0bsidian

Quite a few glowing things, including that it was the most spectacular place he had been to and that the place would transform my perspective on hospitality

Kagehitokiri

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxur...-thailand.html - 4 staffed private villas
reminded me of Musken's amanpulo villa (butler/chef) report

Londonjetsetter

I am just back from Phuket and your view reflects mine exactly. Overall both are great places to stay. Amanpuri is as good as ever and Harish is truly an exceptional host. He really made our stay. Food is just excellent and service was very warm. The beach, public areas and the overall ambience are sublime. We had pavilion 901 which is a partial ocean view with a very nice view indeed. I think it is fair to say that the Amanpuri rooms are now small in comparison to the competition and are beginning to seem very expensive for what is offered.

Trisara villas are better without a doubt and they are starting a programme of refurbishment which will make them even nicer. Service is good and the overall ambience is very relaxed. I'm not a fan of the beach there. I would say that compared to Amanpuri the food is just not good enough. Very pedestrian in the Deck and we had a very poor meal at Trisara Seafood and didn't go back. Fussy and old fashioned unfortunately. Breakfast was good, but everything else needs to be looked at with fresh eyes.

We then moved on to Point Yamu. Totally different in atmosphere, with a much younger and trendier crowd. The design is fairly brutal, but I'm a fan of that look, so it wasn't a problem for me. Delicious food and good service everywhere. We stayed in a Pool villa which we loved. Gorgeous views and two butlers who did everything for us, including driving us wherever we wanted to go in buggies (you cannot walk). The beach club is a long trip away, so I would only stay here for a few days after having some beach time elsewhere, but overall I would certainly go back. Great spa too.

DrGiggles

fwiw, we had our chef at the trisara villa do grocery shopping / cooking for us. I believe we were told that it would be grocery cost + 30% but whatever it was I believe it represented a sizeable discount vs. what room service / restaurant would have cost and we were quite happy with the food. Did not have a chance to try seafood restaurant (cancelled our reservation actually).

Kagehitokiri

nice, wonder how common that option is at hotels, as well as:
whether offered by amanpuri (or other aman) villas with chefs
how iniala handles billing/signing/etc if booking room only rate

DSI

There's no reason to do Iniala with a room only rate, and it wouldn't make sense. We did the AI + Sommeliers package and have private drivers, multiple nannies and a whole entourage of people helping with anything. The whole beauty of this resort is that they just know when I'm ready for another glass of champagne, or whatever and it's just handed to me. This is the way to travel.

Light years above the recent Amans we stayed at. Kora which was good but had a huge disaster, and Taka/Sara which were also good. Makes those places look pretty pathetic in their service offerings and even attempts at providing hosts. The best thing about Kora was our guide.

It's hard to describe all the differences, but it's just lightyears better.

I'd either go Yamu or Iniala if it were me. The CEO came from North and is bringing out the big guns of hospitality. Although Iniala still seems to be word of mouth from friends, I think it justifies a much, much higher price point for what you get. Just takes time to get legs.

I feel like we've gotten a heck of a bargain and my spouse thought a place like this could justify 3-5x the current price. I'd feel ripped off at an Aman even though its certainly much more budget friendly.

As for Iniala, just do have all the inclusions so that you don't have to worry, thats the beauty of grabbing drinks, planning excursions, getting massages, eating whatever, wherever, whenever when you'd like. I've never signed any checks or anything. Even things like chartering private boats, they make sure you get wholesale or rock-bottom prices. We opted for the 36' boat, though most of the people do like 70' private charters here since this is the realm of the uber, uber wealthy and me, a lowly mortal, is just lucky enough to be here.

We did the bbq last night and it wasn't like the other ones we've done at other lux resorts with 2 people, a chef and a butler but like 10 people on standby (but not obtrusive), tiki torches, a speaker system, a sommelier, a bon fire, an outdoor lounge area with four sitting areas, a nanny, several chefs, it was insane.

Simply the best.

At first I thought the pictures weren't really my style at all, and we don't decorate with modern style at the home. But it is fun and interesting, and actually quite varied. Being able to use the theatre in the collectors villa, their spa room, etc... is a real treat. Besides, isn't travel about new things, not the same old Four Seasons appeal to the masses style, every time?

Long term this could be a real money saver for me since I'll just compare everything to this and say "meh, a Four Seasons... might as well just do a Marriott since it's all the same compared to Iniala."

I must thank Macmyday for pointing me to this wonderful place. It'll be interesting to see how he compare it to North and Luacala.

Kagehitokiri

iniala currently advertising full board >

a few months ago - per couple per night >

callmedtop

Wow to the above - talk about a glowing review!

I just can't get over that bedroom decor...but other than that the place sounds stupendous.

I'm embaressed to say that my SO was watching the Kardashian's on TV recently and there were some older (2014?) episodes where the family stayed at the Inalia. Didn't look very impressive on camera, but that's not very fair. The fact that the Kardashian's DID stay there though makes me feeling much less like I have to try it...blegh!

DSI

yeah, so we did the celebration package then. I wasn't sure what the actual price was, I just wanted everything.

Totally get the bathroom situation, but it actually works. There's another bathroom. Or you can opt for one of the pricier villas.

Kagehitokiri

personally, i like iniala allowing use of other villas when empty. iniala is only second villa 'compound' ive seen do that. i find it similar to booking a room in a villa. re resorts, aman has been only brand to offer something less like hotels. always good to have more discussion of independent luxury properties here. re laucala, its great example of where "hotel" just does not cover properties like it. laucala has 25 1-3BR, inclusive rates, common areas, huge private island. less expensive amanpulo is similarly totally different from maldives private island resorts which are all high density. although there is new exclusive-use island/villa by coco, coco prive, for lot less than cheval blanc owners villa/island.

i like when rates include a lot, but i'll rarely do optional plan

trisara residences chefs cost sounds by far the best to me
(especially if alcohol cost is based on 'grocery store' cost)

personally, designs of trisara villas with horizontal pools also look great to me, as well as >
some amanpuri villas - 3rd photo https://www.aman.com/resorts/amanpuri/explore-amanpuri
best oceanfront pavilion 105 - photos >
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxur...l#post21830048
https://www.aman.com/resorts/amanpur...to-aerial-view
https://www.aman.com/resorts/amanpur...ocean-pavilion

six senses yao noi changed hilltop reserve from room into restaurant/pool
i recall mentions they will still book it overnight, i wonder what kind of rate
they will also book private/exclusive breakfast or dinner at hilltop reserve

MacMyDay

Pleased to have helped. I made friends with a couple in Amanzoe in 2014 who are currently on holiday, all based on my recommendations and I've had a few other FT members contact me for advice. The pressure!

I'll write up on North Island during our visit the week after next, although I really struggle to see how it can beat Iniala. We too had the BBQ experience and it was amazing. In Amanzoe I hired a chef for a BBQ for my dad's birthday and it cost €500, which gave us 1 chef and admittedly enough food to feed an army. At Iniala it's free, and you get an entire team behind it and the food is of such high quality. The setting, on the beach, is also wonderful. Places like Song Saa include these in their rates as well and try and offer something unique, but being on an island limits exactly what you can offer in terms of staffing and food, whereas Iniala can offer that due to being so close to a major tourist city.

Kage, I know you mention about peak and the difference it makes, but do we remember we were there during their peak season in December, with only super-peak (I think it was 21st Dec > beginning Jan) being a higher category. You have 2 dedicated butlers, so that will not change. The main areas that will change will be waiting on spa treatments, drivers (not sure how many they have) and the personal trainers. Whilst we were there, we had to wait a whole 1 hour for a massage once and nothing else had any delay at all. I got the impression the personal trainers were delighted to see me, as most guests are there to relax and did nothing.

Damn, I really want to go back there right now.

landing

We just returned on Sunday and had the same room. Really nice view. ^

Kagehitokiri

looking again, the $585/night add-on is still available (+$360 over full board) but not seeing ($700) alcohol/etc

= when rates include alcohol at good properties, including resorts/hotels at various price levels

properties with rate inclusions like north island can be maximized (or not)
- north - diving/courses including Silhouette, half day fishing/etc, sunset cruise
- laucala - inner reef diving (not course), jetboat, jetski (underwater scooter?)
- necker - motorized watersports / boats, kitesurfing instruction (fee at laucala)
i think all three include sailing that can be more substantial than other resorts

i would think many other properties would do custom inclusive rate packages

MacMyDay

Iniala was fully booked during some of our days there, which was actually when we had to wait for the massage. They advertise minimum stays, but were incredible flexible with ourselves (our stay went into their super-peak time, which had minimum of 10 night stay) and clearly with other guests, as some people were only there 1 night during the stay.

TMM1982

Why not the Conrad Koh Samui?