Feb 12, 2018, 5:37 pm
Amanresorts Thread 2018
Jul 14, 2018, 7:08 pm
They are currently cramming Puri .. More treatment rooms in spa , in same space . Ready by September ?
More pool pavilions , just adding pools to some current .
New kids area still being constructed by Beach Club ; there goes a sanctuary
.. Aman indeedExcellent HM left ( did I put this disappointing information somewhere before ? & no more with Amans .. ) & new - new - arriving next
why Don’t you like children? Pls Elaborate
dont mean to be rude, but why pick on kids? Is it socially acceptable to say “a place for Asians” and say “there goes a sanctuary?” Seriously, I expect an answer with integrity.
Kids are generally alright except the spoilt ones .
Parents , including those staying in villas , have often let young children be on their own ( or some expect the Aman nannies to ‘ manage ‘ them ) .
Some have strewn their toys about , thrown huge balls into the main pool ( I was hit ) , fought with each other , etcetera . Not quite Aman , certainly not the case when Puri opened & into ‘ 90s , ‘ 00s .
Then there are parents who rinse / wash their feet / sandals in the pools ( yes , including the main pool ! ) after coming up from the beach . So the kids follow suit .
Perhaps they do the same at home ?
This same family ( likely “ expats “ in the region ) currently at Puri , is also having a daughter / mother ball tossing game in the main pool 🙄 , as I type ..
Can forget expectations like showering before taking a dip in the pool ( s ) .
Etiquette observed during early days are gone with the wind .
We know that there are huge jars by the steps with water & scoops - to be used for washing off the sand & sea water !
All guests , especially new ones to Puri ( beach Amans ) , are informed during the arrival walk about ..
This is all more recent
We shall see how it goes when all the new works are ready
Just that there is a push towards ‘ Wellness Retreats ‘ going forward & to mesh with ‘ Kids Clubs ‘ ? - does not seem quite a blend . More like confused direction ..
Hope now Kila ‘ s progress will stall & observations from Puri ‘ s development & response will be taken into account
Huh ? Do not get it about being socially acceptable - politically correct ? Integrity ?
AMAN !
Meant to be a sanctuary , originally anyway .
As for kids , been there with babe in arms , toddlers to teens - in our group . Asians , Jews , .. , included !
This cosmopolitan mix of various nationalities , excluding kids , all present in first AMANjunkies FTers Do
FYI , my first stay in ‘ 89 was when I was single & that trip included a 11 year old young cousin ( oops , not nephew hope he does not see this ! ) , lucky boy who is now himself a father to 3 boys .
Aman did not cater to kids those days but we did just fine , even on the Aman boats . There we were singles & not with spouses , only with our mums ! Seemed only for couples & not families unless it was villa stay .
Must have been interesting for them but one could count on Aman ethos , especially back then
!Last edited by FlyerEC; Jul 18, 2018 at 11:38 pm Reason: Corrected iPad typos , ..
Jul 15, 2018, 4:03 am
Jul 15, 2018, 9:54 am
Jul 15, 2018, 9:58 am
Jul 15, 2018, 12:39 pm
Jul 15, 2018, 4:28 pm
AMANjunkies wonder why excellent managers are not even offered alternatives within Amans .
Promotions even , & newbies are parachuted in instead .
As Aventine pointed out , perhaps now focusing on different type of guests , Amans longstanding ethos gone with the wind .. ?
Seems like discretion is not in vocabulary these days too ..
Jul 15, 2018, 5:06 pm
That’s a heck of a bombshell and quite an accusation!
Jul 15, 2018, 8:28 pm
Amanpuri
Aman Resorts Pansea Beach Phuket, TH 83000
Amanpuri - umptenth time :) ; to celebrate her anniversary / birthday :) (38 Photos)
Amanpuri
Preamble ..
This is Amanpuri ‘ s 30 th year !!!
Through the years , it has always felt like coming home , & I hope many more years to Puri even with changes sometimes not for the best ( for guests or staff ) , and numerous Amans to choose from these days .
View from 105 .
With much construction still ongoing , the 1.. ? level is closed / unfit for occupation due to noise / dust , along with some others and many villas .
This includes conversion of some pavilions to pool pavilions on 2 / 3 / 4 series & on spa side .
So for AMANjunkies coming home , like us , it is like moving from one of favourite master bedrooms to another favourite at home when choosing not to move out during a major refurbishment ( arriving home as scheduled but works completion delayed :( ) ..
In low season with the SW monsoon blowing , this is what we get often with sun in between . Can be rather blustery but amazing whitecaps , & such .
With many pavillons closed , occupancy is in our favour :)
Check In
After a brief welcome at the lobby by covering GM & some team members . We chose not to transfer to a “ buggy “ but remain in our new Amanpuri MPV to be driven to our ‘ room ‘ for the check in routine .
Smooth as usual in our pool pavilion .
Lots of our favourite fruits ( & more ) all ready to eat , cut and uncut .
Towards Bang Tao Bay
Room
Entry to our pool pavilion with 2 salas
First sala
View to the left of the entry . Some works going on below with a glimpse of the Andaman Sea in between the coconut trees .
We have stayed in this pool pavilion before .
Actually have been in 2 of the 3 originals , the 3rd is not so private . When we come with some of the family , we are in the other as there is a connecting garden door .
As you can see , our TV is set up . Apologies given again that it is on the small side . In keeping with the original Aman ethos , there are no TVs in pavilions unlike in the villas . ( TVs can be requested but may soon be in pavilions )
Some mangosteens & Thai oranges by the bedside table .
Our other view & second sala
Lower tide ; stronger winds !
Dining
Seasoned AMANjunkies are ‘ adjusting ‘ to the new normal . Puri , being the flagship & largest of the Amans , now also functions as a testing ground .
Restaurants having names ? Let ‘ s start with the Italian ..
The Italian was always just Italian until now , who wants to remember names when jet lagging ??
Arva
Thankfully , the food is as good as it has been even with some further changes - in the menu & staffing .. muzak , etcetera too .
It has been too windy to be at the Thai or Nama pop up at the lower bar . So savouring desserts later , see below , before the rains came was also wise .
We were so ‘ stuffed ‘ after a thoroughly enjoyable main meal of Italian & Thai at the Italian , that we had to continue our desserts a fair bit later .
A few photos
Appetisers that came with drinks
Tod man pla
Vitello tonnato variation
Favourite zuchinni strips , beetroot ‘ butter ‘ , lamb rack & Normandy butter
Did not make it to the South American bar lounge “ restaurant “ directly beneath on this visit .
The temporary in villa spa
Well , the spa is being expanded and will become a Wellness Centre .
If one had stayed when Puri reopened for the season , treatments would have been in room .
Currently a villa is being used - temporarily .
One of the salas , where the welcome tea is served . We opted to be in the airconditioned lounge .
View outside the spa room
View from higher up , note the buildings across the bay . None when Puri first opened . More & more now as this beautiful area is discovered & which provide twinkling light ups at night ;) , other than from fishing boats in the distance ..
Service
Almost stellar .. as occupancy is low - still with some hiccups . Room is not tidied after one leaves each time .
Newer team members are trying , unlike some recent years when it was very “ worrisome “ .
Location
It is where the best beach in Phuket is . Still somewhat away from the madding crowd .
Perfect when it opened 30 years ago :) .
Thank you AZ !
WIP - for the better ?
Come September , these should be ready
- The Spa is being expanded & more - Wellness Retreat with various specialties .
The Spa & Wellness Retreat to be
Still at work at night
- The Kids Club or “ Youth Discovery Centre “
With many AMANjunkies now being great grandparents , it is a good move to have a separate area for the children .. in addition to the current children ’ s pool . Even I will look forward to rock climbing ;)
Too noisy to enjoy the Beach Club now except during lunch break ..
A bit better down by the beach with the sound of crashing waves drowning out some construction noise
- Some new pool pavilions
The gardeners have been moving new plants / trees for landscaping .
The next time we stay , it is highly likely that this new infinity pool pavilion will be out of sight - on the spa side .
There are now 3 & when these are ready , there will be 9 pool pavilions .
Odds & ends
The brand of bottled water is different . Still in glass bottles . Asking why the change .
Evian ( plastic bottles ) is no more in the BMWs or Vellfires either . To be fair , Evian in glass bottles were provided for us .
The clam shaped soaps are smaller .
Straws are now biogradeable :)
In process of going ‘ greener ‘ , but with TVs in pavilions in the works .
No password required for wifi , all over this huge property , unlike some other Amans which require name / suite ..
The original beach is closed as usual during low / SW Monsoon season , the waves crash even on the lower steps of the iconic steps ! We did not even go on them this time to the tapas lounge . The winds are so strong that holding the iPad Pro to take the photos you see was quite an exercise in itself ..
New HM ( from AmanYY ) & F & B Manager on board by August .
Overall
A fond farewell by at least 10 including Karin ( see her at Bagh next ) , Preeya & Davide ..
Another enjoyable stay despite Puri being partially opened .
For first timers though , best wait till October or even November to appreciate Amanpuri in her latest best “ reinvention “ .
Will be interesting to see how the youth discovery area will be ‘ managed ‘ as the aquarium , activities , etcetera planned are brilliant if what I heard is correct .
The Wellness Centre seems promising , it might come close to Chiva Som ‘ s san the aqua bit .
Last edited by FlyerEC; Jul 18, 2018 at 3:32 pm
Jul 16, 2018, 12:45 am
Jul 16, 2018, 2:32 am
Interestingly, I am of the opinion that the new owner himself does understand Amanresorts and its DNA intimately, but sadly most persons beneath him do not. It is not enough to hire the best consultants, hospitality professionals and graduates or to get simply the hungriest on board, for they will not understand Aman. This is not another lifestyle operation in which a brand is a testing ground for a 21st century transformation, it’s about the small details, the culture, humor and care. I much preferred the pitfalls of the past days, compared to soulless mass experience seminar of current ones. It’s not enough to hire best, as sometimes the merely best have no understanding of the way one communicates or welcome guests, not clients. When I hear many of the new ‘hosts’ talking, I find them comparing Amanresorts to Rolls Royce...
With every person replaced, I wonder who is left and holding up what we know so well and love? My hope is the front liners, the cooks, gardeners, guest assistants and butlers might do it, as they are the true Amanresorts, but I hope that in the thousands instances they are reminded to use guest names they do not forget hospitality from the heart. Yes we might have been amused about some ‘characters’ in the past, hires who where a little caprice and sometimes AZ saw something essential in them most would not, but the underlining thread always was a passion for hospitality and not a ‘stint’ for the CV. The eclectic have been long replaced..
The misconception is that Aman cannot be programmed, put into words... or manuals. Try to teach these armies of PR people what our stays should be all about. They are not about Instagram filters. And the best is not always the most expensive or exclusive. Yes I have seen some write “Aman is the most expensive and exclusive group in the world”. Wrong.
Last edited by scented; Jul 16, 2018 at 2:54 am
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