Amanpuri - the trail blazer 3 decades on !

100   Recommended
Pool pavilion
October 4, 2019 by EXPERT

 Map | 4 Reviews | 75% Recommended
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Amanpuri
 Map | 4 Reviews | 75% Recommended

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Pool pavilion

Liked:
Location
Service
Food
Amenities
Room
Stats
Room
Pool pavilion

Preamble

 

This not so young lady is now onto her latest of her many refreshers , remember those days with no email or “ i “ s .. , not referring to the annual closures for necessary maintenance work in this monsoons ridden region .

Puri seems to be in the throes of trying to transform herself into a Wellness Retreat , perhaps good for some , and also into a more family friendly “ home “ .

Most of the major construction has been completed but ..

Check In

As routine , depending on our luggage and number of us , we request a MPV instead of the BMW 7 LD for transfers .

Think we were greeted by Franck C ( HM ) , Maddie J ( GRM ) & others with GM being on vacation and Preeya P , FoM away too .

Our usual pool pavilion ( s ) was / were not available as the updates were delayed & still very much in progress . We were told prior to arrival so not surprised but got to try one of the ones with the new infinity pools .

Check in in room was smooth as normal that I did not realise we were done . More concerned about the change in double doors to the bath / dressing area to a big single to accommodate that new TV .. shown above post

The pool

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Room

The rooms of the pavilions are more or less the same , varying perhaps in the artworks / sculptures .. 

With the updates , the bath area double sliding doors is now only one large one . Which means it has to be closed if watching TV and enjoying seeing the basket of orchids .

Part of the luggage area also has been reconfigured .

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New light switches & placement , need to get used to them !

Be warned .. place your finger near one of the buttons by chance & it will be pitch darkness !

 

Our welcome home fruits with more ready to eat in the minibar :)

Note the iPad , it controls about everything from lights , AC , TV .. will have to figure out on the next day - actually next stay .. all the best to those who are jet lagged and are not tech savvy ..

 

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New Nespresso machine and Teapot !! 

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Minor variation in the daily cookies ;)

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Dining

We had breakfasts in the Thai  & dinners in the Italian - now Arva .

And again , we did not make it downstairs - under the Italian ..

The Nama pop up was at the bar again this year , the usual venue on the beach being closed during the monsoon season .

Thoroughly enjoyed our meals , repeating our favourites annually too , off menu included .

Beach Terrace - former Beach Club

 

Had not realised that the Beach Club was renamed Beach Terrace / Pool Terrace and drew quite a number of blank looks from new staff when I asked about the Beach Club . Went to recce and it was deserted with a ‘ closed ‘ sign . Then on chatting with more senior staff I realised the change - another quite unnecessary one . 

It was very good of Franck to open it up for me to hang out as ’ twas a bit billowy on the beach itself .

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Served fresh coconut juice / water ; had a few coconuts on behalf of some AMANjunkie  ;)

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Beach

It is always lovely to be on the Puri beach , dare I say in about all weather conditions .. less time on this stay as busy recceing as well as the monsoon ..

Some changes like the new bar area , with cabanas being added . Thought rather close quarters though .

 

The mandatory umbrellas ;)

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Beach crew demonstrating a balance activity .. possibly part of the Wellness trend

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Sand being blown into the kids paddling pool , shot taken just before the efficient Beach team cleared it !

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The cabanas and bar

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Eco-beach Centre & Hot Spot

As mentioned , with AMANjunkies becoming grandparents , AMAN has figured they need some distraction for the younger ones .

The Eco-Beach Centre and Hot Spot is now open for educational fun activities .

 

Seems like 2 entrances , either when approaching the beach by Nama or by the Pool / Beach Terrace .

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Hot Spot

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Entry by Pool / Beach Terrace

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Spa and Wellness Centre

As AMAN forges on with her wellness trend , one of the first Spa and Wellness Centre is befittingly open in the first AMAN .

Both the receptions are in the same building which is the extended and refurbished building which housed the former Spa reception and beauty salon .

As you face the building now , the spacious Spa portion is on your left & Wellness to your right .

More treatment rooms for the spa .

 

Spa reception area

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A room for weight / etcetera checks on the Wellness side

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A wall displaying the AMAN Spa range

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All the Wellness team is obviously new , but so are the spa therapists but thankfully , very good . More importantly , the ones we had fit in “ AMAN “ .

We did not use the Wellness side as they were very much finding their footing in August . Although a few guests did participate in the Wellness programmes when we were staying .

From what was said , the current medical doctor on site is fitting in .

 

Service

The “ new “ team members from last year and this year are coming along  - so closer to stellar except a few instances ..

Location

Well , the location has not changed obviously . Prime , comments from 2018 TR still stand :)

With the developments down the road , Puri being on her private headland is thankfully spared from the potential crowds & remains aman .

WIP - for the better ?

 

Now that The Spa & Wellness Centre are ready and expansion appreciated , the focus is completing a new building for the boutique . The larger new one will be ‘ perpendicular ‘ to where the present one is .

Think this maybe the first time that nothing was purchased by moi .. Looking forward to bringing back some craftsman & designers along with charity items 

Odds & ends

 

Where should one begin ?

 

Since last year ‘ s stay , there is a new GM Nicolas B who was away on vacation . New to AMAN so hopefully he knows by now that AMAN is not cookie cutter corporate !

Others new to Puri include capable HM Franck C who came from AmanYY and understands what an AMAN is like . His presence was reassuring .

The fairly new F & B Director , Davide left soon after our stay last year .

The new F & B Manager who was present during our stay has since resigned ! As with the new F & B Director ..

Thankfully , the chefs remain .

We also enjoyed interacting with the newer team including Maddie J .

 

What can I say but Ed TUTTLE likely would have designed the new pool pavilions differently - that the design and positioning of the pools would have been different . Consideration of the monsoon & Puri herself , would have been thought through with sensitivity . IMO .

 

Then this .. if you look at the end of the pool

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Some smart Alec changed AND rearranged the furniture by the bar & pool .. This clearly spoils the clean lines Ed TUTTLE and AZ sought to achieve  - effectively blocking the seamless flow from pool to horizon . Also spoils it all when relaxing or swimming in the pool - the stunning view is lost . Lounger legs instead ? :( Hope the decision makers come to their senses and switch back to toriginal ASAP .

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Thankfully , “ tea “ is still beautifully presented and served , though the senior staff have since retired .

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Overall

Am glad we had to amend our stay from May to August . We enjoyed and saw the enhancements - perhaps some were not as much but there is hope no matter how faint for improvements .

 

Always sad to leave an AMAN but seems more so for Puri , perhaps being my first AMAN 30 years ago .. seeing all the changes / developments / extensions . The gallery used to be under the bar ! 

 

So all good still if any like to stay at an AMAN , Puri is fine for a start .

 

 

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