Feb 12, 2018, 5:37 pm
Amanresorts Thread 2018
Apr 14, 2018, 3:11 am
#211
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: here and there
Programs: some
Posts: 3,381
Welcome to FT, Knolly!
Apr 14, 2018, 9:28 am
#212
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
Thanks so much!
Apr 15, 2018, 7:55 pm
#213
formerly known as deathscar
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: Virtuoso | Four Seasons Preferred Partner | Rosewood Elite | Hyatt Prive - and more
Posts: 2,096
Just finished a 4-night stay at Amankila, and while it was certainly a nice experience, I must say I don't think it's as next-level-amazing as some Aman fans make it out to be. I stayed at Viceroy in Ubud on the same trip, and thought it was better than Amankila.
Pros:
- very friendly service
- serene (mostly) environment
- great boat trip/snorkeling excursion
Cons:
- had a big/noisy wedding take place during our stay, while the GM was apologetic, nothing extra was offered to compensate.
- we were asked for our room number pretty much everywhere (at the pool, at the restaurant, etc.), I thought it was an Aman thing to not have to provide that?
- we did a few excursions during out stay, while the snorkeling trip was by far my favorite, the lunch in the bale on the hills was hugely disappointing. for over 1mm idr per person, they drove 10 minutes to a hut in the mountain, provided us with a small lunch box with 1 summer roll, 1 small pomelo salad, 1 slice of brownie, water and soft drinks. we ate and they drove us back, all done within 1 hr of time. I get that things are not cheap at Amans, but that was a shockingly underwhelming experience at that price point no matter how you look at it.
- hardware is obviously very dated. the windows and doors do not close tightly, and have gaps large enough for geckos and various insects to come in and out freely.
Overall it was a nice experience, but not anything I'd go out of my way to experience again. I feel that other 5-star luxury properties are just as good if not better.
Pros:
- very friendly service
- serene (mostly) environment
- great boat trip/snorkeling excursion
Cons:
- had a big/noisy wedding take place during our stay, while the GM was apologetic, nothing extra was offered to compensate.
- we were asked for our room number pretty much everywhere (at the pool, at the restaurant, etc.), I thought it was an Aman thing to not have to provide that?
- we did a few excursions during out stay, while the snorkeling trip was by far my favorite, the lunch in the bale on the hills was hugely disappointing. for over 1mm idr per person, they drove 10 minutes to a hut in the mountain, provided us with a small lunch box with 1 summer roll, 1 small pomelo salad, 1 slice of brownie, water and soft drinks. we ate and they drove us back, all done within 1 hr of time. I get that things are not cheap at Amans, but that was a shockingly underwhelming experience at that price point no matter how you look at it.
- hardware is obviously very dated. the windows and doors do not close tightly, and have gaps large enough for geckos and various insects to come in and out freely.
Overall it was a nice experience, but not anything I'd go out of my way to experience again. I feel that other 5-star luxury properties are just as good if not better.
- I very much like that bale, but I reckon it's best served in this manner: trek before/after bale, light breakfast, return to Amankila, enjoy a swim, enjoy a second breakfast. For lunch/dinner, the helipad is much, much nicer option with views of both Mount Agung and the sea.
- Amanoi is brand new and we had a couple of resident geckos, including one that was camped in our bathroom since turndown till next morning - didn't budget. There were a couple near our bed. No place is free from geckos/insects in the tropics, especially in Asia (less insects in Amanoi though - very dry climate, although a LOT of lizards/reptiles). It takes a bit of getting used to, but once you learn to live with them, they can be fun. I named my gecko. Sadly it was gone the next day after housekeeping came over.
Apr 15, 2018, 8:53 pm
#214
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 110
Surprising that they didn't offer you anything, given that Ernst & Shane are some of the best I've ever seen, at an Aman or elsewhere.
Apr 16, 2018, 10:31 am
#215
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: N/A
Programs: N/A
Posts: 823
I was at Amankila just before the wedding. I left the day before they arrived and they had already closed the main restaurant to prep for the welcome dinner. Staff mentioned to us that it wasn't a buyout, which is unusual, and I commented that that sort of situation really has potential to impact other guests.
Surprising that they didn't offer you anything, given that Ernst & Shane are some of the best I've ever seen, at an Aman or elsewhere.
Surprising that they didn't offer you anything, given that Ernst & Shane are some of the best I've ever seen, at an Aman or elsewhere.
I suppose they have two dining areas so maybe they had others dine in the lower area?
Apr 17, 2018, 1:19 am
#217
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 110
Shane said they were doing the wedding welcome dinner in the main restaurant. My assumption is that the wedding itself and reception were all by the beach club, either late afternoon or evening. It's the best venue for that anyway, and it doesn't really impact the other guests because that are is pretty unused in the evening.
Apr 17, 2018, 7:24 am
#218
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: NYC
Posts: 427
Yes--they closed the top restaurant (the ones that usually used for breakfast & dinner), and moved everything to the lower floor by the pool. So I did breakfast there, but it was my last day there. Assume dinner service was also there.
Shane said they were doing the wedding welcome dinner in the main restaurant. My assumption is that the wedding itself and reception were all by the beach club, either late afternoon or evening. It's the best venue for that anyway, and it doesn't really impact the other guests because that are is pretty unused in the evening.
Shane said they were doing the wedding welcome dinner in the main restaurant. My assumption is that the wedding itself and reception were all by the beach club, either late afternoon or evening. It's the best venue for that anyway, and it doesn't really impact the other guests because that are is pretty unused in the evening.
Apr 17, 2018, 8:45 am
#219
formerly known as deathscar
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: Virtuoso | Four Seasons Preferred Partner | Rosewood Elite | Hyatt Prive - and more
Posts: 2,096
The wedding took place by the pool and bar area actually. The upper restaurant opened for dinner service a bit later (after 7pm). The reception dinner was by the pool as well. So the hotel guests that were eating at the restaurant could hear all the speeches and music very well.
Apr 17, 2018, 1:06 pm
#220
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Germany
Programs: Some
Posts: 11,525
The wedding took place by the pool and bar area actually. The upper restaurant opened for dinner service a bit later (after 7pm). The reception dinner was by the pool as well. So the hotel guests that were eating at the restaurant could hear all the speeches and music very well.
Apr 19, 2018, 1:49 am
#221
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: here and there
Programs: some
Posts: 3,381
We had our (small) wedding at Amankila and had the beach to ourselves from about 17:00 onwards, then the lower pool after that for dinner. No music/partying or anything like that but obviously guests would not have been able to use the restaurant by the lower pool that night. (We only had a few rooms so definitely no buy-out). This was about 7 years ago.
Apr 20, 2018, 8:25 am
#222
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
Fliar, i presume they didnt offer central area for your use, as they did for recent wedding
blocking guests from central areas is especially bad when it can be part of aman concept
blocking guests from central areas is especially bad when it can be part of aman concept
Apr 20, 2018, 11:19 am
#223
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: N/A
Programs: N/A
Posts: 823
I would be pretty unhappy if this was going on while I was there and was not proactively offered anything as accommodation.
This is just me being cynical of the "new" Aman, but I wonder if there is a message from the top to reduce the money spent on service recoveries.
This is just me being cynical of the "new" Aman, but I wonder if there is a message from the top to reduce the money spent on service recoveries.
Apr 20, 2018, 2:20 pm
#224
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,602
Well there is a message from top about profitability, likely service recovery is a small factor but to be considered. But when a manager just comps comps comps all the time it either means she/he is either bad at her/his job or there is something wrong with operations. In this case I think they should have required a buy-out.
Apr 20, 2018, 2:36 pm
#225
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
almost certainly ernst was told buyout was not required
communication with guests is key, and ernst may also have been told not to
i also wonder about pulo, but that GM is not the same kind of aman veteran
2 examples close together, at 2 top remote aman, is not a good sign
communication with guests is key, and ernst may also have been told not to
i also wonder about pulo, but that GM is not the same kind of aman veteran
2 examples close together, at 2 top remote aman, is not a good sign
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Apr 20, 2018 at 3:01 pm