paul2

Thanks Groombridge,that's a great summary of how to do Aman Bhutan!

It's also great to hear that the spa at Amanruya is going ahead.
Amanruya will work wonderfully with the two FS in Istanbul at least until we get an Aman there!

Kagehitokiri

amanjunkies - do you interact with front desk at all? who do you talk to when there is some kind of problem? including when GM is not there.

vuittonsofstyle

If you are a regular at a particular Aman then you get to know various people and you talk to them. If it's a new Aman then there is invariably someone you know on the opening team from another Aman, and you talk to them.

There is rarely a real front desk as such. Normally you just have to wander into the reception area for someone to find you and help. Or you phone from your suite. Don't forget, these are very small, intimate places.

Kagehitokiri

should have put "front desk" in quotes - context is reports (even from amanjunkies) of problems at "reception area"

Ericka

Just recently at Amanjena, we had regular contact with 5 or 6 management level people. They each officially managed one aspect of the resort but they jumped in where needed. The night we had room trouble, there were 3+ managers actively engaged.

Even at the properties we've stayed at where the GM was out of town the whole time, there was always a main point of contact we had met and interacted with that could help.

paul2

I agree with Vuittons as I never really think of 'front desk' when i'm at an Aman.
I learned years ago when visiting the newly opened Amanpuri with my parents that they run things differently so you don't go down to 'reception/front desk' to sort or arrange something.

I have rarely had a problem which has not been solved by a quick call or a mention to a mid or senior staff member,I would avoid a junior staff member if it's a significant problem. I have had quite a few occasions when the GM is away and I was made aware of this on arrival,usually told 'but X will look after you and Y is here too'.

The only exception being once in Amankila and that I put down to the awful manager who was there at the time.He served as GM for a short time and has never been employed by them since.

So,unless the particular resort is going through a 'bad GM' period,a quick call should sort your problem out.

Musken

Have never really experienced any big problems at any Aman. Normally we make contact with GM before arrival and a couple of senior management when we are there, who pro-actively contact us to make sure everything is according to our wishes during our stay. If there are minor issues, I love the fact that whoever we talk to about it, it is solved, never a "you have to talk to/this is another department or whatever". We have experienced some language problems or misunderstanding when emailing to "recpetion" or whatever I should call them, before arrival, but when there, we have always been taken well care of no matter who we have been asking. Mostly we have not had to ask at all. They seem to have a way of just knowing what we would like.

paul2

As there are so many Aman related queries going around,I'm going to answer some of them that I can here.

Yes,there is a huge hotel (The Mulia) being built next door to Amanusa and noise is a problem. Amanresorts are working at making their guests stay more comfortable and some suites have been closed off.More information will follow from Amanusa shortly.Also,the deluxe suites at Amanusa are not all ocean view,many have a shady golf course view...this is on their website so don't expect an ocean view!

I have written confirmation from Amanresorts that #37 at Amankila has been very recently renovated and is in great condition.
It is 60 sq,metres in size but if you require a larger suite there is the option of the Indrakila suite and the huge space that is the Amankila suite.

Gabriel the new manager at the soon to soft open Amanruya is new to Amanresorts but Lucas the F&B manager was at Amankila for a while and the chef Christian has come from Amandari.
I wonder who will be there first?

JiangsuLu2002

Thanks for this information. If Christian is the new chef at Amanruya that is even more motivation for me to plan a trip there as soon as possible.

LarkSFO

Christian and Sally (Amansara I think) both leave within a couple of months of each other?

Bitterroot

Is Sally leaving Amandari already? She just got there (relatively speaking)!

FlyerEC

It seems like Sally has a special role : she is often at an opening property or " filling in " e.g. for Tracy when she was on maternity leave so that we can enjoy the seamless Aman experience

namaguide

Sally is so adorable. We will miss her at Amandari but we should all go and see her at Amansara from July.

Bitterroot

So I gather, both from this board, and from talking to her. Still, as namaguide says, I'll miss having tea with her at 'dari -- she's a hoot.

paul2

I agree with you all about Sally Baughen,I liked her from the first time I met her.I'm not surprised she has this roving post which is similiar to Livio's post IMHO.
I would need to find another forum to regale you with the laughs we had on a number of occasions. I keep missing her on our most recent trips to that region...or maybe she's avoiding me!