could provide a preview of what would come with our next presidency? )
- For better or for worse, I do not think this is Aman-specific. I believe this is a mandate from the government for all hotels to report certain people to the authorities.
- This might only happen during certain events (ie, G20, etc). Just a guess.
- Amanfayun is partly owned by the temples surrounding it, which are owned by the government.
Very unprofessional no matter how you cut it. Thanks for sharing.
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Old Jan 7, 2017, 11:05 pm
  #30  
 
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Originally Posted by 0bsidian
Why, if I can ask?
Again, I don't want to go too far astray and into OMNI territory, but I find this type of prejudicial behavior offensive -- the absolute antithesis of what a luxury experience should be.

Originally Posted by Kagehitokiri
aa213bb, that kind of thing exists many places. and considering aman summer palace is government owned, i would not be surprised if amanfayun is also goverment owned, or at least partially.
I'm not naive, and realize this probably happens elsewhere, but to be so explicit about it really turns me off. Too, now that I know, I cannot "unring the bell" - nor would I wish to do so - and will thus never condone such behavior by giving them any of my money.

Originally Posted by BlackHappy
Just some context on how we heard it:

We were on the car with the tour guide and the driver. They were talking about occupancy rates being low--especially during the G20 summit. Then, they mentioned the Xinjiang guest I described. This was all in Mandarin and they knew that we could understand because we've been speaking Mandarin to them the whole time. When we got back to the room, my wife and I confirmed we both heard correctly because it was a shock. No, the comment was not directed towards us, but it was obvious we would hear it.
- I am Taiwanese-American and checked in with a US passport. (Maybe they thought they could provide a preview of what would come with our next presidency? )
- For better or for worse, I do not think this is Aman-specific. I believe this is a mandate from the government for all hotels to report certain people to the authorities.
- This might only happen during certain events (ie, G20, etc). Just a guess.
- Amanfayun is partly owned by the temples surrounding it, which are owned by the government.
Thank you for providing further context. It does not at all excuse their actions - nor do I think that your intent - but I do appreciate a more full understanding of your experience, and how it happened.

Though I realize this Aman is government owned, and thus I should not be terribly surprised, I still find such behavior abhorrent, and entirely antithetical to AZ's "Aman Ethos".
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