SanDiego1K

This was my first stay at an Aman. I was enticed by the 50% off rates post-tsunami, combined with the great Aman reputation.

Going to Galle

The Aman rep in Singapore was quite insistent that I take the once daily flight from Colombo to an airport near Galle. It was only slightly more than taking a car; however, I was interested in seeing a little of the country so chose the car.

The Aman driver picked me up at the Colombo Hilton. He was dressed in white, and had a cold water and a cold towel for me. Having just left the AC of the Hilton, I declined the towel, but thought it a nice touch.

I had just discovered that I was returning to Colombo on a national holiday (which commemorates the day that Buddha’s tooth arrived in Sri Lanka), so wanted to do a bit of shopping before leaving town. My driver was very cooperative about taking me around and about. I had a list of shops, and had the concierge cover them with him. He was from Tangalle, but fortunately was familiar with Colombo.

We had a bit of a scrape, when a car cut into our lane. We sat by the road for 1 ˝ hours while the insurance adjustor came. By the time we pulled out of town, it was time for lunch. The driver suggested the Mount Lavina, which was a great choice. This is a colonial hotel on the water, and has a great buffet lunch. It was a delight to have eat on the veranda with the sea air blowing over me.

We headed toward the south, and after 90 minutes or so, got into the tsunamai hit area. All rubble has been cleared away; you see concrete pads and in some cases walls that are left. In one area, there were a number of destroyed wooden boats far from harbor.

There was a terrible train disaster during the tsunami about an hour before Galle. About 1000 lives were lost when a fully loaded train was swept from the track. This was the most dramatic area to see. A new track has been laid parallel with the old, and four of the train cars have been put back on the track. The government might build a tsunami museum here. It is heart rending, yet fasincating to see.

If we had driven straight from the Hilton to Amangalla, it would have been about a 3 ˝ to 4 hour drive. We arrived in late afternoon.

SanDiego1K

Amangalla

The hotel is a historic hotel within the old fort that has been restored. It was not damaged during the tsunamai, and in fact was used by the British High Commission in the days following. I love colonial grandeur, and in that respect, the hotel did not fail. I also like history, and found the Galle Fort an interesting place to explore.

I was met on the wide veranda and immediately taken to my room. A butler met me there and showed me around my room. I had booked the least expensive category, and recommend against this. The room had no reading chair; a must for me. I asked if one could be brought in, and the butler went off.

In a short while, the manager/chef came with the butler and said that rather than moving in a chair, they would move me. I was offered two rooms of higher grade. Both were lovely. One had a squirrel eye’s view of the pool; the other was a suite in the front corner of the hotel. It overlooked the adjacent church and the front road. I happily chose this. It had a comfortable bedroom and a large living room. The living room had a day bed, a dining table, a desk, a chest, and a rattan lounge chair. There were ceiling fans in both rooms, as well as air conditioning.

I was to get a tour of the property, but when I was ready, didn’t find the butler. I walked myself around, and hopefully found all the nooks and crannies. The library is terrific, with an extensive collection of books on Sri Lanka. It also has general reading, and different games. It has free internet and has a broadband connection for those with their own computers. Beyond the library is a very comfortable outdoor sitting area with an overhead fan.

Beyond and around the corner is the pool with 5 cabana areas on the side. There are 30 rooms in the hotel, on various levels and sides. In the front section of the hotel, on the top floor, is a sitting area by a wall of windows where you can sit and watch the sea. There is a wonderful breeze from the water. There is a waiter there to take drink orders.

The front grand room has a dining area at one end, a grand piano where music is played in the evening, and comfortable seating. I always took my meals on the veranda or in the room in the evening. Food was superb; well prepared with local and international choices.

5 rooms of 30 were occupied both nights I was there. This is growth from prior months, when only 2 to 3 rooms were filled. Bookings are increasing in the fall.

SanDiego1K

I certainly got my money's worth, given the 50% off and the double upgrade I was given. I am more hesitant to recommend it at full price.

Upsides:

• Wonderful front veranda
• Great library
• Good food
• Spacious room
• Terrific location

Downsides:

• The butlers congregated in the great hall or on the veranda. If I wanted something while in my room, I finally resorted to using the phone - and the ladies who answered it had trouble with my American accent, and me with theirs.
• The second night, the room above mine was occupied. It sounded like thundering elephants above; there was no sound insulation whatsoever.
• I was never offered a drink while in the library; somehow, I expected more service
• Room had a couple quirks - no latch for staff to pull behind them, so I always had to get up to close and lock the door - and no hook or exterior handle for the do not disturb sign.
• My bill was not ready for me on departure, even though my departure time had been known. It took 15 minutes to prepare. I reviewed it briefly; when I got to Colombo and looked at it more carefully, I saw I was charged for someone else's beverages.

Some of the matters are easily overcome with training. Some are not, such as the sound problem from overhead rooms.

As more FTers stay at this property, I'll look forward to reports they bring back to see if service improves.

MisterAviator

Outstanding report! Thank you!!
My wife and I are considering a brief Sri Lanka visit in October as a stop-over on our flight MLE-CMB-KUL. (1-night at Amangalla and 3-nights at Amanwella.) Our only major concern is the lengthy drive to the Aman properties. How safe are the roads? How would you rate the scenic beauty of what you saw in Sri Lanka?

Ericka

Thanks for the great report, SanDiego1K! It sounds as if Amangalla still has some kinks to work out - but I don't know what they will be able to do about the poor floor-to-floor sound insulation.

SanDiego1K

The roads are completely safe. Further, you see none of the povery that you see when driving in India. Parts of the drive along the water are beautiful; parts are interesting simply in seeing local village life. You might consider the flight they proposed to me one direction and drive the other.

SanDiego1K

I had heard a lot about amazing Aman service from other FT posters. For those with Aman experience, what would you have expected?

Amangalla serves a very mild, very nice Ceylon tea grown on a plantation about 45 minutes from the hotel. I asked my server if I could buy some. He said no, but said that the butler could arrange a tour and that I could then buy while on the tour. I've been thru tea plantations, wasn't eager to spend half a day visiting another, and declined.

A butler booked a tuk tuk for me and I went to a tea shop in town that had been recommended in a guidebook. The selection wasn't particularly impressive; they had a lot of fannings and dust tea that I don't drink. They had none from the source used by the hotel.

I asked nothing more of the hotel, but I was surprised that I wasn't handed a 100 gm packet of tea. Cost to them would have been about $1; the good will would have been considerably more.

If this had been another Aman, what do you think they would have done? The same? Or would I have been handed a packet of tea?

Ericka

SanDiego 1K, I'm afraid it's true that not all Amans are created equal. Those in Indonesia are regarded as the best with those in Asia generally regarded in second place for service.

However, in Amangalla's defense, the property is very new and in an area that just suffered probably the worst disaster in the country's history. Try to think on the positive side - you received half off the cheapest room and were given a double upgrade besides.

But yes, I'm surprised they didn't come up with a way for you to get your tea (either as a gift or on your bill). Our experience is that with the right approach, the Amans will accomodate just about any request.

eutow

I'm surprised about that - I would have certainly expected them to give you some of the tea that you liked. Like Ericka, I have found Aman very accomodating with requests.

I had a similar experience recently at the Ritz-Carlton HK. In the Club lounge, I asked one of the staff to write down the name of the tea that I was drinking, because I liked it very much and wanted to buy some. She came back with a large packet of it as a gift, and said that if I was unable to find the tea in Japan in future, to let them know and they would arrange to buy it for me from their supplier. This was a very kind of her, but I would have expected something similar at Aman.

ngfan

Just arrived at Amangalla today and am now sitting in the library after a fabulous romantic dinner at the front veranda. Now I know what makes to become an Amanjunkie ! Service is absolutely excellent with a very relaxing atmosphere and sophisticated style. Just superb ! Have a nice Chamber room with balcony.

Water plane flight (1957 DHC-3T Turbo Otter) is sooo adventurous, esp. when flying in such a bad weather and low ceiling as we had today... Definitely something you will never forget...
Heading to Amanwella tomorrow.

Hope to post a trip report after getting back home.

Bungus

I have just come back from amangalla and also found I had been charged for someone else's beverages, disapointing coincidence or nasty habit they are picking up?

ngfan

As my bill was a bit lower than expected I guess they are still trying to learn how to keep track Seems as if they need more training on that. Otherwise I see no deliberate attempt to make a few more bucks... if that's what you mean...

Bungus

No I don't believe it to be a deliberate error, it's simply a shame, as we were at the pool at that time, and there was no one to show us where the towels were nor how to turn on the light, and most importantly, no one to serve us a drink, which we desperately wanted. So it was quite ironic to be charged for one.

I have mixed feelings about my Aman Sri Lanka experience, and these details, along with a 150$ transfer charge, instead of the published and announced 100$ rate, as well as other little and unimportant discrepancies bother me somewhat.

We were charged an insignificant 4$ for drinks which we didn't drink on an excursion. I thought the picnic basket and drinks were a great idea, but really disappointed to find I was charged for them, when I hadn't ordered nor consumed them. I couldn't understand why this was not included in the cost of the excursion, which I would have happily paid an extra 5 or 10$ for and really appreciated.

There was no merchandising available, not even a shop in Amangalla, and no one seemed to want my opinion or comments on my stay, which for a hotel that has just opened surprised me.

Anyway, I did have a wonderful time, a great destination, but I doubt I would choose Aman if I returned to Sri Lanka (which doesn't me I would chose Aman, elsewhere).

SanDiego1K

This surprised me as well. Just yesterday, I came across the notes I'd made during the stay. There were little nits with the room that could be easily altered so they were not irritants for future occupants, as well as other matters.

The property did not solicit feedback either during the stay or afterwards. It's a new property; it's understandable that not all is perfection - and it surprises me that they don't ask what can be improved.

Buster

This entirely sums up my feelings. We were thrown for a loop by the extra cost of the transfer, and we experienced a good number of service glitches (on more than one occasion I was brought the entirely wrong menu item, for example). They weren't fatal issues, and things I can live with at 1/2 off, but I have to wonder what the feelings are going to be of people who pay the full rate in the future.

Probably the worst thing we experienced was that someone right outside our window on the 2nd night of our stay was hammering away at concrete with a pickaxe from midnight to 2am, when I finally called to complain. We received no apology or recognition that this was disruptive and keeping us from sleeping. I was incredibly upset at this as it was(we were jetlagged and exhausted and we really needed the sleep) but I would be absolutely INFURIATED if I had paid $550/night to receive that kind of treatment.

I've been too busy at work since returning to post a proper trip report on my Amangalla and Amanwella stays, but suffice it to say that I was underwhelmed, and it has made me consider whether the other newer Amans are really worth the price. I'd happily return to Amankila or Amanusa, but don't think I'd return to either of the Sri Lankan properties.