WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT AMANOI
It is obviously very difficult to create something really unique and something that differs a lot from competitors when it comes to ultraluxury hotels and resorts. In case of Aman hotels it starts with the location and it continues with extraordinary architecture and yes: size matters. Similiar to the luxury cruise lines small is beautiful. In case of the Amanoi: as a guest you arrive in an awesome biosphere reserve, which is part of a national park. Amanoi is located in the midst of a jungle forest on a hill and many villas boast great views. And there are no other hotels in sight. 36 villas are scattered over the place – so it never ever gets crowded, it is just what it is: a well serviced paradise. And the architecture makes you feel like beiing part of a Hollywood movie.
THE AMAN STORY
It all started in 1988 with a Thai resort in Phuket and a humble budget of just four million dollars. The resort was called the Amanpuri and it was way ahead of its time. The revolutionary concept redefined luxury: a small number of rooms and villas , exotic nature, no dense development. “Privacy”, and first-class service, all at such high rates that only a very wealthy clientele could afford it. The courageous project was almost entirely self-financed by the founder, Adrian Zecha, and a friend, as the banks considered the idea of such a small, high-priced ultra-luxury resort to be ridiculous and did not grant any loans. But Amanpuri was a huge success, soon followed by Amandari in Bali and the chain now runs 34 resorts in 20 countries as well as two luxury yachts. Adrian Zecha, the grandson of a plantation owner from Bohemia in what was then known as the Dutch East Indies( today: Indonesia) comes from a wealthy family and began his career in New York as a journalist for Time Magazine. He found his way into the hotel industry by chance. As a young man he helped negotiating real estate deals in Asia for Mariott hotels. Today Adrian Zecha is in his nineties and has nothing to do with Aman anymore. The hotel chain now belongs to the Russian billionaire Vladislav Doronin. By the way, Aman means something like “peace, security” in Sanskrit.
THE VILLAS & More
Check-in takes place in-room. Like the main building, the pavilions, villas and residences are airy structures. Beneath the woven bamboo-clad ceilings, seemingly held up by four impossibly slender columns, they are essentially a single open-plan bedroom/living space, separated from the roomy bathrooms by a sliding door. Staying here gives you the feeling of having your own summer house somewhere in a magic place in the far east. In some ways it even better to stay as a guest than being the owner. No worries about anything, a well trained and very friendly staff, excellent cuisine and if you feel bored or lonely there are options. A well mantained sandy and exclusive beach, an impressive pool there and the fabulous beachclub which serves great light dishes and is perfect for joining with friends for late cocktail evenings.
My absolute favourite is the Cliff pool high up near the central building. Awesome views, especially in the morning and you may get for yourself as guest have their private pools, the 130 ft long beach pool and the beach as other options. For me one of the most spectacular pools in the world. When we swam there all by ourselves at seven in the morning (the water gets never cold) suddenly a friendly pool attendant appeared and brought towels, a drink, a smile. Perfect.
And then there is the spa at the resorts lake (a lot of lotus there). The spa boasts five treatment rooms, two suites for hot stone treatments, a steam bath and a cold plunge pool. Of course there is a Health Club and a platform on the lake for yoga.
The main building, an open-sided pavilion at the top of a hill looks like a Hollywood set with its long flights of stone stairs. There is a cocktail bar, a library and a breakfast terrace, as well as an excellent restaurant . A complimentary daily afternoon tea is served here.
All in all: One of the most beautiful resorts in the world.
Indicative – subject to change.
