Report on my stay at Aman Sveti Stefan
#136
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
I'm flying out to SS on Thursday. Very curious to see how this all pans out.
Not sure whether Tapa will still be GM and work a notice period or whether Aman will have sent over another GM to manage the transition.
Does anybody have previous experience from other properties, in similar situations?
Not sure whether Tapa will still be GM and work a notice period or whether Aman will have sent over another GM to manage the transition.
Does anybody have previous experience from other properties, in similar situations?
#137
Well, this seems to explain quite a bit: https://twitter.com/Gallivanters/sta...69976973381632
#138
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
IMHO, this is a huge loss for Aman and a clear indication that things are not going well within the company. I miss all those fabulous GMs who have left, and remain unimpressed by most of the new people, who simply don't "get" Aman. And with less and less veterans around able to teach them, things are bound to get worse.
There should be new hires who DO 'get' Aman.
Also, not particularly excited about some of their newer hotels.
Shanghai seems nice in terms of the story behind the project, but it's not an exciting hotel/destination.
Amanemu? Still not sure.
Kyoto...so many options.
Amanera is definitely interesting (but not the larger proposed project around the place) but some of the newer proposed Caribbean ones are just more hotels in fairly well known existing locations, albeit in some cases 1-2 hours in the OTHER direction from where most of the 'action' is which is at least a saving grace.
#139
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Here there and everywhere
Posts: 6,303
Aman are about to launch, globally, their new Aman Skincare, which is rumoured to have been manufactured by ILA. All-black bottles and jars again, but it looks as though it is plastic this time instead of glass.
#140
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,265
IMHO, this is a huge loss for Aman and a clear indication that things are not going well within the company. I miss all those fabulous GMs who have left, and remain unimpressed by most of the new people, who simply don't "get" Aman. And with less and less veterans around able to teach them, things are bound to get worse.
Anyway, glad to hear that at least OP issue has been sorted out. I am indeed afraid that these issues were rather related to a transition period for SS where the boat was missing a captain.
#141
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
IMHO, this is a huge loss for Aman and a clear indication that things are not going well within the company. I miss all those fabulous GMs who have left, and remain unimpressed by most of the new people, who simply don't "get" Aman. And with less and less veterans around able to teach them, things are bound to get worse.
#143
You find all info in this thread: Live @ Six Senses Zil Pasyon. (Seychelles islands)
#144
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 181
I arrived this afternoon. I have to say I came in with very low expectations given this thread but have been pleasantly surprised so far. Hardware and the setting is absolutely magnificent. Service has been good so far; they’re apparently at near 100% occupancy but I’ve not been asked for my room number once yet and everybody seems to know we are staying at the resort (we even showed up at Villa Milocer unannounced). Jane and Tapa were both present at check in to welcome us as well. Let’s hope this continues!
#146
We arrived a few hours ago and were warmly welcomed by Tapa and Jane. The setting is beautiful as is our room. It does not feel like a downgrade after our Amanoi stay in June... At all. The staff we have encountered so far have all been great. Talkative, helpful, engaging and proactive. Proper Aman.
No wasps or broken hardware either.
The truffle pasta at dinner was unbelievably good too. I say that as somebody who spent several days in Florence two weeks ago.
Really looking forward to the rest of our stay.
One annoyance though: the noise that comes over from the nightclubs on the mainland, at night. Lots of low level karaoke and general shouting over grainy PAs. It is after 11pm and doesn't really show any signs of letting up. Nothing the resort can do but surprised it's not been mentioned before.
No wasps or broken hardware either.
The truffle pasta at dinner was unbelievably good too. I say that as somebody who spent several days in Florence two weeks ago.
Really looking forward to the rest of our stay.
One annoyance though: the noise that comes over from the nightclubs on the mainland, at night. Lots of low level karaoke and general shouting over grainy PAs. It is after 11pm and doesn't really show any signs of letting up. Nothing the resort can do but surprised it's not been mentioned before.
#147
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
Had two sets of clients checked in today and seems to have had great welcomes and experiences so far. Tapa is on it and he should be at the resort till end of Month, at least.
Edit: Tapa just emailed me to advise that all 4 clients are happy and enjoying their time. I really appreciate the kind gesture on his part and detailed attention to ensure that the same issues occurred with the OP didn't happen again. Seems that they took the feedback very seriously and immediately. But I'm also grateful that the OP brought his issues to everyone's attention, hate that he had to take one for the team, though!
Edit: Tapa just emailed me to advise that all 4 clients are happy and enjoying their time. I really appreciate the kind gesture on his part and detailed attention to ensure that the same issues occurred with the OP didn't happen again. Seems that they took the feedback very seriously and immediately. But I'm also grateful that the OP brought his issues to everyone's attention, hate that he had to take one for the team, though!
Last edited by BESVISOR; Sep 15, 2018 at 8:52 am
#148
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 181
We arrived a few hours ago and were warmly welcomed by Tapa and Jane. The setting is beautiful as is our room. It does not feel like a downgrade after our Amanoi stay in June... At all. The staff we have encountered so far have all been great. Talkative, helpful, engaging and proactive. Proper Aman.
No wasps or broken hardware either.
The truffle pasta at dinner was unbelievably good too. I say that as somebody who spent several days in Florence two weeks ago.
Really looking forward to the rest of our stay.
One annoyance though: the noise that comes over from the nightclubs on the mainland, at night. Lots of low level karaoke and general shouting over grainy PAs. It is after 11pm and doesn't really show any signs of letting up. Nothing the resort can do but surprised it's not been mentioned before.
No wasps or broken hardware either.
The truffle pasta at dinner was unbelievably good too. I say that as somebody who spent several days in Florence two weeks ago.
Really looking forward to the rest of our stay.
One annoyance though: the noise that comes over from the nightclubs on the mainland, at night. Lots of low level karaoke and general shouting over grainy PAs. It is after 11pm and doesn't really show any signs of letting up. Nothing the resort can do but surprised it's not been mentioned before.
#149
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
20, 30 years ago, it would be talked about within a small circle. Difference is, now it goes up on a forum, on Instagram, on TripAdvisor etc.
We often report the bad reviews on here - and this is not to discourage any reviewers from writing the negative reviews, we do actually need MORE of those because it provides a balance and also a warning - but how often do we report the amazing reviews, nevermind the decent/good ones? Does everyone on here who has ever reported a bad review also reported a decent stay? A good stay? An amazing stay? An out of this world stay?
There are plenty of an older generation who have told me they disliked their Aman stays, even back in the "heyday" of the late 80s and early 90s - whether it's because that's not what they were looking for from a trip, or it just didn't go as planned and they don't see the value proposition. It's not a unique phenomenon to now, despite the 'change in ownership' and leadership (which, again, isn't to say it isn't an issue - sure, I've seen some changes myself in the last ~5 or so years). But these reviews from back then would be within a small (if influential) circle; not a public forum/space like here or Instagram etc.
And that's true across every hotel, brand etc.
What is different, though, are the amount of 'fake' reviews (and these tend to mostly be positive) which probably didn't occur as much back then.