Amanresorts Thread 2018
#241
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Enroute to ? & likely flying in ' A ':)
Programs: TPPS, UA, EK ...; Marriott BONVOY , HH, GP, GC..
Posts: 4,217
Yes , callmedtop & uclabruin82 , Amans do come through & especially Indon Amans
Some of us AMANjunkies FTers will be in Bali , staying Kila , around 4 June and wondering if any others reading this will be in the vicinity .It might become a mini Do if another chimes in !
Pity to just miss callmedtop
Kagehitokiri , was to have met Marc B few weeks ago but got my schedule messed up .
But did meet Donald W from Taka , another good Aman veteran .
Pity to just miss callmedtop
Kagehitokiri , was to have met Marc B few weeks ago but got my schedule messed up .
But did meet Donald W from Taka , another good Aman veteran .
#242
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
Next Aman - Amanjena (September 14-16, my birthday is September 11). If anyone is around say hi!
#243
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: UA 1K, AA Plat Pro, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,048
Yes , callmedtop & uclabruin82 , Amans do come through & especially Indon Amans
#244
formerly htang333
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Wi-Fi
Programs: Virtuoso, Top Ranked: Four Seasons (Top 25 Advisor), AMAN (Top 50), Rosewood, Hyatt Prive, etc.
Posts: 1,455
Amanjena in June
But Kila and Jiwo in July, debating between Dari or Mandapa as Dari feels underwhelming to me and Mandapa seems to be one of the best RCs.
Sadly, the few of us here are scattered across June - August at Kila. Would have been fun!
But Kila and Jiwo in July, debating between Dari or Mandapa as Dari feels underwhelming to me and Mandapa seems to be one of the best RCs.
Sadly, the few of us here are scattered across June - August at Kila. Would have been fun!
#245
Join Date: May 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: MM / UA 1K
Posts: 473
It will be our first time staying at an Aman property so we are pretty excited. We had dinner at the Amanpuri many years ago and were very impressed with the property so we are really looking forward to it.
#246
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Enroute to ? & likely flying in ' A ':)
Programs: TPPS, UA, EK ...; Marriott BONVOY , HH, GP, GC..
Posts: 4,217
We will be staying at the Amankila from the 3rd to the 6th on a birthday visit. We'd be happy to say hello.
It will be our first time staying at an Aman property so we are pretty excited. We had dinner at the Amanpuri many years ago and were very impressed with the property so we are really looking forward to it.
It will be our first time staying at an Aman property so we are pretty excited. We had dinner at the Amanpuri many years ago and were very impressed with the property so we are really looking forward to it.
Let ‘ s meet up by top tier of pool at tea time
“ Mini Amanjunkie FT DO , 4 June “
Details in Community Buzz
Do PM me please
Last edited by FlyerEC; May 14, 2018 at 6:58 pm Reason: Added information
#247
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 7
What luxury boutique resorts across the world are crying out to be rebranded as an Aman? I know Aman will probably not "rebrand" anything, I am just talking theoretically.
What boutique resorts not in the Aman portfolio (and in locations not in the Aman portfolio) do Amanjunkies wish was part of the group?
Six Senses Zighy Bay
Alila Jabal Akhdar
Anantara Qasr al Sarab (if it was smaller)
The Datai
Jade Mountain St. Lucia
Rosewood Mayakoba
Belmond Manor Oxford
What boutique resorts not in the Aman portfolio (and in locations not in the Aman portfolio) do Amanjunkies wish was part of the group?
Six Senses Zighy Bay
Alila Jabal Akhdar
Anantara Qasr al Sarab (if it was smaller)
The Datai
Jade Mountain St. Lucia
Rosewood Mayakoba
Belmond Manor Oxford
COMO Shambhala Estate (Ubud) - 30 keys, service and product-wise, I think Mandapa and COMO are more superior than Amandari
One&Only Wolgan Valley (Blue Mountains) - 40 keys, arguably the best resort in Australia
Oberoi Mauritius (Mauritius) - 71 keys, haven't stayed there but highly rated by some Oberoi insiders
Alila Fort Bishangarh (Rajashtan) - 59 keys, majestic yet intimate resort but spotty service, can be improved though
Six Senses Zighy Bay (Zighy Bay) - 82 keys, architecturally similar to Alila Jabal Akhdar
COMO The Treasury (Perth) - 48 keys, interior by Kerry Hill and supposed to be an Aman, serive is outstanding but too "cold", too "sterile"
#248
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
(US?) amex FHR 4th free current repetition
ruya - may 30 - sep 26 (direct undiscovered thru sep 30 4th or 6th 7th free)
nera - may 30 - dec 19 (direct thru dec 19 5th free seasons of discovery)
yara - jun 1 - oct 31 (direct thru oct 31 6th free season of discovery)
jena - jun 1 - dec 20 (direct undiscovered thru 'mar 2020')
pulo - may 6 - nov 30
sara / taka - may 30 - sep 30
puri - may 30 - dec 15 (direct discover 7th free apr 8 2018 / apr 23 2019 - dec 15)
dari / kila / jiwo / wana - may 15 - jul 13
galla / wella - may 30 - dec 19
noi - may 30 - dec 22 (direct undiscovered thru 'mar 2020')
anyone had problems with FHR free night not working?
aman.com/resorts/amanruya/exclusives/undiscovered-amanruya
aman.com/resorts/amanruya/exclusives/romantic-escape
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/comm...do-4-june.html
ruya - may 30 - sep 26 (direct undiscovered thru sep 30 4th or 6th 7th free)
nera - may 30 - dec 19 (direct thru dec 19 5th free seasons of discovery)
yara - jun 1 - oct 31 (direct thru oct 31 6th free season of discovery)
jena - jun 1 - dec 20 (direct undiscovered thru 'mar 2020')
pulo - may 6 - nov 30
sara / taka - may 30 - sep 30
puri - may 30 - dec 15 (direct discover 7th free apr 8 2018 / apr 23 2019 - dec 15)
dari / kila / jiwo / wana - may 15 - jul 13
galla / wella - may 30 - dec 19
noi - may 30 - dec 22 (direct undiscovered thru 'mar 2020')
anyone had problems with FHR free night not working?
aman.com/resorts/amanruya/exclusives/undiscovered-amanruya
aman.com/resorts/amanruya/exclusives/romantic-escape
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; May 17, 2018 at 10:38 pm
#249
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
sara, taka, bagh - also still offering upgrade at booking
giri - does as well, but with expensive package, so a wash
i think noi stopped offering it a little while ago now
presume taka no longer offers the offsite villa
did kora stop doing low season after 2015 / 2016?
Rate your favourite Amans
giri - does as well, but with expensive package, so a wash
i think noi stopped offering it a little while ago now
presume taka no longer offers the offsite villa
did kora stop doing low season after 2015 / 2016?
Rate your favourite Amans
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; May 20, 2018 at 7:22 pm
#250
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: New York
Posts: 453
Hey guys, a couple of months back I had asked for advice about Aman Tokyo (see here), and got a lot of different opinions.
So I just wanted to follow up, as I just completed my 2 nights stay there, and give my impressions. Please note that it was my first Aman stay (and hopefully not the last ).
Let's start with the good. The design, of course, is what stands out the most. As many people mentioned, the lobby and lounge are simply jaw dropping, especially with this ceiling. It really hardly gets any better than that as far as my tastes are concerned.
Same goes with my room. I had a standard room, booked with Amex FHR and was "upgraded" to a better view room but with the same standard layout. I did not expect it to be so massive, this is really a huge space for something that's not a suite. I spent a lot of time on the daybed by the windows reading books or just gazing outside. The bathroom was also very nice, and the pool area is simply stunning.
Overall I think Aman did an awesome job translating Japanese luxury as everything is simple, understated and uncluttered. So all of that lived up to my expectations.
Now for the less good.
As far as service goes, I was not super impressed. The front desk staff and the concierge team were all super nice, helpful, and I have no complaints whatsoever.
However the bar/lounge area was another story. I went there on 2 occasions, once to redeem my voucher for my welcome cocktail and another to have afternoon tea. Both times, the ladies who welcomed me were very stern, unfriendly, and looked borderline like I was annoying them.
Also when I went to have that cocktail, they simply forgot about me. I sat, was given a menu and waited and waited and waited. They started serving tables that arrived after me. I was going to flag someone but I got curious and wanted to see how long it would take them to notice me. Then finally one of the bartenders figured it out and sent someone my way (no apology was offered). Honestly I was a bit annoyed at that.
Speaking of food, I had the western breakfast which was pretty nice, without being memorable. For instance, it doesn't even compare with the Andaz breakfast which was amazing in every aspect (choice and quality).
And finally the most disappointing part: sadly, and shockingly, it was the bedding. Like many other hotels in Japan, they do not have real king mattresses and they just push 2 smaller beds together, with a mattress topper on top of them. Overall it's never a good idea, but at least sometimes they can execute that properly and make it completely invisible to the guests.
But that was certainly not the case here. There was a big bump between the 2 mattresses, and it also felt like one mattress was noticeably more worn out than the other. Basically I had to pick one half of the bed, there was no way I could sleep in the middle of the mattress or across.
I hate being that guy making issues, but after my first night I had to let them know because I couldn't even sleep that well. They sent someone to my room who said they couldn't do anything about it. I suggested they add another mattress topper on top of the existing one, which they did. It made it only slightly better, but I also ended up having to use only one half of the bed the 2nd night.
So overall I'm pretty glad I did it and despite the bed issue, I thought it was a really great place to stay at. I would happily go back, although I'd also be happy to spend a little less and go back to the Andaz, which I thought was spectacular minus the very annoying location. And Hoshinoya was also a fantastic experience btw, so thanks to the ones who recommended it .
So I just wanted to follow up, as I just completed my 2 nights stay there, and give my impressions. Please note that it was my first Aman stay (and hopefully not the last ).
Let's start with the good. The design, of course, is what stands out the most. As many people mentioned, the lobby and lounge are simply jaw dropping, especially with this ceiling. It really hardly gets any better than that as far as my tastes are concerned.
Same goes with my room. I had a standard room, booked with Amex FHR and was "upgraded" to a better view room but with the same standard layout. I did not expect it to be so massive, this is really a huge space for something that's not a suite. I spent a lot of time on the daybed by the windows reading books or just gazing outside. The bathroom was also very nice, and the pool area is simply stunning.
Overall I think Aman did an awesome job translating Japanese luxury as everything is simple, understated and uncluttered. So all of that lived up to my expectations.
Now for the less good.
As far as service goes, I was not super impressed. The front desk staff and the concierge team were all super nice, helpful, and I have no complaints whatsoever.
However the bar/lounge area was another story. I went there on 2 occasions, once to redeem my voucher for my welcome cocktail and another to have afternoon tea. Both times, the ladies who welcomed me were very stern, unfriendly, and looked borderline like I was annoying them.
Also when I went to have that cocktail, they simply forgot about me. I sat, was given a menu and waited and waited and waited. They started serving tables that arrived after me. I was going to flag someone but I got curious and wanted to see how long it would take them to notice me. Then finally one of the bartenders figured it out and sent someone my way (no apology was offered). Honestly I was a bit annoyed at that.
Speaking of food, I had the western breakfast which was pretty nice, without being memorable. For instance, it doesn't even compare with the Andaz breakfast which was amazing in every aspect (choice and quality).
And finally the most disappointing part: sadly, and shockingly, it was the bedding. Like many other hotels in Japan, they do not have real king mattresses and they just push 2 smaller beds together, with a mattress topper on top of them. Overall it's never a good idea, but at least sometimes they can execute that properly and make it completely invisible to the guests.
But that was certainly not the case here. There was a big bump between the 2 mattresses, and it also felt like one mattress was noticeably more worn out than the other. Basically I had to pick one half of the bed, there was no way I could sleep in the middle of the mattress or across.
I hate being that guy making issues, but after my first night I had to let them know because I couldn't even sleep that well. They sent someone to my room who said they couldn't do anything about it. I suggested they add another mattress topper on top of the existing one, which they did. It made it only slightly better, but I also ended up having to use only one half of the bed the 2nd night.
So overall I'm pretty glad I did it and despite the bed issue, I thought it was a really great place to stay at. I would happily go back, although I'd also be happy to spend a little less and go back to the Andaz, which I thought was spectacular minus the very annoying location. And Hoshinoya was also a fantastic experience btw, so thanks to the ones who recommended it .
#251
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
Keen to read about your Hoshinoya experience (perhaps another thread?).
Yea - Aman in cities is still a bit "what?" for me - I'm intrigued to see how this goes. The 'Aman experience' just doesn't translate; and especially in a city where there are so many options, at much better rates. Generally speaking, the trend for Aman Tokyo has been that it has improved immeasurably since opening.
Delhi generally worked because it was part of a larger journey around India (although I'm sure it had a lot of repeat guests staying there just because they were in Delhi only), and Aman still maintains a good relationship with The Lodhi.
Give Aman another go - perhaps one of the more famed resorts.
Yea - Aman in cities is still a bit "what?" for me - I'm intrigued to see how this goes. The 'Aman experience' just doesn't translate; and especially in a city where there are so many options, at much better rates. Generally speaking, the trend for Aman Tokyo has been that it has improved immeasurably since opening.
Delhi generally worked because it was part of a larger journey around India (although I'm sure it had a lot of repeat guests staying there just because they were in Delhi only), and Aman still maintains a good relationship with The Lodhi.
Give Aman another go - perhaps one of the more famed resorts.
#252
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
Tokyo luxury hotels (newer consolidated thread)
Yea - Aman in cities is still a bit "what?" for me - I'm intrigued to see how this goes. The 'Aman experience' just doesn't translate; and especially in a city where there are so many options, at much better rates. Generally speaking, the trend for Aman Tokyo has been that it has improved immeasurably since opening.
Delhi generally worked because it was part of a larger journey around India (although I'm sure it had a lot of repeat guests staying there just because they were in Delhi only), and Aman still maintains a good relationship with The Lodhi.
Delhi generally worked because it was part of a larger journey around India (although I'm sure it had a lot of repeat guests staying there just because they were in Delhi only), and Aman still maintains a good relationship with The Lodhi.
The other real question is whether or not Aman's soft product is as stable and impressive as it once was before the Doronin takeover and concomitant (more urban) expansion. I don't believe the Aman soft product is as good as it once was. And my first Aman stay was in 2009. I believe the service experience is quite a bit more mixed and less impressive overall, and the food/beverage experience is even more muddled and less impressive overall.
IMO Aman used to create luxury travel destinations. Now it follows them. Aman used to create incredible properties in locations that were unknown or completely under the radar; those turned into some of the most desirable locations in the world. Aman used to be one of if not the only luxury option in most of those destinations. That no longer is the case with Aman's move into urban markets. Aman's serenity and "retreat" ambience worked extremely well for almost everyone in the remote destinations it created. That isn't the case for everyone for Aman's urban locations.
Aman used to operate at pretty low occupancy, too. Doronin seems to have shifted that model. Now more and more Aman properties operate at much higher occupancy than most Amanjunkies remember. I don't think people realized how good the service could be when occupancy is lower. I think more and more people are beginning to realize that the incredible and legendary service levels from old aren't as likely or as easily accomplished in the high occupancy environment.
That's one of the reasons I've always been more impressed with always higher occupancy (and often sold out) Amangiri than so many of my fellow FTers and other longtime Amanjunkies. Especially when people compare Amangiri to the historically much lower occupancy Indonesia Amans that almost always are the gold standard for everyone. People always seem to chalk it up entirely to North America vs Asia. I also chalk it up to high occupancy vs usually lower occupancy.
I therefore see the Aman product and brand shifted from what it once was to what it now is becoming: a still extremely impressive and authentic best-in-class hard product hotel combined with mixed soft product with a much higher occupancy model.
Give Aman another go - perhaps one of the more famed resorts.
Last edited by bhrubin; May 31, 2018 at 8:46 pm
#253
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: NYC, SEA, TPE
Programs: BR Diamond, B6 Mosaic
Posts: 436
Wanted to give fellow FTers a chance to ask about Aman SP. I’m here for a couple more days and will reply assuming I don’t get caught in the Great Firewall. Some quick thoughts:
- Background: I stayed here two years back and thought I wouldn’t come back. And, after my experience at Wella and Galla a couple months ago, I wanted to give up on Amans. But, wife wanted to bring baby on a trip, so I booked Aman SP since Beijing was my next business trip. No regrets so far and the family seems happy! (Are my expectations lower? Maybe.)
- There is no GM here and the staff are trying their best. They told me it’s hard because they don’t know who to report issues to. Yes, there are small service mistakes here and there, but nothing to write home/FT about.
- Not very kid friendly. They do not offer babysitting or a kids menu. Offered to find staff to babysit for 300 RMB/Hr, which I told them was extortion. Luckily, we are fine taking care of the baby ourselves these few days.
Again, I’m glad that I gave this place a second chance!
- Background: I stayed here two years back and thought I wouldn’t come back. And, after my experience at Wella and Galla a couple months ago, I wanted to give up on Amans. But, wife wanted to bring baby on a trip, so I booked Aman SP since Beijing was my next business trip. No regrets so far and the family seems happy! (Are my expectations lower? Maybe.)
- There is no GM here and the staff are trying their best. They told me it’s hard because they don’t know who to report issues to. Yes, there are small service mistakes here and there, but nothing to write home/FT about.
- Not very kid friendly. They do not offer babysitting or a kids menu. Offered to find staff to babysit for 300 RMB/Hr, which I told them was extortion. Luckily, we are fine taking care of the baby ourselves these few days.
Again, I’m glad that I gave this place a second chance!
#255
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