Kagehitokiri

original 2004 thread by FlyerTalk Forums - View Profile: Amanjunkie

parallel thread by deer , original thread posted 2008
New Aman/Janu + Azerai/Azumi + GHM/Ahn Luh - '24/'25-Edition

aman >
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/33905344-post140.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30591977-post2.html (scroll down)
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30716202-post264.html (amangiri & aman & zecha)
Life Changing Experiences? (includes aman)

3 aman architects - tuttle, hill, gathy
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxu...l#post30407874
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxu...l#post11083953
Kerry Hill (well-known hotel architect) deceased, age 75
tuttle and zecha, unique characters >
Aman architect Ed Tuttle Passes Away In Paris
gastroenophile.co.uk/2020/08/ed-tuttle-death-of-architectural-genius.html
gastroenophile.co.uk/2014/05/whats-happening-with-adrian-zecha-and.html (including 2nd comment)
blurb.com/books/3461718-amandari (amandari architect peter muller diary)

some zecha history >
raditmahindro.medium.com/a-quite-long-history-of-balinese-hotel-architecture-part-i-wija-waworuntu-and-donald-friend-96c1553efa6b
raditmahindro.medium.com/a-quite-long-history-of-balinese-hotel-architecture-part-ii-geoffrey-bawa-and-peter-muller-81e0730380f1
raditmahindro.medium.com/a-quite-long-history-of-balinese-hotel-architecture-part-iii-bali-after-donald-friend-9c81b2d42417
raditmahindro.medium.com/a-quite-long-history-of-balinese-hotel-architecture-part-v-adrian-zecha-and-aman-1f4a2fbf1045
raditmahindro.medium.com/a-quite-long-history-of-balinese-hotel-architecture-part-vi-ghm-alila-and-contemporary-design-3ab778e9a86d
raditmahindro.medium.com/a-quite-long-history-of-balinese-hotel-architecture-part-vi-indonesian-designers-a07a394de537

directory of old aman reports >
Amanresorts Thread 2019

directory of prior aman threads and 'upcoming aman' threads
Amanresorts Thread 2016

amanjunkie shirt history
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/34552572-post442.html

these threads might be worth listing here
Rate your favourite Amans
So Many Amans, So Little Time

FlyerEC

Thanks much Kagehitokiri , need you to be back ! Please pop in now & then

God willing , we will be at a few AMANs again as usual this dragon year
Starting with N’oi next month , staying at a new villa ( unless we manage to squeeze in one other AMAN before )

Who knows if it might turn out to be an AMANJunkie FT DO , at least 3 FTers at N’oi then
We will there end March / early April

Ericka

For those torn about which Aman to visit!

Kagehitokiri

coincidentally, or not, the head of remote lands is present on every jet trip, and they are not a geoffrey kent type

16-18 guests on private jet with sofas is close to ideal, but odd whenever 1 bedroom (does 1 lucky guest get it?)

would be interesting to use the emirates private jet, which has 10 first class suites, 2 powder rooms, 1 shower

perhaps aman will 'buy' jet better than emirates in future if they continue to obtain substantial equity investment

FlyerEC

Wonder how bedroom is allocated 😉
Perhaps these expeditions are for those new to AMANs , AMANJunkies likely been to these AMANs , arguably all of them .. incentive trips for companies ?

Kagehitokiri

many like guided tours, so huge industry. aman 18 guests is top tier with private drivers and guides. (FS is 52 guests, dont recall re private drivers and guides.)

i've done room in a villa (necker, the lodge) and cruise (seabourn, silversea) and even in those 4 trips saw both good and bad of groups / communal. african safaris as well as expedition cruises are a different animal. when possible, in this forum i would personally recommend booking last minute when occupancy is as low as possible, except things like safari seasons.

aman 'yacht' will be 50 rooms. does not get much better.

i had thought i would do a room on a yacht (6>20 cabins) at some point, now think unlikely. mostly because decreasing interest in boating and decreasing interest in antarctica, but also decreasing interest in communal. there is at least one thread on communal here.

would be interesting if aman etc could help facilitate plane/jet or yacht charter between nearby properties, including for people on this forum. a FT DO could then combine multiple aman etc over a few days. i had thought i would look into this, now think unlikely.

aman in particular has many properties clustered pretty close together. i guess actually some are close enough that a helicopter would be most ideal and probably easiest to price and arrange. most helicopters are limited by capacity. maybe some amans would arrange separate luggage transport. or hold some for future return for those here who return regularly.

Mickidon

The juxtaposition of what are supposedly serene experiences coupled with a group tour is unappealing in the extreme. If traveling with family or hand picked
companions that is one thing, but there have got to be a few entitled, difficult people in the mix and they will be doing their annoying things (being late, competing
for the "best" rooms, drinking or talking too much, etc.) for 9, 10 or 20 days. No thank you.

KatW

Especially at those prices! World-class hissy fits and super-power manipulation.

livefromtuscany

I have to agree, looking at the Instagram reels of Remote Lands on-board the jet, you really have to be into mingling/socializing all the time to enjoy such a trip.

bearbrick

the closest arrangement for this at Amans would be what’s done at Amankora.
Each person/ couple gets their own transport and itinerary.
even dining can be individual.
options for communal for certain events that one can choose or not.
the “problem” would be on board the plane but that can be minimised- flights within Asia aren’t that long anyway.
Wonder if that can work ?
Otherwise would find communal Aman “group tours” a scary idea.
😱

Kagehitokiri

some aman history i do not think i linked anywhere >
Amanresorts thread -- 2021/2022
aman komodo history >
2004 $847 cabin on 5 cabin silolona
2005 $1888 cabin on 5 cabin silolona

smallest aman
10 ikhas
8 sveti stefan villa milocer
8 / 12 / 16 / 16 / 24 kora (wonder if they will ever add trongsa as original plan)
(kora's 12 room is punakha, which added pool & 4 rooms to original 8 rooms)

agree, solved by the emirates private jet with 10 F suites

regulars here could see about sharing a helicopter charter
although safest charters are things like newest gulfstreams

aman jet tour remains group tour, it is just about the smallest, with 16-18 pax
aman yacht at 50 cabins could be smaller, but not much, especially if pool
maybe aman will add more charter yachts of larger sizes in more areas
aman adding more larger villas to existing and new resorts seems likely
aman new york has 22 condos, 2 of which are in hotel inventory

its like i think many here would say aman is best 'group' , but there are independents
aman has by far the lowest room counts, but some of us now lean towards even lower

bearbrick

looking forward to new Aman yacht details.

FlyerEC

Think the shareholders have lost it .. Dubai ? Somewhat self serving and .. face , what vision ?

Why was AMAN for true AMANJunkies ignored ? Extremely sad state of affairs and hiring of “ bean counters “ mentality types to HQ ( those with no AMANs experience , do not even bring up AMAN DNA ) to boot ..

Soulless
Suppose they assume the “ influencer “ , nouveau and such types will support the dynamic and outrageous rates , rather than their loyal guests who prefer discretion

Pray the few who understand stay on to hold the fort while hopefully the “ few screw loose “ become fastened in place .. dire

cornwall4000

Makes me sad, yes, but also seems somewhat predictable. Perhaps inevitable (though that's arguable). Most corporations exist solely to expand.

Apologies to Aman, Four Seasons, RC, etc..... but once you're past terrestrial hotels/resorts/residences and getting into jets, helicopters, homeware/fashion, large yachts......let alone attempting to make them profit centers....
I would just expect it to be very very difficult - perhaps impossible - to ensure quality (let alone singular, inimitable experiences) across all 'product lines' and 'products'.

Happily, from what i read here on FT, it seems there are still at least several (if not many) largely-untainted 'Amans of old' that I hope to visit before I'm done.
Far East, yes, but also Greece, India, Turkey, etc.

ridefar

There are limits to this however. Amankora via the Aman jet tour only visits Paro and Thimpu. (Which misses the best two lodges, IMO, Gangtey and Punaka.) I don't think anybody would argue that the Aman jet tour would be incredibly luxurious and nicely personalized. I think the issue people have is that the approach doesn't seem very "Aman" either as the hotels were conceived and run 20-30 years ago, or in the more literal sense of the meaning of the word Aman (peace). If I had to guess, I think it is this part that bothers people and why the concept attracts some questions. (Above and beyond the value proposition and whether it is "worth it" when compared to flying F and booking your own stays.)