MacMyDay

I agree on all the older properties I've been to, but the new properties like Amanzoe and Aman Tokyo have impressive hard products. Although I've not been (considering going to Amanera pre-Christmas), the similar designs of Amanemu and Amanera also appeal.

Every hotel is a compromise of some sort. I love The Connaught, but is their hard product the best in London? Not a chance. Yet I still prefer it over all the other choices because of how it makes me feel. A hotel is just a load of walls without the staff and they are what keep me going back, but agreed with Pierre&Cédric that without the hard product, I'd never go in the first place. I can't imagine ever looking through a brochure, seeing some wannabe crack den in the woods, hearing it has the worlds best service and considering it a viable option. Maybe when I'm in my 40s.

luxtrvlwrks

I wouldn't say that hard product doesn't matter, but assuming a minimum standard level for hard product (high quality linens, turn down service, 24 hour room service, clean and fresh furnishings and carpets, etc.) then what I truly care about is the soft stuff - the service and how that's reflected in my room and my experience at the hotel.

Perhaps this is all lady stuff, but when I have to crouch to use the makeup mirror (why are they all broken and so horrid to use?!), when there's no room in the shower for my stuff, when yoga is required to shave my legs, when the bedside configuration is not equal, when the a/c turns off in the middle of the night...then I don't care who designed your rooms or the brand of the furnishings or the color on the walls.

But yeah, I am in my 40s

Pierre&Cédric

Interesting quote. I realise all don't have the same definition. To me hard product is the lay-out, design, decor, furniture, availability of private pools. But turn down service and 24 hour room service is not, or at least I expect this at any 5-star property.

And sometimes my own defintion will vary. Bvlgari suites at Bvlgari London offer fantastic hard product: beautiful marble bathrooms with onyx wall, fully equipped kitchen with high end home appliance, high quality and designer furniture, etc. But I consider the Dalem Jiwo suite at Amanjiwo an equally fantastic hard product even if there is no marble in the bathroom and furniture is simpler.

bhrubin

Gauntlet thrown. And accepted.

FlyerEC

+1 , though we are about 2 decades off

Appreciating Amanemu now .
Though the bathroom is not as vast as say , Puri ' s or even Nusa 's , the functionality & practicality of the Japanese comes through rather brilliantly .
What with your own onsen as one ' s bathtub of smooth volcanic rock with bullnosed / rounded edges ! With options of really hot hot springs water or cold and hot water from the same volcanic rock spout ..
Been sleeping soundly with the floor to ceiling sliding glass doors wide open & awakening to bird songs and a wonderful bay view
Of course , to our great joy , the temperature is I gather falls below 16 C , our preferred , though think not much lower than 15 C

Service is up there though without some hiccups , not all speak English which is not surprising bring located where they are , mainly retirement age population in nearby fishing villages ..

We are already planning a return stay , Nemu is pretty well executed even though the suites are not detached & set way apart like other Amans .
Instead suites are linked or " semi detached " , & keeping to contemporary ' Minka ' - a Japanese style .
Was not too sure about this when buggying to our suite on arrival & noticing that the suites were all " aligned " something like Saffire ' s but once inside , all was forgiven .
Think Nemu has the most day beds of any of the Amans , not counting Aman villas !
With 2 generous sized ones outdoors

( FYI , the Nemu tree is currently the only one without any leaves , all others have either blossoms but mainly the leaves are out , just missed Sakura here )

Debating if to attempt first real TR

callmedtop

Do it!

chinmoylad

Naturally - it is an Aman, and it charges several times more than just about any other Aman (see also, Amanyara).

chinmoylad

I think MacMyDay nailed it with the older Amans. To me, they don't look so much cheap as outdated. Timeless, yet outdated - if that makes sense. The design is just fine, they just lack amenities that would be considered prerequisites in locations such as these in today's world. See Bali, Phuket etc - half the rooms don't have ocean views, more than half don't have private pools. Bizarrely the top level pavilions tend to be stunning though.

So on that note it would be curious to see how something like Cheval Blanc Randheli ages 20-30 years down the line.

chinmoylad

Now those reviews I'm looking forward to. Any way we can expedite this MacMyDay?

Kagehitokiri

how many carlyle rooms are part of residences? did some owners renovate? found it interesting owners (of co-ops) did not buy the hotel operation when sold. pierre co-op owners lease hotel operation to taj (formerly FS), dont think they put any in hotel inventory.

do "hard product" and "soft product" really cover everything?

in other words what else might there be, including re preferences. probably the main reason i did necker island a few years ago was very low occupancy at last minute, when they opened up some availability. probably the most unique thing there is the Great House's great room. one of those things that really cannot be photographed. i personally really enjoyed the space and spent a bunch of time there. it's (newly) built as a residence, differentiating even from laucala, small lodges, aman, north, private villas, etc. obviously when all 17 rooms are booked, it will be totally different experience. interiors and spaces had lots of things from bali. i certainly did not stay for rooms. i had a gerbil room. (great terminology from some posters here.) did have amazing view though. besides view, didnt really care about room at all, and spent no time in it. although, assuming they are not all outdoor bathroom only, booking 1 room in 2/3BR with pool would be nice, when other rooms empty. 2BR was originally not bookable.

i find it funny there is no discussion here of how high rates are at regular large hotels, including in cities.

i want high rates, because i like properties with as few rooms as possible, with as much facilities as possible, without full occupancy.

not really. but some amans at new rate lows, under new owner.

750? wana (single same)
760? taka (single less)
1000? ikhas (single same)
1280? sara (single less)

1350 yara (2700 xmas)

giri as of 4/28/17
1400 jan feb
1450 nov dec
1800 jun jul sep oct mar
2000 apr may aug
no villas and truly isolated

2000 kora (low?)

some 1000, some 500
a few peak >
1200 gani/puri
1450 venice
1800 zoe (pool, no service charge)
1950 nera

chinmoylad

Seen Amankora at ~1,300ish I think.

Kagehitokiri

my kora price includes fees, didnt include fees for most that have them
2015 published kora 36% off during jun/jul/aug & dec/jan/feb except xmas/nye
2016 saw low season (jun/jul/aug?) with less discount on an operator site

speaking of, kora & japan are only asia that havent done FHR free night

massive nearby (first world) population, like tokyo, both 'new'

forgot, sometimes "hard product" is really about a good owner. which can/does impact everything.

FlyerEC

Well , with Nemu often full , how can they ?
Seems buyouts are common , with so few suites even for an Aman , am not surprised

offerendum

and more important than other hotels in this category in th US

Annalisa12

Hard product as you say. I can live without being fawned over but love a huge glamorous suite.