Oct 12, 2018, 12:37 pm
Amanpulo, Philippines (Consolidated/review thread)
Dec 8, 2018, 3:22 pm
#556
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 2,028
We will be there in May. Audeline has been fantastic via email after a lengthy delay at first (apparently my original mail was lost). Very communicative, offering helpful suggestions, etc.
However, dealing with the Reservations department has been an absolute disaster. Truly a furstrating experience. My CC was charged half of the stay at time of booking, but then Amanpulo started harassing me asking for me to pay my 50% deposit. They had no record of the charge, and they even made me send them a screenshot of my credit card statement. Took three follow-ups via phone for them to send me an updated invoice, etc.
I am still optimistic for our stay given the sheer number of positive things people say about the island, and Audeline’s helpful responses, but this place is just too expensive for these rookie mistakes before even stepping foot on the property.
However, dealing with the Reservations department has been an absolute disaster. Truly a furstrating experience. My CC was charged half of the stay at time of booking, but then Amanpulo started harassing me asking for me to pay my 50% deposit. They had no record of the charge, and they even made me send them a screenshot of my credit card statement. Took three follow-ups via phone for them to send me an updated invoice, etc.
I am still optimistic for our stay given the sheer number of positive things people say about the island, and Audeline’s helpful responses, but this place is just too expensive for these rookie mistakes before even stepping foot on the property.
Dec 8, 2018, 3:38 pm
#557
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Enroute to ? & likely flying in ' A ':)
Programs: TPPS, UA, EK ...; Marriott BONVOY , HH, GP, GC..
Posts: 4,217
We will be there in May. Audeline has been fantastic via email after a lengthy delay at first (apparently my original mail was lost). Very communicative, offering helpful suggestions, etc.
However, dealing with the Reservations department has been an absolute disaster. Truly a furstrating experience. My CC was charged half of the stay at time of booking, but then Amanpulo started harassing me asking for me to pay my 50% deposit. They had no record of the charge, and they even made me send them a screenshot of my credit card statement. Took three follow-ups via phone for them to send me an updated invoice, etc.
I am still optimistic for our stay given the sheer number of positive things people say about the island, and Audeline’s helpful responses, but this place is just too expensive for these rookie mistakes before even stepping foot on the property.
However, dealing with the Reservations department has been an absolute disaster. Truly a furstrating experience. My CC was charged half of the stay at time of booking, but then Amanpulo started harassing me asking for me to pay my 50% deposit. They had no record of the charge, and they even made me send them a screenshot of my credit card statement. Took three follow-ups via phone for them to send me an updated invoice, etc.
I am still optimistic for our stay given the sheer number of positive things people say about the island, and Audeline’s helpful responses, but this place is just too expensive for these rookie mistakes before even stepping foot on the property.
.Her , Audeline W ‘ s , email abilities must have improved significantly too after some missteps a few years ago with a few of us AMANjunkies .
Possibly figured out after and learnt what Aman responses ought to be like . She being a new kid on the Aman block along with then husband Pulo GM ( who is now responsible for North Asia !
sans Japan , thankfully ) .
Dec 8, 2018, 3:39 pm
#558
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,602
We will be there in May. Audeline has been fantastic via email after a lengthy delay at first (apparently my original mail was lost). Very communicative, offering helpful suggestions, etc.
However, dealing with the Reservations department has been an absolute disaster. Truly a furstrating experience. My CC was charged half of the stay at time of booking, but then Amanpulo started harassing me asking for me to pay my 50% deposit. They had no record of the charge, and they even made me send them a screenshot of my credit card statement. Took three follow-ups via phone for them to send me an updated invoice, etc.
I am still optimistic for our stay given the sheer number of positive things people say about the island, and Audeline’s helpful responses, but this place is just too expensive for these rookie mistakes before even stepping foot on the property.
However, dealing with the Reservations department has been an absolute disaster. Truly a furstrating experience. My CC was charged half of the stay at time of booking, but then Amanpulo started harassing me asking for me to pay my 50% deposit. They had no record of the charge, and they even made me send them a screenshot of my credit card statement. Took three follow-ups via phone for them to send me an updated invoice, etc.
I am still optimistic for our stay given the sheer number of positive things people say about the island, and Audeline’s helpful responses, but this place is just too expensive for these rookie mistakes before even stepping foot on the property.
I usually deal with Michelle or Alyssa. Both of them usually go above and beyond.
With these kind of problems, could email Christina D about it. It’s unlike them.
Dec 8, 2018, 3:44 pm
#559
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 2,028
Everything is squared away now, but having to go out of my way and call them to follow-up on requests is not good service for a $1.5K+ per night hotel. I also think the 50% down, 50% 1 month prior policy is a bit ridiculous. It actually disincentivizes early bookings - why should I give Aman a interest-free loan?
That said, as we are visiting on off-season, the free transfer airfare promotion + what I negotiated with Audeline makes the value prop quite significant. Even if service isn’t spectacular I am very excited for our stay.
Dec 8, 2018, 3:58 pm
#560
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Enroute to ? & likely flying in ' A ':)
Programs: TPPS, UA, EK ...; Marriott BONVOY , HH, GP, GC..
Posts: 4,217
Eh, don’t want to call her out as she actually is very sweet. To clarify, this is Amanpulo reservations, not Central Aman reservations.
Everything is squared away now, but having to go out of my way and call them to follow-up on requests is not good service for a $1.5K+ per night hotel. I also think the 50% down, 50% 1 month prior policy is a bit ridiculous. It actually disincentivizes early bookings - why should I give Aman a interest-free loan?
That said, as we are visiting on off-season, the free transfer airfare promotion + what I negotiated with Audeline makes the value prop quite significant. Even if service isn’t spectacular I am very excited for our stay.
Everything is squared away now, but having to go out of my way and call them to follow-up on requests is not good service for a $1.5K+ per night hotel. I also think the 50% down, 50% 1 month prior policy is a bit ridiculous. It actually disincentivizes early bookings - why should I give Aman a interest-free loan?
That said, as we are visiting on off-season, the free transfer airfare promotion + what I negotiated with Audeline makes the value prop quite significant. Even if service isn’t spectacular I am very excited for our stay.
As I posted somewhere , rather a nuisance these days to have to contend with the “ to & froing “ of emails & even calls unlike before when one email would suffice . Just show up for stay & Aman welcome / transfer greeter will be waiting at the airport
All the specific Aman reservations team are probably confused with the many details / requirements these days ..
Great news though on the complimentary air transfer to Pamilican Island , hope we will enjoy this when we eventually return .
Dec 8, 2018, 4:00 pm
#561
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,602
Yes was referring to Pulo reservations. At least it is sorted now.
Peak seasons often saw deposits, was always waived for many here, including me but less and less. Though this phenomenon is not Aman specific, certain destinations like Maldives and the Seychelles for example more and more ask for it, even months in advance.
In earlier days, many did not even ask for a CC guarantee, let alone a pre-auth or deposit. Just came and stayed, settled upon check out.
More standards now...
Peak seasons often saw deposits, was always waived for many here, including me but less and less. Though this phenomenon is not Aman specific, certain destinations like Maldives and the Seychelles for example more and more ask for it, even months in advance.
In earlier days, many did not even ask for a CC guarantee, let alone a pre-auth or deposit. Just came and stayed, settled upon check out.
More standards now...
Dec 8, 2018, 4:28 pm
#562
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Enroute to ? & likely flying in ' A ':)
Programs: TPPS, UA, EK ...; Marriott BONVOY , HH, GP, GC..
Posts: 4,217
Yes was referring to Pulo reservations. At least it is sorted now.
Peak seasons often saw deposits, was always waived for many here, including me but less and less. Though this phenomenon is not Aman specific, certain destinations like Maldives and the Seychelles for example more and more ask for it, even months in advance.
In earlier days, many did not even ask for a CC guarantee, let alone a pre-auth or deposit. Just came and stayed, settled upon check out.
More standards now...
Peak seasons often saw deposits, was always waived for many here, including me but less and less. Though this phenomenon is not Aman specific, certain destinations like Maldives and the Seychelles for example more and more ask for it, even months in advance.
In earlier days, many did not even ask for a CC guarantee, let alone a pre-auth or deposit. Just came and stayed, settled upon check out.
More standards now...
The gentleman ‘ s agreement was all that was needed .
But these days with , erh , the types that do not even understand “ gentleman “ , suppose Aman has to join the crowd unlike standing out being above the rest before ..
As you posted on Paris in another thread , shockingly sad what hotels need to be prepared for these days
Dec 8, 2018, 6:31 pm
#563
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
'how on earth' - tibbles moved, christophe had no positive reports here that i recall, his ex wife audeline does have some positive comments here but how long has she been at pulo and with aman and have there been other departures from pulo (as i read i see FlyerEC mentioned) , on top of any new directives coming down from corporate (which there are, almost certainly related to some choosing to leave)
corporate has GMs offsite more, aman and indepedents need GM onsite to deliver their highs, whereas most like FS simply cannot deliver as high, note certain highs discussed by certain people (multiple) here at brands other than aman are almost always regulars at company in question rather than first stay with company
thing is, unless i am missing something, there is nothing remotely comparable to pulo, unless spending much more to go with north island which is different style
pulo is not expensive when comparing number of rooms elsewhere
$1.5K is being charged for tiny rooms in big box resorts, cities, etc
and re other private islands, no comparison except north island
complimentary transfer was an Exclusive
aman may not peak as often, but they can still peak..
those who dont care re room count shouldnt focus on aman
(for me it's the only reason it's the only brand of interest)
corporate has GMs offsite more, aman and indepedents need GM onsite to deliver their highs, whereas most like FS simply cannot deliver as high, note certain highs discussed by certain people (multiple) here at brands other than aman are almost always regulars at company in question rather than first stay with company
thing is, unless i am missing something, there is nothing remotely comparable to pulo, unless spending much more to go with north island which is different style
pulo is not expensive when comparing number of rooms elsewhere
$1.5K is being charged for tiny rooms in big box resorts, cities, etc
and re other private islands, no comparison except north island
complimentary transfer was an Exclusive
aman may not peak as often, but they can still peak..
those who dont care re room count shouldnt focus on aman
(for me it's the only reason it's the only brand of interest)
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Dec 11, 2018 at 12:11 pm
Dec 8, 2018, 9:10 pm
#564
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,055
Yes was referring to Pulo reservations. At least it is sorted now.
Peak seasons often saw deposits, was always waived for many here, including me but less and less. Though this phenomenon is not Aman specific, certain destinations like Maldives and the Seychelles for example more and more ask for it, even months in advance.
In earlier days, many did not even ask for a CC guarantee, let alone a pre-auth or deposit. Just came and stayed, settled upon check out.
More standards now...
Peak seasons often saw deposits, was always waived for many here, including me but less and less. Though this phenomenon is not Aman specific, certain destinations like Maldives and the Seychelles for example more and more ask for it, even months in advance.
In earlier days, many did not even ask for a CC guarantee, let alone a pre-auth or deposit. Just came and stayed, settled upon check out.
More standards now...
Yes , more standards ? for Aman really uncalled for , some areas anyway .
The gentleman ‘ s agreement was all that was needed .
But these days with , erh , the types that do not even understand “ gentleman “ , suppose Aman has to join the crowd unlike standing out being above the rest before ..
As you posted on Paris in another thread , shockingly sad what hotels need to be prepared for these days
Dec 8, 2018, 9:13 pm
#565
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
for example at aman sri lanka (only for holiday) >
(some aman could easily have published stricter, if sri lanka this strict..)
some changes are prompted by changes in guest profiles and cancelations etc, all of a sudden aman is loaded everywhere for online booking, so while that is a choice that could be undone, clearly a factor in how they then have to handle bookings
what is industry standard? certainly industry has become 'stricter' over time
for me, cancellation policies would just make me book last minute, but i kind of already want to do that for reasons including occupancy, events, weather, etc
Notice of cancellation should be received 14 days prior to arrival date. In the event of no-show or late cancellation within 14 days of arrival, a one night room charge penalty plus tax will be applied.
For bookings between 20 December 2011 and 10 January 2012, a 25% deposit is charged at the time of booking. Confirmation and a full payment are required 45 days prior to arrival and cancellations made during the 45-day period will result in a penalty of the entire length of stay. Reduction on the number of nights stay can be made within 30 days of booking. If the number of nights is reduced during the stay, a 100% payment of total stay is applicable.
For bookings between 20 December 2011 and 10 January 2012, a 25% deposit is charged at the time of booking. Confirmation and a full payment are required 45 days prior to arrival and cancellations made during the 45-day period will result in a penalty of the entire length of stay. Reduction on the number of nights stay can be made within 30 days of booking. If the number of nights is reduced during the stay, a 100% payment of total stay is applicable.
some changes are prompted by changes in guest profiles and cancelations etc, all of a sudden aman is loaded everywhere for online booking, so while that is a choice that could be undone, clearly a factor in how they then have to handle bookings
what is industry standard? certainly industry has become 'stricter' over time
for me, cancellation policies would just make me book last minute, but i kind of already want to do that for reasons including occupancy, events, weather, etc
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Dec 8, 2018 at 9:47 pm
Dec 8, 2018, 10:37 pm
#566
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 144
Regarding deposits etc - I reached out several weeks ago to change my card on file because I had a fraud incident and my CC number was changed. I didn’t want a charge to bounce closer to our trip. They asked me to fill out a credit card authorization form, which I thought was just for the room hold, but they then charged the full amount of our stay (plus flights). They never said they intended to run the charge, nor does our booking require prepayment (our stay is in February).
I figured it would be a hassle to unwind it all, and our plans are locked in, so I just let it go, but it was not explained in advance at all. Somewhat of a head-scratcher.
I figured it would be a hassle to unwind it all, and our plans are locked in, so I just let it go, but it was not explained in advance at all. Somewhat of a head-scratcher.
Dec 8, 2018, 11:52 pm
#567
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: UA 1K, AA Plat Pro, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,048
for example at aman sri lanka (only for holiday) >
(some aman could easily have published stricter, if sri lanka this strict..)
some changes are prompted by changes in guest profiles and cancelations etc, all of a sudden aman is loaded everywhere for online booking, so while that is a choice that could be undone, clearly a factor in how they then have to handle bookings
what is industry standard? certainly industry has become 'stricter' over time
for me, cancellation policies would just make me book last minute, but i kind of already want to do that for reasons including occupancy, events, weather, etc
(some aman could easily have published stricter, if sri lanka this strict..)
some changes are prompted by changes in guest profiles and cancelations etc, all of a sudden aman is loaded everywhere for online booking, so while that is a choice that could be undone, clearly a factor in how they then have to handle bookings
what is industry standard? certainly industry has become 'stricter' over time
for me, cancellation policies would just make me book last minute, but i kind of already want to do that for reasons including occupancy, events, weather, etc
Considering how easy it is to book stays online now, and how often people cancel / change / flake on plans, if Aman did not require a deposit (especially for peak season stays) then they would be missing out on a lot of money. I can understand how for the people who have been going to Amans since the 90s (or before) this is annoying, but in the end Aman is a business that is supposed to make money.
As my wife and I say, the thing that makes Aman great is that even though you are spending a lot of money, you feel like you got your money worth (there is a better expression, but I will not include it here so as to not offend anyone). My guess is that the lowest common denominator client in the mid-90s at an Aman would never imagine leaving the resort without settling up (and being able to), I am not sure that would be the case today across the portfolio.
Dec 9, 2018, 8:23 am
#568
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: YYC
Programs: AC 50k 1MM, Marriott LT Titanium Elite
Posts: 3,402
Yes was referring to Pulo reservations. At least it is sorted now.
Peak seasons often saw deposits, was always waived for many here, including me but less and less. Though this phenomenon is not Aman specific, certain destinations like Maldives and the Seychelles for example more and more ask for it, even months in advance.
In earlier days, many did not even ask for a CC guarantee, let alone a pre-auth or deposit. Just came and stayed, settled upon check out.
More standards now...
Peak seasons often saw deposits, was always waived for many here, including me but less and less. Though this phenomenon is not Aman specific, certain destinations like Maldives and the Seychelles for example more and more ask for it, even months in advance.
In earlier days, many did not even ask for a CC guarantee, let alone a pre-auth or deposit. Just came and stayed, settled upon check out.
More standards now...
Peak season, location, and customer profile may determine if some deposit or pre-payment is required? Pulo asks for pre-payment now, and I actually appreciate it because my credit card company hated large payments coming from the Philippines and would usually decline (when charged on day of checkout) due to suspected fraud. SS policy required pre-payment, but we were never actually asked for it. Pulo hasn't yet tired to charge me anything for next spring however. And Kora has only asked for a very minor deposit -- and for Kora I think full payment in advance isn't unreasonable due to location, small room count, and difficulty replacing a guest who is a no show.
Dec 9, 2018, 1:01 pm
#569
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
well said, agree with both of last posts
some small independents say 'no refund unless we're able to resell room'
aman also lowered quite a few rates (some dramatically) under new ownership, as that was one of the things i tracked quite closely over the past 11 or 12 years
although it does seem more aman are going partly dynamic rates like tokyo did
unless they go 100% dynamic, even tokyo can be less than others in tokyo at peak
some small independents say 'no refund unless we're able to resell room'
aman also lowered quite a few rates (some dramatically) under new ownership, as that was one of the things i tracked quite closely over the past 11 or 12 years
although it does seem more aman are going partly dynamic rates like tokyo did
unless they go 100% dynamic, even tokyo can be less than others in tokyo at peak
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Dec 9, 2018 at 1:49 pm
