Aman Tokyo - Trip Report
May 10, 2015, 5:11 am
#76
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: La Jolla, California
Programs: KrisFlyer Gold, SWA CP
Posts: 1,123
Just finishing my first few hours here. Hard product is terrific. I mean jaw dropping good. I had *very* low expectations for the soft product given the reviews here. I'm not happy to say that they have failed to meet my low expectations. 'Pulo this is not ...
May 10, 2015, 7:49 am
#77
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,424
May 11, 2015, 7:46 am
#78
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 105
Can you give a few more details about your disappointment regarding your disappointing experience about the soft product at aman Tokyo? I'm double surprised because usually aman is always doing it so well and it's not hard at all to find perfect staff in Japan... did you meet the gm Jeffrey? I really really hope aman will do not change the identity of the fabulous brand Adrian zecha has invested his whole life to build. I don't want aman will become just an other luxury brand cause, until now, it was far beyond this...
May 11, 2015, 7:49 am
#79
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Here there and everywhere
Posts: 6,303
Spot on
May 11, 2015, 9:07 am
#81
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 105
May 11, 2015, 9:32 am
#82
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
tokyo GM (hired by new owners of aman) >
i heard sue reitz departed as tokyo GM for personal reasons
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxur...l#post23033870
lots of ex aman in australia
playa grande GM (hired by new owners of aman) >
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxur...l#post24772637
5 years 'hip' miami hotels
8 years RC
giri GM (hired right before sale of aman closed?) >
2006-2014 dorchester
1997-2006 RC
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxur...l#post23033870
lots of ex aman in australia
playa grande GM (hired by new owners of aman) >
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxur...l#post24772637
5 years 'hip' miami hotels
8 years RC
giri GM (hired right before sale of aman closed?) >
2006-2014 dorchester
1997-2006 RC
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; May 11, 2015 at 11:45 am
May 11, 2015, 11:41 am
#83
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,051
For several years in the early 2000s, Mr. Seward was in charge of the very forgettable and uninspiring Ritz Carlton Seoul.
to RodHK: I met the man, thought he was a decent GM - friendly, attentive, etc. Thought we could have a close Aman GM relationship or friendship like others had with their GMs at other properties. We also have some personal similarities from time in Seoul, spouses, etc but that all went out the window.
Unimpressed with his dismissive, casual behavior after my botched spa treatment. I expected an Aman GM to try to make it right and not laugh it off as a casual blip. Soft opening or not, the spa should be doing their best work right off the bat. It made his previous gestures at dinner and through email seem very hollow and insincere. The spa director is also ex- of many Tokyo 5* luxury hotels and that got alarm bells ringing too.
Their facilities and hard product are out of this world great but the staff and management need to look at themselves in the mirror.
May 11, 2015, 11:52 am
#84
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
spa director >
opened aman tokyo
(MO singapore)
MO tokyo director
(opened fairmont beijing)
MO tokyo director (step up)
conrad tokyo manager (step up)
GH tokyo assistant manager
staff >
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxur...l#post23793006
plus >
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/hiroshi...?trk=pub-pbmap
assistant front office manager since apr 2014, 4 years st regis, 4 years hyatt
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; May 14, 2015 at 1:18 pm
May 11, 2015, 11:59 am
#85
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 105
Check.
For several years in the early 2000s, Mr. Seward was in charge of the very forgettable and uninspiring Ritz Carlton Seoul.
to RodHK: I met the man, thought he was a decent GM - friendly, attentive, etc. Thought we could have a close Aman GM relationship or friendship like others had with their GMs at other properties. We also have some personal similarities from time in Seoul, spouses, etc but that all went out the window.
Unimpressed with his dismissive, casual behavior after my botched spa treatment. I expected an Aman GM to try to make it right and not laugh it off as a casual blip. Soft opening or not, the spa should be doing their best work right off the bat. It made his previous gestures at dinner and through email seem very hollow and insincere. The spa director is also ex- of many Tokyo 5* luxury hotels and that got alarm bells ringing too.
Their facilities and hard product are out of this world great but the staff and management
need to look at themselves in the mirror.
For several years in the early 2000s, Mr. Seward was in charge of the very forgettable and uninspiring Ritz Carlton Seoul.
to RodHK: I met the man, thought he was a decent GM - friendly, attentive, etc. Thought we could have a close Aman GM relationship or friendship like others had with their GMs at other properties. We also have some personal similarities from time in Seoul, spouses, etc but that all went out the window.
Unimpressed with his dismissive, casual behavior after my botched spa treatment. I expected an Aman GM to try to make it right and not laugh it off as a casual blip. Soft opening or not, the spa should be doing their best work right off the bat. It made his previous gestures at dinner and through email seem very hollow and insincere. The spa director is also ex- of many Tokyo 5* luxury hotels and that got alarm bells ringing too.
Their facilities and hard product are out of this world great but the staff and management
need to look at themselves in the mirror.
Not having it is undoubtely very frustrating and I sincerely don't understand why Aman is taking the wrong direction for their development. Are they trying to push away all the Amanjunkies with new GMs with no great and genuine personnality, not very implicated in the guests happiness...?? If yes this is extremely disappointed and, in that case, I'll explore the world harder to find new luxury properties offering what Aman has been able to offer when Adrian was still at the head of the group.
I didnt know Mr Seward was at RC Seoul which has never been, for my point of view, a real five stars... Very surprised he's now GM of the newest Aman and the first urban property of Aman (if we don't consider Aman Summer Palace, Amanfayun, Aman Grande Canal, Amandayan... being urban properties).
May 11, 2015, 11:35 pm
#86
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
Sadly these reviews more or less confirm my original suspicion that this would be more of an Aman lite, basically a glorified Tokyo hotel at the top of an office building. It is worth something of a premium for its hard product, but I would not always be willing to pay a large premium for it over its nearest competition.
If the rate difference is $200~ or so, that buys a delicious dinner for one (or sometimes even for two) every night.
If the rate difference is $200~ or so, that buys a delicious dinner for one (or sometimes even for two) every night.
May 12, 2015, 4:30 am
#87
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: La Jolla, California
Programs: KrisFlyer Gold, SWA CP
Posts: 1,123
Just chased out the maids again this morning. That was the third time .... Oh man ... Maid is here again for turndown. This is the fourth time they have gotten in the way ....
And wearing my shoes in the room. I think that's wrong. I'm having a terrible time figuring out where I'm allowed to keep my shoes on and where I need to take them off. One attendant told me I had to take my shoes off to go into the gym. I must have misunderstood (?). I use shoes when I run on the treadmill. Is that OK in Japan?
May 12, 2015, 5:55 am
#88
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Atlanta and the Big Island, Hawaii
Programs: DL Diamond, SPG Gold. I share these affiliations so that you can ask me questions about the programs
Posts: 812
Shouldn't have posted. Jeffrey is reading this forum. He is a decent guy. I'll comment in full next week after I have left. Until then I need to shut up.
Just chased out the maids again this morning. That was the third time .... Oh man ... Maid is here again for turndown. This is the fourth time they have gotten in the way ....
And wearing my shoes in the room. I think that's wrong. I'm having a terrible time figuring out where I'm allowed to keep my shoes on and where I need to take them off. One attendant told me I had to take my shoes off to go into the gym. I must have misunderstood (?). I use shoes when I run on the treadmill. Is that OK in Japan?
Just chased out the maids again this morning. That was the third time .... Oh man ... Maid is here again for turndown. This is the fourth time they have gotten in the way ....
And wearing my shoes in the room. I think that's wrong. I'm having a terrible time figuring out where I'm allowed to keep my shoes on and where I need to take them off. One attendant told me I had to take my shoes off to go into the gym. I must have misunderstood (?). I use shoes when I run on the treadmill. Is that OK in Japan?
May 12, 2015, 7:58 am
#89
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 105
Shouldn't have posted. Jeffrey is reading this forum. He is a decent guy. I'll comment in full next week after I have left. Until then I need to shut up.
Just chased out the maids again this morning. That was the third time .... Oh man ... Maid is here again for turndown. This is the fourth time they have gotten in the way ....
And wearing my shoes in the room. I think that's wrong. I'm having a terrible time figuring out where I'm allowed to keep my shoes on and where I need to take them off. One attendant told me I had to take my shoes off to go into the gym. I must have misunderstood (?). I use shoes when I run on the treadmill. Is that OK in Japan?
Just chased out the maids again this morning. That was the third time .... Oh man ... Maid is here again for turndown. This is the fourth time they have gotten in the way ....
And wearing my shoes in the room. I think that's wrong. I'm having a terrible time figuring out where I'm allowed to keep my shoes on and where I need to take them off. One attendant told me I had to take my shoes off to go into the gym. I must have misunderstood (?). I use shoes when I run on the treadmill. Is that OK in Japan?
May 12, 2015, 5:43 pm
#90
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: UA 1K, AA Plat Pro, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,048
Well I am checking-in on Saturday so hopefully the maid issues are sorted out by then!
I will say that dealing with the concierge via email so far has been much better than the hotel I had previously booked.
I will say that dealing with the concierge via email so far has been much better than the hotel I had previously booked.