Kagehitokiri

moved

LM225

According to this Tweet from GG, Olivia, GM of Grand Canal Venice, is leaving.

And according to this most recent review of Amankila on TripAdvisor, it sounds like Claudia will be replacing her.

We're headed to Kila at the end of next month. Anyone know if/when this is actually happening, and/or who the new Kila GM will be?

chinmoylad

I'm curious too.

How long will you be there for? I'll be there April 9.

LM225

Four nights at the very end of April/beginning of May (mistakenly said "end of next month" thinking March was already upon us...wishful thinking ), after a few nights at the Chedi Club. Enjoy! I hope you'll let me/us know what the situation there looks like.

vuittonsofstyle

Claudia Schwarze of Amankila will replace Olivia Richli at Aman Canal Grande. No news as yet as to who will replace Claudia at Kila.

Allegedly, Olivia's contract was not renewed by the new management.

firstclasslad

Aman newbie here! We are staying 6 nights in Bali and plan on staying at each resort (Standard category) for 2 nights, however, as we prefer the beach and Amankila looks the most impressive, we are now considering 3 nights in Amanusa and Amankila. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you

georgieasnick

That is too bad. Olivia made stays at Amans really special. I think the real concern probably is that Aman Resorts is now part of BIG CAPITAL. What made Amans fun was that they were not so corporate feeling, and that they were quirky and not part of the bigtime desires of say, Russian oligarchs. It is what it is. Things pass and change. I hope that there will be some sort of replacement that comes along.

Musken

I would prefer only two resorts in 6 nights instead of three, and I would choose Dari and Kila. If all three, I would do one night Nusa (arrival or departure day as it is closest to airport), two nights Dari and three nights Kila. You shouldn't just do beach at Bali since this island is so much more than beaches - and the beaches are not world class either.

chinmoylad

Amandayan pics:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...8485253&type=1

bhrubin

I completely agree. While Amanusa is lovely, I think most will find the authenticity and grace of Amandari to be superior…and Amankila to offer the better beach/pool/seaside experience. 3 nights at Dari and 3 nights at Kila would be optimal, otherwise only if you arrive late or depart early you can do 1 night Usa, 2 nights Dari, and 3 nights Kila.

If you aren't wedded to just Bali, though, I would suggest 2-3 nights Amanjiwo (on Java) and 3-4 nights Amankila…since Amanjiwo is even more fab than the Bali properties IMO. This assumes you can get the flights to Yogyakarta to line up with your arrival flight into Denpasar, of course. (We had a day pool suite at Amanusa during our 6 hr layover, since it's so close to the airport.) You can still day trip to Amandari from Kila (as we did) to see Ubud and enjoy lunch…and you get to stay at Amanjiwo (and see Borobodur), which together with Singita Boulders are my favorite stays/resorts in the world.

bhrubin

Lijiang is special, even now. We were there 2 years ago (stayed at the Banyan Tree) and saw the Amandayan construction and site--a very nice location on the hillside overlooking the town. EASY walk down into the town unless you're really troubled by a little elevation and steps. I wouldn't hesitate to go back to Lijiang and stay at Amandayan, as Lijiang certainly was a surprising highlight of our 3+ week trip to China (which included 5 nights in Lhasa, Tibet).

Lijiang can get very crowded; we chose to visit for 3 nights several days prior to the start of the Chinese Labor Day, May 1, to avoid the biggest crowds. It was perfectly fine for us. And you can certainly understand why it has become such a magnet for tourists--it's spectacularly beautiful.

The Lijiang Sunday market was advertised as remarkable, but I tend to poo-pah such pronouncements as I find most markets to be quite dull and uninspiring. I therefore only scheduled us 30 min in the market. As it turned out, we spent almost 2-3 hrs exploring--including the meats section where they slaughter animals right in front of you. (Apparently, most Americans do not visit this section, but if I'm wiling to eat it I figured I might as well be willing to see how it's killed.) It was fascinating and crazy and a little worrisome all at the same time--and I'm ecstatic that we spent the time there. The colors and textures and smells and sounds of the market overall were incredible. It helped make Lijiang one of my most memorable visits in China, to be honest, right up there with the Great Wall, Potala Palace, and Forbidden City.

For those not able to get the entry into Lhasa/Tibet, the drive from Lijiang to "Shangri-La"/Zongdian is about 2-3 hrs through some very dramatic canyons/gorges, including the Tiger's something gorge where you can hike a short distance to see some dramatic waterfalls. The drive was worth it on its own…but also the easiest way to reach Zongdian from Lijiang. Zongdian feels an awful lot like Tibet (it is sub-Tibetan plateau, after all), so it is a great alternative if you can't include Tibet.

The moral of my story--don't let the tourist masses dissuade you from Lijiang. There is a reason so many tourists (and luxury hotels) are flocking there now. Go…and go sooner rather than later.

landing

Which Aman should I book first week of June, Sveti Stefan or Ruya? After our wonderful experience last December in India I need to go back.
First I thought we fly via Istanbul to Bodrum, but it sounds somehow to stressful. In summer we have direct flights from Munich to Dubrovnik that´s why now I´m considering Sveti Stefan. Our two options are:
2n Istanbul with 4n Amanruya or Dubrovnik 2n + 4n Sveti Stefan.
Any thoughts?

vuittonsofstyle

Aman Sveti Stefan is vastly superior to Amanruya, which has never quite worked - probably due to its architect-owners who seem incapable of making up their minds. Sveti Stefan incorporates a vast estate of opportunities, with some great restaurants and a world class spa. No contest.

bhrubin

If vuittonofstyle says it, I tend to believe it! Good to know for our own future travel planning. Thanks.

chinmoylad

Aman Playa Grande preview: https://instagram.com/p/znVKY_HVoY/?modal=true