The "New Amanresorts & GHM Development" Thread (up to beginning 2010)
Oct 23, 2008, 2:24 pm
#166
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Dublin,Ireland
Posts: 1,294
The Richli split is amicable - they are still great friends.
The Baumgartners (Pierre & Marieke) did not fall out with Aman after Amanjena. They went to Mexico to open various resorts that never happened. They are still there, and will probably open Aman's central/south American project/s.
Michael Di Leonardo and his wife went to Switzerland after Amanwana, but I have lost track of them now.
Guy & Tracy Heywood used to manage Amankila, then went to Amangani - he as regional VP for Aman. Then he left to join Voyages in Australia as COO, but as Voyages is up for sale...? Maybe.
Hector & Pamela de Galard opened Amanjena, but Hector fell out with Adrian over a guest issue (important guest). He joined O&O and tried to open a resort in Cuba, but it fell through after 2 years. He then went to le Touessrok in Mauritius and oversaw the renovation. Then, when Kerzner sold Touessrok to Sun, he went to Kanuhura, Maldives. Then when Kerzner sold Kanuhura to Sun, he left O&O and is now in Beirut, opening Le Gray for Campbell Gray Hotels.
These are what I would call the famous 'old guard' of Aman, so I wonder who it could be?!!!
The Baumgartners (Pierre & Marieke) did not fall out with Aman after Amanjena. They went to Mexico to open various resorts that never happened. They are still there, and will probably open Aman's central/south American project/s.
Michael Di Leonardo and his wife went to Switzerland after Amanwana, but I have lost track of them now.
Guy & Tracy Heywood used to manage Amankila, then went to Amangani - he as regional VP for Aman. Then he left to join Voyages in Australia as COO, but as Voyages is up for sale...? Maybe.
Hector & Pamela de Galard opened Amanjena, but Hector fell out with Adrian over a guest issue (important guest). He joined O&O and tried to open a resort in Cuba, but it fell through after 2 years. He then went to le Touessrok in Mauritius and oversaw the renovation. Then, when Kerzner sold Touessrok to Sun, he went to Kanuhura, Maldives. Then when Kerzner sold Kanuhura to Sun, he left O&O and is now in Beirut, opening Le Gray for Campbell Gray Hotels.
These are what I would call the famous 'old guard' of Aman, so I wonder who it could be?!!!
Or a stalker perhaps ???
Actually I really enjoy your amanknowledge ( I hear the Oxford english dictionary will be adding that word shortly....)
Oct 24, 2008, 5:26 am
#167
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: Star Alliance
Posts: 38
Well in Amanjena the GM is Miguel Guedes and his wife is PR. They are a nice couple and came from Amanpulo because the GM before them had some problems with the staf and was moved.
Aman has now a Managing Director for Asia - Ferdinand Wortelboer.
In Buthan (well this is a place to visit) you will find John Reed. The perfect guy for the place
Aman has now a Managing Director for Asia - Ferdinand Wortelboer.
In Buthan (well this is a place to visit) you will find John Reed. The perfect guy for the place
Oct 24, 2008, 6:38 am
#168
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Here there and everywhere
Posts: 6,303
Amanknowledge
Well in Amanjena the GM is Miguel Guedes and his wife is PR. They are a nice couple and came from Amanpulo because the GM before them had some problems with the staf and was moved.
Aman has now a Managing Director for Asia - Ferdinand Wortelboer.
In Buthan (well this is a place to visit) you will find John Reed. The perfect guy for the place
Aman has now a Managing Director for Asia - Ferdinand Wortelboer.
In Buthan (well this is a place to visit) you will find John Reed. The perfect guy for the place
Ferdinand was GM and regional VP for Amanjena for several years (before that he was at Amanpuri, and before that with GHM at the Legian). Any more we have forgotten?
Can't imagine that Fred Varnier of Amanpuri would move as Thailand is his home.
Last edited by vuittonsofstyle; Oct 24, 2008 at 6:40 am Reason: forgot something
Oct 24, 2008, 8:25 am
#169
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 382
Ah yes, I forgot about John Reed (used to be at Amandari), but he is married to a lady from Bhutan and I gather is happy there. You never know though.
Ferdinand was GM and regional VP for Amanjena for several years (before that he was at Amanpuri, and before that with GHM at the Legian). Any more we have forgotten?
Can't imagine that Fred Varnier of Amanpuri would move as Thailand is his home.
Ferdinand was GM and regional VP for Amanjena for several years (before that he was at Amanpuri, and before that with GHM at the Legian). Any more we have forgotten?
Can't imagine that Fred Varnier of Amanpuri would move as Thailand is his home.
Oct 24, 2008, 10:16 am
#170
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Stuttgart, Germany
Programs: Too many...and an Amanjunkie
Posts: 1,667
While the Richlis and Tracy Atherton are very good at that Miguel Guedes was a big disappointment in that regard at Amanpulo. He only socialised once by offering a complimentary glass of Dom in the way that it was presented by staff on his behalf during dinner otherwise did seem pretty disinterested to get to know guests and hear about their stay experiences firsthand.
Oct 24, 2008, 11:04 am
#171
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Here there and everywhere
Posts: 6,303
Toby Anderson
Of course, the other long-time Aman GM is Monty Brown, who opened Hotel Bora Bora. Monty started at Hotel Bora Bora as a waiter, long before Aman took it over. He, by that time, was GM, and they kept him on. Then a few years ago, when Guy Heywood left Bali for the US, he took over as regional VP for Indonesia. Happy days.
Oct 24, 2008, 1:11 pm
#172
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 382
It's not just you. This was our big complaint about our stay at the Four Seasons Tented Camp. We were there for four nights during the low season and they had a total of maybe 15 or 20 guests in residence yet the GM (who I'm told is no longer there) never could be bothered to even say hello. We saw him shmoozing another couple in the bar one night. We saw him having dinner one night. On our elephant ride one of the local staff pointed out the villa where the GM ("who I'm sure you've met by now") and his family live. When we said no, we hadn't met him the staffer was visibly embarassed. Pheomenal property though.
Oct 24, 2008, 6:03 pm
#173
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
he was manager when there was some kind of suspicious death... then "fled" and was relocated by aman...
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthrea...70#post9804670
Oct 24, 2008, 7:08 pm
#174
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Dublin,Ireland
Posts: 1,294
Well spotted Kagehitokiri,
I will be very careful in future should I have a complaint at any amanresort !
I will be very careful in future should I have a complaint at any amanresort !
Oct 25, 2008, 6:27 am
#175
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Here there and everywhere
Posts: 6,303
It's not just you. This was our big complaint about our stay at the Four Seasons Tented Camp. We were there for four nights during the low season and they had a total of maybe 15 or 20 guests in residence yet the GM (who I'm told is no longer there) never could be bothered to even say hello. We saw him shmoozing another couple in the bar one night. We saw him having dinner one night. On our elephant ride one of the local staff pointed out the villa where the GM ("who I'm sure you've met by now") and his family live. When we said no, we hadn't met him the staffer was visibly embarassed. Pheomenal property though.
Oct 30, 2008, 7:12 am
#176
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Milan, Italy
Posts: 168
No, you've all warned us off the Imperial quite effectively. Currently deciding between Taj and Oberoi of course. Most important factor for me is a really great, really comfortable room and - ideally - a guaranteed early check-in, which I'm hoping my Virtuoso agent can negotiate on my behald. We'll see. I read good stuff in this month's Departures about the renovated rooms at the Taj ... apparently they've completed renovation on a few already and apparently they're swell. So if we could get a guaranteed renovated room at the Taj with a guaranteeed noon check-in (our flight lands at 10:30am) I'd probably lean to a club room or an executive suite Taj. If no guarantees as to whether the room will be renovated or not, then I'd probably lean to the Oberoi as a slightly safer bet.
Do you agree? We're only there for a night before heading to Aman-i-Khas, and then for two nights back in Delhi at the end of the trip before heading home.
Do you agree? We're only there for a night before heading to Aman-i-Khas, and then for two nights back in Delhi at the end of the trip before heading home.
I can not say the same with Oberoi Delhi (I was there in 2003).The hotel is an uninspiring high rise building. I was left at the airport waiting for my driver and eventually I had to take a taxi. No apologies at all about that. On the other hand, I dined at the Travertino restaurant last year and I liked it.
Speaking of GM's, is Jonathan Glitz still at Aman-i-khas?
Oct 30, 2008, 8:41 am
#177
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Here there and everywhere
Posts: 6,303
The Imperial Delhi
I stayed at the Imperial about one year ago and I had a great experience. The hotel is awesome, there is an amazing colonial atmosphere, the service was outstanding.
I can not say the same with Oberoi Delhi (I was there in 2003).The hotel is an uninspiring high rise building. I was left at the airport waiting for my driver and eventually I had to take a taxi. No apologies at all about that. On the other hand, I dined at the Travertino restaurant last year and I liked it.
Speaking of GM's, is Jonathan Glitz still at Aman-i-khas?
I can not say the same with Oberoi Delhi (I was there in 2003).The hotel is an uninspiring high rise building. I was left at the airport waiting for my driver and eventually I had to take a taxi. No apologies at all about that. On the other hand, I dined at the Travertino restaurant last year and I liked it.
Speaking of GM's, is Jonathan Glitz still at Aman-i-khas?
Oct 30, 2008, 10:34 am
#178
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
The Taj Mahal Hotel has many obvious charms—a location in the middle of Lutyens’ Delhi; the famed Taj service; and five restaurants, including Masaharu Morimoto’s new Wasabi. But it conceals a few gems, too: rooms 1005, 1006, and 1009, the only three to have undergone a top-to-bottom redo. (The Taj begins renovating the rest this fall.) Fifty percent bigger than the old standard rooms, they’re richly appointed in dark woods and earth tones, with huge windowed bathrooms awash in marble.
Oct 30, 2008, 12:37 pm
#179
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 382
A year ago, The Imperial was still managed by Pierre Joachim, along with his management team. All that has changed. It is no longer the hotel you knew. The Oberoi, too, has changed, and not for the better. Amazing really given that the Aman Delhi is about to open! The only competitor now is the Taj, which is really trying hard these days (2 new restaurants opened recently).
The Oberoi sales office on the other hand was responsive and flexible, agreeing not only to guarantee an early check-in but including some of the Vituoso amenities with a highly discounted rate. I've never stayed in either property but the Oberoi gave me a feeling of confidence and behaved like a property that wanted and valued my patronage.
Having said all that if the Aman manages to open in December that's where we'll be. I'm hearing conflicting things from different corners of the Aman empire re opening date.
Oct 30, 2008, 1:14 pm
#180
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Here there and everywhere
Posts: 6,303
We ended up opting for the Oberoi for our upcoming stay in large part because of a very negative experience trying to get straight answers from the property ... The sales manager kept quoting rates to my Virtuoso agent that were substantially higher than what he could see on his GDS and what I could see on the Taj website. Questions about the renovated rooms mentioned in the Departures article were ignored. The communication from them was so poor that I really didn't feel like I could trust them.
The Oberoi sales office on the other hand was responsive and flexible, agreeing not only to guarantee an early check-in but including some of the Vituoso amenities with a highly discounted rate. I've never stayed in either property but the Oberoi gave me a feeling of confidence and behaved like a property that wanted and valued my patronage.
Having said all that if the Aman manages to open in December that's where we'll be. I'm hearing conflicting things from different corners of the Aman empire re opening date.
The Oberoi sales office on the other hand was responsive and flexible, agreeing not only to guarantee an early check-in but including some of the Vituoso amenities with a highly discounted rate. I've never stayed in either property but the Oberoi gave me a feeling of confidence and behaved like a property that wanted and valued my patronage.
Having said all that if the Aman manages to open in December that's where we'll be. I'm hearing conflicting things from different corners of the Aman empire re opening date.