Oct 12, 2018, 12:37 pm
Amanpulo, Philippines (Consolidated/review thread)
Mar 11, 2018, 8:04 pm
#496
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
My parents just came back from a stay at the Pulo and they had a wonderful time at the resort, which the exception that they were sick for most of their stay. If they were to ever go again they said they would book a 1bd villa over the beach casita having stayed in both during their trip. The in-house cook made the whole difference in their opinion which much better meals than at the restaurants and every night they would set up their dining area with different decorations, which were amazing. The bedroom portion of the villa is exactly the same as the casita: furniture, shape bathroom, but you have a separate living room, a pool ofc and a nice garden. One thing though is they prefered the beach by the casitas than next to the villa. Mom loved driving the buggy and wished her car was as simple to drive lol.
Mar 11, 2018, 9:25 pm
#497
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
My parents just came back from a stay at the Pulo and they had a wonderful time at the resort, which the exception that they were sick for most of their stay. If they were to ever go again they said they would book a 1bd villa over the beach casita having stayed in both during their trip. The in-house cook made the whole difference in their opinion which much better meals than at the restaurants and every night they would set up their dining area with different decorations, which were amazing. The bedroom portion of the villa is exactly the same as the casita: furniture, shape bathroom, but you have a separate living room, a pool ofc and a nice garden. One thing though is they prefered the beach by the casitas than next to the villa. Mom loved driving the buggy and wished her car was as simple to drive lol.
Mar 12, 2018, 9:50 am
#498
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: OSL
Posts: 2,145
We loved the (2 BR) villa we had at Pulo way more than the beach casita. We did, however, manage to negotiate a special price since we only needed 1 BR and since we changed to the villa more or less spontanously during our stay (a surprise for me which my husband organised). Not sure what the price difference is now. I think we were in number 33. In any case, the (few) villas at that side of the island is better since they are at the best beach. I suppose that synd`s parents were in a villa at the other side of the island since they preferred the casita beach (shared with villas 31-33).
Mar 12, 2018, 11:32 am
#499
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
Agree that the casitas in general at Pulo isn't amazing and not my favorite...much prefer the newer properties/designs like Amanoi. But I do think the exterior space of the one bedroom villa #32 is great for many reasons.
We were staying in a Beach Casitas and were invited over for drinks by the guests in Villa #32 and it was an awesome space to spend time hanging out with friends and drinks during sunset. Their butler also arranged a lovely spread, we had a great time! The beach is also the best area on the island during our visit in early July. Also know of other clients and FT members who specifically request #32 when visiting/booking.
We were staying in a Beach Casitas and were invited over for drinks by the guests in Villa #32 and it was an awesome space to spend time hanging out with friends and drinks during sunset. Their butler also arranged a lovely spread, we had a great time! The beach is also the best area on the island during our visit in early July. Also know of other clients and FT members who specifically request #32 when visiting/booking.
Mar 14, 2018, 1:15 am
#500
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: HKG
Posts: 38
we’re deciding to go back again for week for some r&r in late April or mid-May for our anniversary. Is the weather the same in those months? I’m also tempted to do the 1 bed villa but the RM said with our baby you wouldn’t hear in the living pavilion as it’s too far away... hmm.
Last edited by kmills84; Mar 15, 2018 at 5:47 am
Mar 14, 2018, 3:32 am
#501
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: SIN
Programs: CX DM
Posts: 125
Had a lovely stay as usual.
Mar 14, 2018, 5:21 am
#502
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
We were there last week, arrived on CX901 and took the early flight. Have done so in the past also; totally smooth. The Pulo folks will have you at the hangar in time. We have also done a night in Manila en route once and would never do again, spent almost all of the time in horrendous traffic (and were only traveling to the Peninsula in Makati so not far)
What kind of feedback were you after? We didn't see any obvious terrorists around Had a lovely stay as usual.
What kind of feedback were you after? We didn't see any obvious terrorists around
Had a lovely stay as usual.
Mar 14, 2018, 5:25 am
#503
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
we’re deciding to go back again for week for some r&r in late April or mid-May for our anniversary. Is the weather the same in those months? I’m also tempted to do the 1 bed villa but the RM said with our baby you wouldn’t her in the living pavilion as it’s too far away... hmm.
The One bedroom villa will definitely make the R&R more R&R, lol. Enjoy and Happy early Anniversary!!!
Mar 15, 2018, 12:33 am
#504
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: SJC
Posts: 214
we’re deciding to go back again for week for some r&r in late April or mid-May for our anniversary. Is the weather the same in those months? I’m also tempted to do the 1 bed villa but the RM said with our baby you wouldn’t her in the living pavilion as it’s too far away... hmm.
I think the living pavilions and bedrooms are far in all villas, but villa #32 does have a living pavilion at the opposite end of the ground. Villa #32 is the only true 1 bedroom villa and Amanpulo will just close off extra bedrooms to make it 1 or 2 bedroom villa unless you specifically request villa #32. On the Aman Resort website, pictures 1-3 on the Villa page are those of #32. It has an open air pavilion and outdoor BBQ and dining area, which other villas don't have. We saw 3-4 other villas but villa #32 has more palm trees, grass and vegetation.
We were given a 4 bedroom villa on our 2nd stay, and we requested to move to villa #32 because that side of the island is less windy and preferred the layout of #32. Many of the villas are slightly set back from the beach, so you might have a very short walk to the beach, but villa #31-33 are right on the beach.
We are thinking of going back in August and will be requesting villa #32 again. To us, it's a special villa.
Mar 15, 2018, 1:43 am
#505
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: England
Posts: 1,361
For all this talk of the villas, here are pictures from my stay over Christmas '16
Room upgrades mean more to me than they used to, so I would spend the extra to get a villa. I'm just not a fan of any of the casitas at Amanpulo.
Mar 15, 2018, 7:24 am
#506
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 144
We were there last week, arrived on CX901 and took the early flight. Have done so in the past also; totally smooth. The Pulo folks will have you at the hangar in time. We have also done a night in Manila en route once and would never do again, spent almost all of the time in horrendous traffic (and were only traveling to the Peninsula in Makati so not far)
Mar 17, 2018, 7:05 am
#507
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: SIN
Programs: CX DM
Posts: 125
For our upcoming trip we are arriving from Singapore at 10:00AM (on JetStar unfortunately, but it is the only flight from SIN that allows you to make the early flight), so we have tons of time on the front end, but for the return is there any risk in booking CX918 that leaves at 5:45PM? We could take the next CX flight if necessary (7:55PM), as we don't leave HKG until 1:00AM, but I would really rather hang out at the Pier or the Wing at HKG as opposed to 4+ hours at MNL.
Mar 21, 2018, 8:40 am
#508
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: HKG
Posts: 38
For all this talk of the villas, here are pictures from my stay over Christmas '16
https://www.flickr.com/photos/132880...57677975290196
Room upgrades mean more to me than they used to, so I would spend the extra to get a villa. I'm just not a fan of any of the casitas at Amanpulo.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/132880...57677975290196
Room upgrades mean more to me than they used to, so I would spend the extra to get a villa. I'm just not a fan of any of the casitas at Amanpulo.
Also has anyone been around mid-May, what's the weather like or should we opt for late April to be safe?
Apr 7, 2018, 9:09 am
#509
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 144
I was actually able to get two seats in JAL F for our flight home after Amanpulo, instead of CX, but the tradeoff is that we now need to overnight in Manila (which is fine). Is The Peninsula a no-brainer, or are there any other hotels that we should consider? Priorities would be proximity to the airport (as we fly to NRT at 9:50AM the next day) and somewhere either with a great restaurant in the hotel for dinner (end of a two-week trip, so we will be exhausted) or in a neighborhood with great restaurants that are a short cab.
Jun 17, 2018, 9:43 am
#510
Join Date: May 2005
Location: SFO/OAK
Programs: UA Peon
Posts: 171
Suggestions about activities?
Our trip to Amanpulo is coming up in a couple months, and we’re hoping the weather gods smile upon us (our original Plan B in the event of foul weather, Amanwana, is currently out of the running; the resort says they’re fully booked. So we’d probably just spend a little more time on Bali, and hop over to Amanjiwo as well.).
We’ve been going through the activities guide and noting things to do. These especially caught our eye, and I’d love to get feedback on how these have been OR if there’s something we’re omitting that you think we should consider.
This is for 2 adults plus our daughter (9). We’d have her participate in some things, and hire a sitter for others. We’re staying for 5 nights.
We’ve been going through the activities guide and noting things to do. These especially caught our eye, and I’d love to get feedback on how these have been OR if there’s something we’re omitting that you think we should consider.
This is for 2 adults plus our daughter (9). We’d have her participate in some things, and hire a sitter for others. We’re staying for 5 nights.
- Snorkel
- Take a SCUBA refresher course and dive
- Have our daughter take the SCUBA intro course and dive with her (she’s really excited about this one!)
- Picnic at the sand bar with lunch
- Rent the Kawayan Bar for a couple hours with cocktails
- Take the Manamoc tour (possibly with the mangrove exploration)
- Stargaze
- Have a few spa treatments
One thing I’m on the fence about is a private dining experience. The beach BBQ looks good, especially with lobster. But the add-on price for a 1kg lobster almost seems to border on gouging (USD $200 before tax/service charge). Earlier in this trip we’re staying at Amankila, and the beach dining experience there seems to offer more value. I’m very interested in perspectives here.
Thanks so much.