In latest occasions, I’ve been writing a sequence about among the world’s small luxurious resort teams, together with Airelles, BVLGARI, Cheval Blanc, Oetker, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, and so on. I’ve additionally began writing my takes on among the larger resort teams, from EDITION to 4 Seasons.
Folks appear to be having fun with this sequence, and it’s good to check notes and impressions, so let’s proceed. On this publish, I assumed it will be enjoyable to speak about Aman Resorts, a model I’ve very robust emotions about. Aman is unarguably one of many world’s most nicely regarded hospitality manufacturers, and presently has round 35 properties.
So what units it aside, and is all of it that it’s cracked as much as be? Let me share my take, after which I’d in fact love to listen to what others assume. With the intention to perceive Aman, it’s vital to cowl the model’s historical past, as a result of it additionally shapes how I really feel in regards to the firm at the moment.
Aman’s founder, Adrian Zecha, is a hospitality legend
The Aman model was based in 1988 by Adrian Zecha, who I’d argue is without doubt one of the most passionate and sensible folks the hospitality business has ever seen. To know the essence of what Aman was supposed to be, you could perceive Zecha.
Zecha was born right into a well-off Indonesian household (which I point out as a result of I’m not attempting to create some pretend, rags-to-riches narrative), and went to highschool in the US. He began his profession as a journalist, initially working at Time journal, earlier than launching Asia Journal in 1961 (which remained in print till 1998).
Zecha’s entry into the resort enterprise solely began within the Seventies, when he was requested by a good friend to assist Marriott dealer land offers in Asia. It’s ironic that he began his hospitality profession at Marriott, provided that Aman is type of the anti-Marriott of resort teams… I digress. He was a part of a workforce that finally based Regent Lodges, and he stayed concerned till the model grew to 12 properties, at which level he offered his stake for a wholesome revenue.
Zecha wished to construct a trip residence in Phuket, Thailand, and he stumbled upon an ideal piece of land. Whereas the plan was initially to construct a house there, he ended up deciding to as a substitute construct a boutique luxurious resort, given his ardour for the business.
The 40-room property opened in 1988, and that grew to become often known as Amanpuri, the model’s first property. The model grew from there, with the 1989 opening of Amandari, in Bali, Indonesia.
Zecha based Aman with a easy philosophy, which was to create resorts that really feel extra such as you’re in somebody’s residence. The model was at all times about creating peaceable sanctuaries (in Sanskrit, “Aman” means “peace”), and Zecha has at all times believed that much less is extra. So he was by no means about opulent luxurious, and fairly on the contrary, discovered that to be off-putting.
Whereas I’ll speak extra in regards to the Aman visitor expertise in a bit, my level is to say that Aman actually took a novel method to hospitality that you simply wouldn’t discover at another model. The opposite factor about Aman was that Zecha sought out distinctive properties, a lot of which have been off the overwhelmed path. Certain, Phuket and Bali aren’t precisely unparalleled locations (even a long time in the past), however Aman has resorts in every kind of different unbelievable areas.
Whereas Aman was run as a enterprise underneath Zecha’s management, it at all times felt like income have been secondary to him executing a imaginative and prescient he took pleasure in. Aman properties have at all times been dear, however going again 10-15 years, Aman was such a novel model when it comes to its visitor profile.
The properties weren’t simply stuffed with wealthy folks attempting to maintain up with their social circle. Fairly on the contrary, most of the loyalest Aman followers (known as “Amanjunkies”) have been higher center class individuals who would splurge on the Aman expertise, as a result of it was that particular.
Staying at an Aman was actually a peak expertise in life, and so they’d moderately spend cash on that than different issues in life. Again then, Aman had little identify recognition, so folks stayed at Aman properties particularly as a result of they cherished the expertise and since they have been within the know, moderately than as a result of it was the cool place to remain. That was refreshing to see.
Aman has gone extra mainstream & revenue centered
Zecha finally offered his stake in Aman in 2014, and stepped down as chairman (he was in his 80s on the time). The corporate was offered for $358 million to its present proprietor.
Most buyers purchase corporations with the purpose of maximizing their return on funding, and I believe that’s precisely what has occurred at Aman over the previous decade plus. There’s nothing flawed with that, however when it comes to the model transferring ahead, it undoubtedly looks like the corporate has deviated fairly a bit from Zecha’s preliminary imaginative and prescient. The fact is that each one the traditional Aman properties are nonetheless there, and are nonetheless distinctive. However rather a lot has modified.
First, the pipeline of latest properties has fully shifted. Whereas Zecha was so closely centered on the outside and secluded resorts, the present homeowners are little doubt attempting to money in on Aman’s rising reputation:
- We’ve seen Aman open properties in New York and Bangkok, and there are properties within the pipeline in Beverly Hills, Los Cabos, Miami, Singapore, and so on.
- We’re more and more seeing Aman tasks embody each residences and membership golf equipment, so the homeowners clearly need extra methods to monetize these properties
- The homeowners have finished an ideal job placing Aman on the map, as a result of it’s now a “cool” model, so it’s very a lot the model to remain at in the event you’re wealthy and need to “sustain,” and the pricing of Amans additionally displays that
Look, I completely get it, who wouldn’t need to maximize their return on funding? Good for them. However for individuals who cherished the preliminary Aman idea, it’s unhappy to see that the outdated Aman is type of lifeless, as we all know it, when it comes to the expansion of the pipeline, the clientele, and it virtually being an anti-pretentious model.
What units Aman aside from the competitors
With all of that out of the way in which, what makes Aman particular? I’ll admit that I haven’t stayed at an Aman property since earlier than the pandemic, although I’ve stayed at nicely over a dozen Aman properties through the years. Broadly talking, right here’s what I really like in regards to the Aman model:
- The properties are boutique, with a low room depend, so these aren’t mega resorts
- The design is straightforward but elegant, the place you actually really feel such as you’re staying in somebody’s residence, moderately than at an enormous resort
- Aman affords extremely customized, intuitive, and proactive service; for instance, some properties refresh rooms a number of occasions per day, you don’t need to signal for something on property, and also you’re by no means requested to your room quantity
- Aman has passionate workers who dedicate their lives to hospitality, and so they’re most likely the largest asset to the model
- Aman does an outstanding job integrating the native tradition into its properties, and tries to be a part of the communities during which it has properties; so Aman properties usually have cultural experiences you wouldn’t sometimes discover at a world resort group
- Within the markets the place Aman has properties, the model is often the most suitable choice on the town
To share some takes on Aman’s varied properties, I’d say the model is strongest in Asia:
- Aman Tokyo is arguably Tokyo’s finest resort, and it’s the proper place for Aman to have a metropolis resort, given Tokyo’s peaceable but bustling vibe
- Amanpuri in Phuket (Aman’s first property) and Amanpulo within the Philippines (positioned on a non-public island) are regarded by many individuals to be two of Aman’s finest resorts
- Amandari and Amankila in Bali are nice properties, and pair very properly, as they’ve totally different settings
- Amantaka in Laos and Amansara in Cambodia are arguably the 2 finest properties in these two international locations, in order that they’re beautiful bases from which to discover the world
- Amankora in Bhutan is superior, and Bhutan is such a cool place to go to usually
In the meantime right here’s my tackle some properties exterior of Asia:
- In the US, Amangiri in Utah is spectacular (although eye-wateringly costly), whereas Aman New York is nicely regarded, however I nonetheless can’t wrap my head across the idea of an Aman in New York Metropolis
- Within the Caribbean, many individuals regard Amanyara within the Turks & Caicos as top-of-the-line resorts within the area
- In Europe, Amanzoe in Greece is beautiful (but in addition very costly, provided that it’s in Porto Heli), and Aman Venice is without doubt one of the metropolis’s finest motels
Backside line
Aman Resorts is little doubt an incredible hospitality model. Adrian Zecha based the model, and he’s a complete visionary within the business, who actually understands what nice hospitality is at its core. Through the years, the model has developed, and there’s little doubt that underneath present possession, revenue maximization is the purpose. That’s truthful sufficient, as a result of that’s *checks notes* often the explanation folks put money into companies.
So whereas I’m not fairly as sizzling on the Aman model as I used to be underneath Zecha’s management, there’s no denying that Aman nonetheless has some spectacular resorts, and is without doubt one of the finest resort teams on the market.
What’s your tackle the Aman model?
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