blueline7

Forward

Well, it is nice to be back.

I just returned from another AMAZING First Class trip and am now going to spill it all out for the Flyertalk community.

This Trip Report is actually a sequel to my previous trip report, which also focused on first class buffet travel.

Like my previous Trip Report, this Trip Report will include some fabulous buffet and food reviews, but this time, I will be focusing a little more on my attempt to unravel the mystery of Aman Resorts. Part of my mission was to find out, 'Why all the fuss about Aman', and I did in fact get to the bottom of this question.

You will also be reading about how my trip involved visiting some of the very best accommodations in the air, the city, in the jungle, by the beach, and in the middle of the desert.

You will be reading about the following itinerary:

1. Toronto to Hong Hong via Cathay Pacific First Class

2. Hong Kong W Hotel

3. Hong Kong to Singapore via Cathay Pacific First Class and Jetquay arrival service in Singapore

4. Singapore Fairmont Hotel

5. Fairmont Hotel Buffet - Asian Market Buffet

6. Singapore Intercontinental Hotel

7. Singapore Mandarin Oriental Hotel Buffet - Melt The World

8. Singapore Conrad

9. Singapore Ritz Carlton Hotel Buffet - The Greenhouse

10. Out and About in Singapore including Hawker Food Courts

11. Jetquay Departure Service in Singapore and Singapore to Denpasar (Bali) via Garuda in Executive Class

12. Amandari

13. Amankila

14. Denpasar (Bali) to Bangkok via Thai Airways in Business Class

15. The Bangkok Peninsula Hotel Buffet - River Cafe & Terrace Restaurant

16. Bangkok to Dubai via Emirates First Class on the a380

17. Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa, Dubai

18. Dubai to Toronto via Emirates First Class on the a380


The reason for traveling was an important conference in Singapore, for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

I immediately wanted to try out the famous Singapore Airlines service, and especially on the a380, but this was not to be. No matter how hard I tried to work this out with points through Staralliance and Singapore Airlines own program itself, it was just not happening. At first I thought that I would be able to convert my SPG points into Singapore Krisflyer points, and then use them if not for the a380 First Class, then at least for the 777. Nope. First of all the a380 was not even available in F. Second of all, and this is the kicker...SPG transferred at 2:1 instead of the usual 1:1, and to make it even worse, aside from some good saver fares on the 747, the redemption for the 777 was outlandishly high. Finally, traveling from Toronto on SQ would involve an unwanted transfer in either JFK or LAX, which was an unnecessary hassle. I also had some banked BA and EK points that I had to use, which made using these airlines points-effective.

So, given the above, I decided to revert to my two go-to airlines, Cathay Pacific and Emirates, which are really hard to complain about of course. I will have to leave SQ F to another time I am afraid. But I was not disappointed. These two airlines were fabulous and I cannot wait to tell you about it.

And for those people who suggested that I use a decent camera this time; I did! I used the Canon s95 and found it pretty easy to use and to carry around, but lets see how the photos turn out on FT.

I actually want to share with you what gear I took on this trip, so here is a picture of my carry-on gear. In my suitcase was just clothes.



I put a lot of thought into my gear and found that it worked out rather well. So let me particularize it for you, clockwise from the top:

1. A Timbuk2 Messenger Bag, customized. In the small size, and with the built in ipad/netbook case, this was the perfect bag. Comfortable, with a ton of pockets, and a cool streamlined look, this bag was ideal as a carry-on. Just remember to leave enough room for the First Class pajamas (Shanghai Tang in the brown and orange bag, at right), and the First Class toiletry kit.

2. Croc loafers. Comfortable and versatile walking shoes are a must. These were very good, especially once I inserted an aftermarket insole, which was useful since the insole is otherwise rubber. These shoes work good when you need to appear "elegantly casual" (like for a fancy buffet), but also work just as well on the beach, and are handy for taking off at security checks.

3. An Apple Ipad2. Was great for watching movies and TV shows while waiting for flights and at hotels during the evening. I also purchased an aftermarket IPAD 2 keyboard/case by Zagg, on the theory that I could leave my laptop behind altogether. Really though, this was no substitute for a laptop, but between ever-present hotel business computers and the ability to check email, this was all I needed. I would certainly go for the Macbook air or a small PC netbook though, if I had to do any serious work on the road.

4. Blackberry Bold. Well, can't say I like it compared to the Iphone, but battery life is great, email is great, and I purchased a travel pack for data and some voice. I didn't really use the voice however, since I had Ringcentral installed on my BB which allows free Wifi voice calls, and had the same installed on my Ipad. Ringcentral also allows me to get all of my work faxes and voicemails emailed to me instantly. It is a great service. I also used Ipad's great Facetime feature for live two-way video chats with family.

5. Fulton Micro Umbrella. Since weather forecasts showed rain throughout South Asia, I decided I should carry a good umbrella. I found this Fulton micro or mini umbrella, which was just tiny, and was great quality. I did not, as it turned out, need to use it though on this trip.

6. The Cannon S95. Was very compact so no problem carrying it around in a front pant pocket. Easy to use. Just had a couple frustrations with the flash, but other than that I had no complaints and the picture quality seems good so far. Let's see once I upload all the pics to FT.

7. Rayban Aviator sunglasses. What more can one say?

8. Ziplock bag. Take these with you in various sizes, as they are great for wet bathing suits and laundry.

9. Shure 215 in-ear headphones. I put a lot of research into these, and these turned out to be fabulous. I did not want to bring my huge Bose noise cancelling headphones with me, as they just took up TOO much room in a carry-one, even though the lie flat in the case. These were even more effective in blocking out noise. Although they take some getting used to in terms of their fit etc., they were a huge success. At this price point of about $100, they were a bargain for similar quality earphones.

I also carried a black "fanny pack", which was key for money, passports, and other small items. It is great to just take the fanny pack off and stick it through the x-ray machine at security, without having to empty your pockets, etc.

With the above gear (and a small toiletry case from Cathay which I will show later), I was completely mobile and self-sustaining without my checked-in suit case. I kept an extra shirt in my carry-on as well, and this worked out perfectly. Gear is King!

So, please sit back and enjoy the report! There will be lots of pics to enjoy.

blueline7

There is no easier way to go to Asia from North America than on Cathay Pacific in First Class. It is simply a no-brainer. You enjoy and relax every minute and then walk off the plane and you are in beautiful Hong Kong. I chose the afternoon flight, CX827, leaving at 3:30 pm, which was a perfect time to leave, as it allows one to deal with various work and family related matters on the day of departure, allows a leisurely pre-departure day, and I have found works out really well in terms of arrival time and adjusting to jetlag. The arrival time is around 7 pm Hong Kong time, and after four hours or so of sleep onboard, I find that I am still able to fall asleep sometime around 11:30 pm, and wake up on schedule and on local Hong Kong time.

When traveling First Class on CX, one need not arrive at the airport terribly early. First class check-in is a breeze with no line up, and there is no immigration control. There is just usual airport security and that moved fairly quickly. First Class CX passengers are entitled to visit the Pearson lounge which is near the departing gate. The lounge is nothing special at all, and therefore I would not arrive even a minute early just for the sake of trying out this lounge. The lounge offers various drinks and a small selection of dim sum. I guess the only, and not minuscule benefit of this lounge, is that you do not have to sit with the masses awaiting this and other flights within the terminal.



Boarding was not exactly smooth, as there is no distinct first and business class line-up. I had been checking Expert Flyer for weeks on end, and was pleased that the cabin remained empty except for me and one other passenger...up until the day of travel, and then the whole bloody cabin filled up! Anyhow, the huge wide suite with huge TV screen and great privacy onboard the CX 77W in F is hard to beat. And the full cabin was not even slightly noticeable. I felt like I had it all to myself, and service was impeccable. I was given Shanghai Tang PJ's and a toiletry kit. The toiletry kit was admittedly quite lackluster for first class I though, although the pajamas are the very best I think.






I enjoyed the caviar appetizer and Krug champagne, followed by conch maw soup, black bean chicken and rice, and cucumber and seaweed cold salad. I then had a cheese plate, and pralines for desert.











After enjoying several new movies (which I was able to determine even before flying via the CX website), I decided that it was time for a little snack, and had Butter Chicken skewars with raita, which was good.



I had a very nice four hour sleep in the bed with a duvet and good pillow. When I awoke, I decided to have just fruit for "breakfast" since I would shortly be attending the W Hong Kong Hotel Kitchen Buffet which I had reserved.



I had arranged for a buggy to pick me up at the gate for a small charge through World Flight Services, but since the flight arrived at a gate too close to immigration, the buggy was not sent. I proceeded through immigration after a 15 minute wait. I did not pick up my luggage since I had it checked all the way through to Singapore with CX.

I purchased an Airport Express ticket at the counter at the airport, and then took the very pleasant 23 minute ride to Kowloon station, which is only about a 2 minute walk right to the lobby of the W Hotel. What a nice and easy transfer! For all intents and purposes, this might as well be an airport hotel since it is so convenient. I think however that if I was lugging luggage, then it would have been slightly more difficult. As it was however, it was a real pleasure.

blueline7

My hotel strategy on this trip was to use free nights and sleep on the plane so that I could splurge on a few choice nights at Aman resorts in Bali. Accordingly, I used 10,000 SPG points for a free night at the W. This also worked out well since I would be leaving the next morning at 11:20 am for Singapore on CX in F. This is the one daily flight on CX to Singapore that offers an F cabin, so I planned around this in order to take advantage of this flight. My BA points ticket included Toronto-Hong Kong-Singapore, all in First Class, all on one one-way ticket.

I would have preferred to try out the Peninsula, Mandarin or even stay again at the Intercontinental Hong Kong which is fabulous, but given the ease of the transfer to the W and the free night, it just made sense to stay at the W. I was however, delighted with the W. Upon checking in, I was thanked as an SPG Gold and even upgraded to a corner room. This was kind of special considering that in other cases, being SPG Gold counted for F-all. The W Hotel was very cooly designed as expected and the room was spacious, very comfortable, had a great view, and a very nice bathroom with an especially good shower.






The highlight of this hotel however, was certainly the pool, which was located on the 76 floor, with an expansive view of Hong Kong harbour, and was as beautiful at night as during the day. It was incredible to wake up and go for a leisurely swim there the next morning!








The hotel gym was also well equipped with an incredible view.



The W Hotel Hong Kong is a superlative hotel for an easy transit, however for touring, particularly for first time visitors, I would certainly want to stay at the Intercontinental or Peninsula in Tsim Sha Shui. Nevertheless, don't completely rule out this hotel as it has free shuttles to various convenient locations and the accommodations, pool, and service, are all excellent. And for a points stay, this was truly great value, since a paid night would cost perhaps US $350.

I reserved dinner at Kitchen, the W Hotel buffet restaurant for 8:45 pm and got there right on time after checking-in and setting myself up in my room. Kitchen was not that busy at this time on a Saturday night, but the buffet did close at 10:00 pm, so I had to get right down to business.





The Buffet had a reasonably good selection and was very nicely presented, but it certainly was not as comprehensive as other buffets such as the Intercontinental, nor did it include show-stopper cooking stations and dishes like Cafe Too.










I did nevertheless get several very good plates of some very nice and tasty dishes.







The quality of the food was all excellent and it was all nicely presented. It was fairly expensive at around $70 if I recall - $80 after two diet cokes...., plus a 10% service charge....I think that I would say that this is not a "destination buffet", in the same way as Intercontinental or Cafe Too is; i.e. it is worth going if you are already at the W Hotel, but I would certainly not go out of the way for it. The seafood selection in particular was rather disappointing, as in Hong Kong one can expect much more in terms of selection and also quality. On the whole, I would rate this buffet 7.5 out of 10 (Burj al Arab is a 10, just so you can reference the scale, and Intercontinental is a 9 out of 10).

blueline7

As I previously mentioned, I planned my itinerary around the 11:20 am First Class CX flight to Changi. Check out was a breeze and I took the pleasant ride on the airport express. The Airport Express was a 75 second walk from the lobby of the hotel! Since I had no luggage to check and already had my boarding pass, I proceeded to immigration control, where I was promptly hassled by an official for some unknown reason. He was asking me "where I got my passport", etc., and then brought over a supervisor...all very embarrassing...anyhow, the supervisor seemed amused as there was no issue at all and wished me a very pleasant flight and thanked me for coming to Hong Kong. Weird.

I did see a very interesting poster that I thought I would share:



I used my Haven lounge invitation to have breakfast. Was quite a walk there through the terminal, but at least it was near the departure gate. The Haven was very lackluster. It had a minimal breakfast spread and is really not a very special lounge, which is quite surprising for a flagship lounge for a great carrier like CX.





I certainly would not make a point of trying to visit The Haven, but for a free breakfast only 23 minutes by train from my hotel, well, it was convenient.

The flight to Singapore was aboard a 747.



Once again, the cabin was completely full, but I hardly notice and it did not affect the service in the least.





On this trip I had to be careful that I did not partake in too large an onboard lunch, as I had buffet reservations for that evening at the Fairmont in Singapore.

The starter was a pastrami plate, then I selected a fish dish, and then had a fruit plate for desert.







Unfortunatly, they do not serve caviar or even Krug on this short 3.5 hour flight.





Nevertheless, the comfort of the CX F suite was great, and I enjoyed the light meal and watching a movie.

Upon alighting from the jetbridge, I was met by a Jetquay representative who took me my buggy all through the airport on a speedy 10 minute journey, put me through an in-house customs official (which was a relief as Singapore customs can be quite strict), and by the time that was done, my luggage was ready and I my car was standing by from the Fairmont to take me to the hotel. The experience was great with the Jetquay service which Fairmont provided at a cost less than through Jetquay itself. What a way to arrive! So seemless and easy!





The 15 minute or so ride to the hotel was punctuated by the incredible avenue leading from the airport, which is lined with incredible palm trees and flowers. It was amazing to see, especially after being explained by the driver that what I was seeing was all reclaimed land. Wow!

blueline7

The entire Fairmont Singapore experience was delightful. I was fortunate to be able to use a Fairmont President's Club Free Night and Free Suite upgrade and they sure provided me with a huge and beautiful room. There was even a kitchenette and balcony, but the show-stopper was the massive, massive enclosed glass shower in the huge bathroom.











There was a very nice welcome note, snacks and fruit waiting for me as a Platinum Presidents Club member.




They had a huge, impressive, and very well-equipped gym.





However, since I was entitled to the more private club floor gym, I preferred to use that.



The club floor breakfast was outstanding. An amazing selection in nice surroundings and unsurpassed quality. A great buffet in its own right!










I think that the location of this hotel is excellent, as it is attached to a very nice high-end mall full of useful stores and opportunities for shopping. It is also connected to the convention center where my conference was located, so it was particularly convenient. I would not hesitate to stay here again. A special thank you to Fairmont for their very generous Platinum benefits!

blueline7

I reserved all of my buffets in advance via email, just in case!

I have to say, that this was the best buffet I had on this trip. For several reasons, not least amongst them was the apparent enthusiasm of the guests! Since there are only 2 seatings (one at 6 and one at 8:30), there are guests waiting to get in prior to each seating, and there is excitement present as everybody is diving in all at once! But more importantly, I got to see first-hand, some of the unique foodie enthusiasm of the guests, as whole large families were partaking with gusto and happiness.



The spread was huge, was a dramatic selection, including a massive specialty spread of Korean food, just for a promotion that they were currently having.













Many of the dishes were just delicious and would have been great a la carte even. I especially enjoyed the spicy Singapore crab and the other great seafood. They even had a schwarma spit!









The quality and breadth of selection made this a great buffet, but the environment set it apart. It was a light and airy environment full of happy people. I rate this buffet an 8.5 out of 10, and it is worth going if you are in Singapore. Plus, I even got to use a $75 credit that I received from the Platinum Presidents Club, so this buffet was not only great, but was free!

blueline7

The Intercontinental Singapore was just a short, but bloody hot walk! Singapore is always about the same temperature; hot and humid! I used IC Priority Club points for a free night, and was upgraded to a splendid deluxe room which was huge. The IC is a colonial style building with a very impressive entrance and lobby.









My check-in was remarkable, as when I walked up to the counter, the attendant greeted me by name, miraculously, as I have no idea how she knew who I was. I was then taken up to my room for check-in. There was a very nice IC Royal Ambassador welcome letter, gift, and fruit plate waiting for me in my room

The location of this hotel is very special as it is next door to a kind of pedestrian mall full of shops and a kind of quasi market called Bugis Street.









It was also near the Hop on Hop off bus stop which I used to tour the City. It was also within a couple of blocks from a great Hawker foodstall-food court!

Due to prior buffet commitments I was unable to partake of the IC buffet, but I did have the chance to visit it, and it looked very impressive and I would want to try it next time for sure!










The gym was decent and the pool was very nice as well.





I would highly recommend this hotel and would look forward to staying here again.

blueline7

I arrived early for my buffet reservation after a day of conferencing and sightseeing. The hotel is not much to look at from the outside and is rather imposing once you get inside, with a very dark and staid impression.





The buffet itself was very good, with the seafood and the sushi the most impressive aspect. Other than the great seafood and sushi however, the other dishes were a bit lackluster, except for the deserts which were very impressive.




























Service was extremely attentive, if a bit overbearing, but the waiter kindly gave me a 15% discount for being an Amex cardholder, which was nice and unexpected. The cost was about $85 if I recall. Although it was great to have lobster, it was a tad dry and tasteless, but the oysters, shrimp, and sushi were great. It is worth going here just for the seafood and sushi, as the other dishes were of no particular attraction, and some were even a tad strange in an effort to cater to 'all foreign tastes', including hillbillie apparently from the odd assortment of American dishes...

This was the closest to a "Hong Kong style seafood buffet' that I found in Singapore, but it was so dark in the restaurant and so formal, that it really wasn't that great an environment, and I wished there were some great Singaporean style dishes included as well. I would give this a 8 out of 10.

blueline7

This was another Free Night using Hilton Hhonors points. I had intended on using these points at the Conrad in HIK, but that didn't work out since they started a system upgrade which left no availability for when I wanted to go. It has since been corrected but too late for this trip.

The Conrad was in a different locale from the IC and Fairmont, which was nice as well, but a little detached from where one would want to be located for touring. The room was a standard room and was very nicely appointed.





The hotel lobby was also nice:




It was nice to see that even a Silver member was recognized, which I did not at all expect.




There was a very nice pool and decent gym as well.





The breakfast buffet was very extensive and good, although expensive at $40 as expected for a hotel breakfast. Still, the upgrade to the club floor with club breakfast but same room quality, was $40 as well, so better go for the full buffet for the same price...














This was a good hotel and nothing at all to complain about but I would probably prefer staying at the IC or Fiarmont only due to the location which was not bad, just not ideal for a tourist.

blueline7

OK, so lets cut to the chase. the Ritz-Carlton's buffet at "The Greenhouse", was the most disappointing. I should have probably clued in because they promoted this particular night of the week as "Oyster Night", when other hotel buffets as aforementioned, all had oysters every night of the week....making this special night rather un-special, in context.

The restaurant itself was rather uninspiring in its decor, aside from an amazing piece of Dale Chihuly glass sculpture which you can see in green glass high up on the wall at the back of the restaurant in the picture below.



The vibe was of a hotel restaurant rather than an exciting buffet feast. Many of the guests appeared to be regular hotel guests rather than buffet guests. I was also particularl disappointed with the selection of dishes. Although there were many, I was hard pressed to find any, other than sushi, that were particularly attractive.











The oysters were good however, and I managed to put a few decent plates together, but surprisingly I decided to leave unsatisfied, as the dishes, aside from the sushi and oysters, just were not tasty or attractive enough to indulge in. As a general example, many buffets seem to think that increasing the dish count by including strange salad combinations, such as potato cubes in mayonnaise, with shredded carrots, dried cranberries, green peas, and walnuts. I mean, who wants that? Who is looking forward to trying that? And why include another 20 similarly strange and disgusting dishes that nobody is demanding? It is just a cheap and relatively effortless way of bulking up the offerings....







The dishes here, aside from the seafood (oysters really, as the other stuff was not that great)were simply uninspiring, but not for lack of selection. There was plenty of it, just not anything that anybody would want. I felt like the hotel was just "going through the motions" and had ceased trying to make this a show-stopping wonderful buffet, but merely was "providing a buffet" for the hotel guests. They basically dumped whatever they could muster onto tables and called it a buffet, which it was; but by definition only. It was also rather dreary in there with the feel of a 24-hour hotel lobby restaurant. I would definitely pass on this buffet if ever in Singapore again, and it was one of the more expensive ones as well. Other buffets had oysters, but did not stop there; they also had great other dishes. I would rate this a 6.5 out of 10.

blueline7

Anybody who has read about Singapore has heard of the "hawker foodstalls" that exist in abundance and which are located in centralized "food courts" which are generally free-standing "markets". The difficulty for me, as you can imagine, was trying out these hawker food stalls for lunch, without ruining my appetite for dinner.





Each of these food courts counts dozens of independently owned and operated stalls which offer a very wide variety of asian food, consisting mainly of plates that include 3 choices, such as a meat, a vegetable, and a noodle or rice. The hawker center that I visited was a couple blocks away from the Intercontinental hotel and was adjacent to Bugis street.





The dishes were simple but very, very tasty! And they cost about US $2.00 each!




What was also remarkable about these places, is that they were full of patrons ranging in all ages, from grannies eating chicken and rice, to toddlers sharing soup with fish balls and noodles with their mother. And even more interesting, was the great gusto that the patrons showed for the food! I witnessed many ancient grannies chowing down on noodles with the enthusiasm of a teenager!







Accordingly, these Hawker food courts are a must-do for Singapore, and in fact I would dedicate all lunches to them while in Singapore, if not dinners and late night snacks as well. My only regret is that I did not have the opportunity to try more of them!

As previously mentioned, I used the Hop-on-Hop-off bus for touring. I originally discovered these buses while in Dubai, and they proved to be ideal for comprehensive and efficient touring of the major sites. At about $20 with buses visiting some 20+ stops at all major attractions every 25 minutes, it is just a fabulous way of seeing a city. There was an indoor air conditioned portion of the bus on the lower level, and an open-air upper level.







The bus took me through the Chinatown, Indian area, by several mosques, colonial government buildings, typical Singaporean "shophouses" (which are stores where people live above in beautiful pastel colours), the national library, the Raffles hotel, and even to the Marina Bay Sands hotel and casino integrated resort complex.

















I felt that I got an overall feel for Singapore generally through the tour, at least the external touristy part. I did however feel that although there were numerous tourist spots and sites, really this was a somewhat familiar feeling city with little in the way of the exotic or particularly interesting. I therefore do not feel a long stay in Singapore would be justified from a touring perspective, and although it has a lot to offer as a city, as a tourist destination it is somewhat limited.

The Marina Bay Sands hotel and casino however, is a site to behold. This $5 billion+ complex is a true architectural marvel. The shops inside are beautiful and very high end. The casino itself was nicely done and far superior to the Macau ones in terms of environment, excitement, and quality of players and games. Interestingly, Singaporeans must pay $75 to enter, while foreign passport holders are allowed to enter for free. This is ostensibly to discourage Singaporeans from gambling.

I did go out of my way to try the Singaporean subway system, which was easy to navigate, and connected through a vast underground mall as well, which one would never have any clue existed unless one took the subway. There is an entire underground city with countless shops and restaurants, full of people, under the City! I did however find it disappointing that although there was a Marina Bay Sands subway stop, once I alighted it was a bloody far and humid walk to the actual casino, hotel and convention center.

One should also note that the taxi cab situation at the Marina Bay Sands is comical. From the early evening, there are queues for taxis outside of the hotel and casino which can stretch as far as the eye can see. These line-ups are massive and dwarf even the line-ups for taxis in Vegas. One can easily wait in the humidity for 45 minutes just for a taxi back to one's hotel. There is just such a massive influx of people both from the hotel, and from conventions and other tourists, that despite a constant stream of taxis, the wait is prolonged and frustrating, so be prepared to be shocked when you see the line-ups!

Overall I am very glad that I had the opportunity to see Singapore and enjoyed my time there immensely. I would however, as aforesaid, make this a fairly short 2 day trip, which I think is sufficient, prior to moving onto other more exciting, exotic, or vibrant locales, such as Thailand, Hong Kong or Bali.

blueline7

As previously mentioned, I tried out the Jetquay arrival service offered by the Fairmont at a discounted rate which included a great car ride to the hotel. For my departure to Denpasar (Bali), I actually got the Jetquay departure service included with my Garuda Executive class flight. All Executive class passengers departing Changi are entitled to this service as per a note on the Garuda website which I was fortunate to find!

I took a regular taxi from the Conrad to the CIP (Commercially Important Person - LOL) terminal, and the taxi driver was as thrilled to be taking a CIP as I was to be taken there. Since my flight was at 9 am, I departed the hotel early at about 7:15 am after my buffet breakfast as aforesaid.



Upon passing through the security gate and check point, I was met at the doorstep where my passport, luggage, and ticket were all taken and processed while I relaxed at one of their computer rooms and made some Ringcentral Wifi calls to clients. I was then taken via buggy for about a 15 minute journey to my departing gate which was at the farthest possible point away from the CIP Terminal. I arrived at the exact right to to board, and got a good tour of the airport along the way. The driver even offered to stop and wait while I shopped, but I declined as there was nothing I had not seen before, although the new terminal was very nice.

As it turned out, the Garuda flight, which I paid cash for since I had no access to use points, was the only empty cabin that I experienced on this trip. I had the entire forward Executive class cabin aboard the new 737-800 to myself.





The economy section was fully packed with passengers however. The reason that I took Garuda was that it had the best departure time (of 9 am), enabling me to arrive at around 11:30 in Denpasar, and then taking the 1 hour or so drive to Amandari, thereby taking advantage of the entire day. Other flights that were available on SQ with points, were evening flights and therefore were no good since I would lose a whole day at Amandari and just be paying for the night. Also, SQ morning flights were exorbitant; well over $1,000 for a one-way business class ticket, which was ridiculous, especially considering that discount airlines such as Air Asia were offering flights for about $100 one-way. So, once again SQ confounded me although I had really hoped to at least try out their business class. It was really hard for me to decide to pay and take Garuda which was considerably more than the discount carriers, but once I saw the the Jetquay service was included, it made it more feasible, and furthermore, I did not want to arrive in Bali frazzled by a cramped discount flight. That being said, I think that the discount flights are great value and would seriously consider taking one of them next time, as the price is just so low and it is a short enough flight to make it practical.

The Executive Class hostess was very gracious and attentive, although it was apparent that although she was trying very hard to please, she was fairly new. This was actually refreshing and I enjoyed this flight immensely. A light lunch was served, and I chose a chicken and noodle dish which was satisfactory. A nice touch was some very tasty dim sum which was served as a surprise prior to landing.







Remarkably, although there was a wide variety of on demand movies and TV shows, I did not see any "Hollywood" selections, so instead I just watched shows on my Ipad.

Upon arrival, I was met after alighting from the Jetbridge, by a private arrival service representative contracted by Amandari, who guided me effortlessly through all the various immigration and security queues in a somewhat chaotic environment. This was an invaluable service and saved a lot of time and a big headache upon arrival. The airport was very, very busy, and being able to jump just about every queue was a god-send. The arrival service is included by Aman, and makes selecting Aman a very good choice, although I understand some arrival services are available for the general public as well. Arrival service in Bali is a must in my opinion.

The arrival service representative assisted me in collecting my luggage, and then passed me along to a white clad Amandari employee who greeted me and assisted me in the rest of the way to the waiting Amandari vehicle. The vehicle was not a luxury vehicle, but was a comfortable and clean mini van, and I was offered a cold cloth, a cold bottle of water, and some peanut snacks for the hour or so drive to Amandari, which is located in Ubud, to the north of the airport. The extremely pleasant and efficient arrival made me feel welcome and extraordinarily well taken care of, and the pleasant drive with a very helpful driver who explained many things about Bali along the way, was an extraordinary way to arrive. It was an appropriate introduction to Aman Resorts.

blueline7

Okay, so what is the story with Aman? I had heard about Aman, knew that they were very exclusive and expensive, but could not understand why there was a phenomenon called an "Aman Junkie", i.e. someone who just cannot get enough Aman...What was all the fuss about? Are they so good? What about how I had read that Amandari had dated decor, or that it was a second-rate Aman compared to Amankila? Would I be thoroughly pissed off having paid for Aman and found myself living in some sort of minimalist treehouse in the jungle? Was this an "acquired taste" for people wanting understated elegance rather than luxury? Would I just be too pedestrian for an Aman resort? How did Aman compare to other luxury properties? Could I possibly become an Amanjunkie? Would I sense the "spirit or Aman" as others claim to have? These were my questions prior to booking Aman....And I got answers to all of these questions and more. I cracked the Aman code, and figured out what is going on here....and I intend to expose it to the world and to FT, right now.....

I was fortunate to become aware of DavidO, an avid FT participant who has carved out a niche for himself, amongst other things, in booking FT'ers into Aman Resort properties in Bali. As it turned out, this was a very wise decision, as DavidO's service was superlative from the moment that I contacted him, replying nearly instantaneously, and managing my booking with finesse and professionalism throughout. Moreover, as a Virtuoso travel agent and one which is apparently particularly respected by Aman, he was able to provide me with some great Virtuoso benefits and upgrades, including fantastic and valuable upgrades.

So, where does one begin? Perhaps at the outset I should establish that there are in fact, as it turns out, some places that one simply cannot adequately describe in words or pictures. Absent are the sounds, the smells, the temperature, and the interactions with people and the environment. But most importantly, some places, such as Amandari, do in fact have a spirit, or vibe, that is unique and palatable and which cannot be adequately conveyed. That is perhaps one reason why I had been unable to discern, no matter how much I researched, what exactly made Amandari supposedly such a special and desirable place, and this is also the reason why I too will be unsuccessful in conveying precisely what makes Amandari one of the most special, idyllic, and luxurious (in the truest sense) places in the world.

Adding to the anticipation and perhaps trepidation, was that the drive and even the street leading up to the entrance of Amandari, did not herald in the most minuscule way, what was beyond the gates. In fact, one could accurately say that Amandari is hiding in plain site, along an unremarkable and typical Balinese streetscape.



One would have no clue that beyond the simple and unassuming entrance way on an unattractive street, lies a paradise of ancient looking but well preserved pavilions amid a tropical forest, lush with greenery and exotic flowers, attended to by gentle and professional guides who know better than you what you want and how you want it. Now, Amandari is only some 23 years old, yet the look of the landscaping and architecture evokes a rediscovered jungle palace equipped with all the modern amenities, and the thought lingers that perhaps this place was put here just for you. The air is filled with the sound of the jungle, and air is incensed, there are orchids randomly fallen over the pathways, the seclusion is complete yet not dire. It is something to behold. One cannot help but wonder what inspired someone to create this, as it is must be man-made despite all the hallmarks of a divine and other-worldly creation. Who was it that conceived of this unique place? How did they arrive at the details that make this place so unique? How could they know in advance that this would work this way? These questions remain unanswered, but one rather not know, and keep the allure and riddle of Amandari present in one's experiences there.

OK, no for some pictures of the environment, which I insert hesitatingly, as I know that they do not fully do this place justice.





















Now, for the villas, or pavilions. I had read reports that they were "outdated" and utilitarian. This is rubbish. They are beautiful, contemporary, inspirational, and luxurious. I had a private pool suite and a two-story villa, which was secluded behind the ancient-looking high walls of Amandari. The entranceway is off of the network of pathways seemingly hewed through the tropical jungle which boasts gorgeous tropical flowers throughout.

blueline7

There was an amazing basket of tropical fruit, some of which I had never seen, and all were delicious and exotic. There was a welcome note, two sarongs for wearing, particularly to cultural events in nearb villages and Ubud, a great outdoor bathtub complete with bath salts and other amenities, plentiful towels and robes, a bose sound system, 24 hour room service from an extensive and awesome menu, an upstairs bedroom, and a downstairs day bed or "bale" (pronounced I believe, "bal-aye"). It was ever so comfortable, and on the first day I enjoyed the private dining for lunch near my pool. I had delicious nasi ogreng, a stirfried rice dish with shrimp, chicken, egg, and hot samba olek. It was the best I had ever had. And throught my stay at Amandari and Amankila, I was uniformly surprised by how fast they delivered the orders and how they got the order right, even down to details, every time. Furthermore, it was the best food I had ever had.



For dinner, I also had the private dining, with a tasty satay plate, french dries, and banana fritters. Whoa what a great meal. This was NOT hotel food by any means. This was inspired and experienced cooking for people who loved food.









I was sad to leave Amandari, as I was only there for 24 hours before departing to Amankila as part of a "3 day Bali Break" which includes transfer between the two resorts, one activity, and breakfasts.

Prior to leaving however, I went into Ubud, which is a massive, massive, assortment of shops lining seaming-less endless streets, selling all manner of handicrafts, and interspersed with an innumerable number of temples and shrines. I even made it to the sacred monkey park which was a hoot.









I even had a Starbucks coffee, but the backyard of this Starbucks was like no other.....



Lastly, I had a good lunch of my favorite Bami Goreng at a local Ubud restaurant which as extremely cheap and was recommended by the Amandari literature left in the villa for me.



Throughout Amandari and Ubud, there are small offerings of flowers and incense left outside shops, homes, and temples, for good luck. These are beautiful to see and a constant reminder of the faithful Hindu that live here.



The drive to Amankila was fantastic. I got a great tour of the rice terraces, the mountains, the lake, and rustic Balinese villages, together with a knowledgeable and authentic narrative from the excellent driver. The rice terraces in particular, were breathtaking...









The fruitstands were outstanding.




I even got to see a small Balinese coffee plantation where they sold home grown and roasted coffee, including an expensive variety which is produced by creatures which eat the coffee beans, digest them, and then excrete them....No thanks!

blueline7

OK, so Amandari was a great introduction to Aman Resorts, but since I only spent 24 hours there, my report of Amankila will enable me to better describe the service and other elements of Aman.

After an easy and pleasant 2 hour scenic drive with stops along the way, we arrive at the Amankila security gate, and are quickly passed through onto the Amankila grounds.



Amankila is in eastern Bali and is set on a hill along the ocean. It consists of thirty-some (an Amanjunkie will likely fill us in on the exact number...lol), connected by gorgeous marble-like staircases, set against a lush hill, and has pathways down to a "beach club" next to the ocean, which consists of another large pool, pavillion, and bale beach huts. To get around, a buggy is available at a moment's notice by telephone or a request to any staff person. Check in consists really of a warm welcome by several young Balinese girls, who present a flower garland, and an equally warm and gracious welcome by other staff and managers. After taking one's passport for a copy, one is then led on a personal tour of the resort, and then to one's villa. There is no more formal check-in or other unseemly procedures.

















One is quickly conveyed the impression that having entered Amankila, you were now under their steady and extraordinary care. It is important to note that many of the staff you will encounter have been with Amankila, or Amandari, as the case may be, for many years. When I say many, I mean many. I met several people who had been with the resorts basically since they opened 21 and 23 years ago respectively. It is this continuity and experience which allows them to be fully aware of your needs and to know precisely how to offer Aman service. There is no falsetto "Welcome to Aman". The welcome is in the eyes, not just in the words. The people are truly happy that you are there, not just because it provides them employment, which they are grateful for too, but they are sincerely proud of the resort and the services that they are fortunate to be able to provide. There is something similar to a "pride of ownership" present that makes all dealings with staff an extraordinarily pleasant experience. For example, I often loathe being greeted a dozen times by staffers at most hotels, as I am well aware that this is a trained formality, and that there is little if any authenticity in such superfluous welcomes. I cringe at them and rather avoid eye contact. Here however, every hello or smile appears to be genuine, and each person appears to be an individual who is good at their job, proud of their place, happy to be there, and happy that they are able to enable you to enjoy yourself. Working 23 years at one of the premier resorts in the world means something; it allows the highest possible level of sensitivity and service, and also shows that people value their job there for a good reason.

To put this level of service in context, let me take a stab at setting out the various levels of service quality within the hotel industry:

1. The place is a hellhole and the management and staff don't care or are unable to do anything about it. It is not worth complaining as there is no chance of improvement and you will never go there again anyhow. This is a one star or no star hotel.

2. The place is crap, and you need to complain to get the basic level of service and amenities just in order to get through the experience. You won't go again, but demand at least what you paid for. This is a 2 star hotel.

3. The place is fine, you get what you paid for, it doesn't over-promise or over deliver, you need to request or complaint to get some missing items or to have things done the way you want or need. You would hope to not have to go there again, but it was more or less what was expected and is satisfactory. This is a 3 star hotel.

4. The place is good, as it tries to provide a good guest experience and does. It has several additional amenities to make the stay pleasant and the staff try to do their jobs well. This is a four star hotel.

5. The place is impressive, as it accomplishes an excellent guest experience with sophisticated management and well trained staff, with a well cared for and beautiful facility, with many nice touches and polished service. It is everything that you would expect from a five star hotel.

6. Then there is Aman. Aman provides a guest experience, physical surroundings, facilities, amenities, and guest service that is not what you would expect, as they have been doing this for so long and so well, that they know better than you what would make you happy. One could not expect the innumerable amenities which they have conceived of and made available to you, as one doesn't have the experience that they do, and as such they have put a lot of thought into little things and aspects that set them apart. The surroundings are second to none, and are conceived by people who are truly inspired and have striven to create a special place, not just a great hotel or resort. Once the admission fee is paid, you are the king of the castle, with every whim cared for and respected. The staff are uniformly dedicated, and anticipate that guests will have requests and special preferences, and will bend like a reed to accommodate. There are no rules that are designed to assist management; the rule is to assist guests.

If there is one single theme that I can identify, it is "Deyenu". The word "Dayenu" means approximately, "it would have been enough for us", "it would have been sufficient", or "it would have sufficed", and is the name of a song sung at Passover, about being grateful to God for all of the gifts he gave and had God only given one of the gifts, it would have still been enough. This is to show much greater appreciation for all of them as a whole. What I am trying to say here, is that in all aspects of the Aman experience, one encounters things that "they did not need to do - it would have been just great even without these things, but having done these things, they surpassed even what one would have expected and hoped for...they went beyond....".

Let me try to illustrate with some examples, but there were far to many to itemize here...One can, as I did, literally tour the villa making a massive list of amenities "that they did not need to provide as it would have been fabulous otherwise, but did"...;

So here is a short list, in no particular order:

1. Tea served with pastries at 4 pm by local Balinese ladies near the pool, along with Balinese girls creating flower bracelets for guests.




2. Suntan lotion in custom ceramic bottles (like all their toiletries), in two different SPF's, set along a small table near your private pool, together with a jug of cold water and two clean glasses, all the time.




3. A personalized note at your bedside welcoming you, and inviting you to a free yoga class the next morning, together with two complimentary batik sarongs to wear, particularly if you decide to go to a Balinese cultural festival.




4. Complimentary vegetable chips and mini chocolate chip cookies atop the minibar, and a complimentary massive fruit plate filled with exotic fruit meant for eating, but also with a pictured guidebook explaining each of the fruits.






5. Great quality umbrellas sitting at the ready, just in case it rains.



6. Tongs that match the decor. Bamboo Fans set atop a table near the outdoor daybeds. Orchids decorating everything from the desk to the toilet paper rolls. The Bose sound system's remote control is even adorned in a bamboo cover. A wicker bag to take your stuff to the beach. In the gym, wireless headsets, and even a sterilizer which they use to sterilize the foam covers for the headsets. The hair dryer is in a drawer, but is rested on a bamboo mat within the drawer. There are sculptures, potted plants, and tapestries adorning walls and walkways throughout, where anyone else would have left things as is, and it still would have been beautiful. There are many universal electrical outlets for guests in convenient spots, so that no one needs be hassled looking for an available one. There is an ice container kept full in one's villa. There are wicker notepads. There is a good quality lufa together with beautiful full size toiletries.











7. They ask you at the beginning if you have any allergies or preferences, and then all the restaurant staff addresses you by name every time upon entering the restaurant and throughout your stay, and there is no need to ever repeat what your preferences are, as they already know. The chef comes out to introduce himself and tell you he is there to rustle up and prepare anything you want. Even though the gym is only opened at 7, the staff will take you there and open it for you any time you want, no problem, no question. The artificial sweetner is a healthy organic one, not Equal or Splenda, because these discerning guests want that...When you order coffee, they don't even ask to bring you warm milk alongside in a small container, they just do it of course. When you order room service, it is lightening fast, and they get the order exactly right every time. Don't be surprised if at dinner they bring you a little treat unexpectedly, or make your dish with a little something extra special. CONTINUED IN NEXT POST.