A PRIVATE ESCAPE OF DAYS GONE BY
Reopening on 1 July 2020 and claiming an entire peninsula and one of Phuket’s finest white sand beaches, Amanpuri offers the idyllic Thailand escape of days gone by. Designed to reflect the country’s classic architectural style in harmony with its verdant natural surroundings, the resort provides the space, peace and discretion of a private island with 40 standalone guest pavilions and 40 private multi-bedroom villas.
Ensconced within pockets of lush tropical vegetation and designed to echo the Buddhist architecture of ancient Ayutthaya, the standalone guest pavilions and private villas are secluded, offering a tranquil and undisturbed stay away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The one- or two-bedroom pavilions are set on a hillside above the resort’s golden beach and have spacious terraces and expansive indoor and outdoor living areas. Six of the pavilions have their own private swimming pools.
Ranging from one- to nine-bedrooms, the ocean villas overlook the turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea, whereas the garden villas are nestled amongst towering coconut palms and bursts of colourful flora. While villa guests enjoy full access to Amanpuri’s facilities whenever they desire, everything they need is conveniently located within the boundaries of their own private home.
Influenced by the bountiful environment that it inhabits, Amanpuri’s authentic dining venues utilise locally sourced ingredients and explore cuisines from across the globe, including Thai, Italian, Mediterranean and Japanese with an emphasis on fresh seafood. A meal from any of the resort’s dining venues can be served in the pavilions, villas and outdoor locations, with exclusive use of all restaurants also an option.
With its tranquil setting, Amanpuri has long been a sanctuary for those seeking a positive shift in terms of wellbeing. The resort’s extensive Aman Spa features 12 treatment rooms,hydrotherapy areas with steam rooms, traditional saunas, two infrared saunas, Jacuzzis and cold plunge pools, and a finishing salon for nails and hair. The fitness studio includes a glass-walled gym, a Pilates studio, a Muay Thai studio and boxing ring, yoga pavilions and a juice bar.
Wellness at Amanpuri
In February 2019, Amanpuri became the brand’s first resort to provide medical services with the launch of its revolutionary Holistic Wellness Centre and transformative multi-day Medical Wellness Immersion programmes. A certified medical team from Phuket’s renowned health and sports resort, Thanyapura works alongside Aman’s alternative-therapy specialists at the Holistic Wellness Centre to offer medical services for those who desire optimal health.
New this year, Amanpuri has introduced a five-night Integrated Medical Immune Support Immersion that is designed and led by expert physicians who have selected therapies supported by medical literature to contribute to improved immune defence. Aiming to restore peak physical health, the Immersion begins with an orientation and wellness assessment on the day of arrival, as well as a 90-minute Aman signature massage.
The programme includes six intravenous infusions (IVs) and one injection, four medical sessions, two 90-minute spa treatments, two 60-minute private movement sessions and all meals and daily health juices from a personalised nutrition plan. A final consultation assesses progress and provides guidance for the future. In addition to the new Immersion programme, guests are able to select from a choice of one-off immune-supporting medical treatments at the Holistic Wellness Centre.
For those looking to kickstart their wellness journey, the Detox & Cleansing Immersion is the perfect way to recalibrate and reassess the body’s needs. Following a private consultation, the personalised programme naturally stimulates the detoxification pathways of the body, removing the obstacles to wellness created by emotional eating, bad habits and high-stress lifestyles. Treatments concentrate on clearing toxicity, draining the lymph, and releasing tension to relax and renew the body and mind.
Guests will leave with tips on how to dispel negativity, forge new neural pathways and increase their mental acuity. Activities offered as part of the immersion include yoga, acupuncture, lymphatic drainage and a daily mindful menu of fresh juices and locally sourced dishes and a personalised blend of herbal tea, created by a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) specialist.
Family Escapes at Amanpuri
Families can reconnect in a haven of nature and seclusion with a multitude of activities designed for all ages, from toddlers to teenagers. With spacious villas, Amanpuri is a serene sanctuary in which to be together while experiencing outdoor wellness experiences, cooking classes and watersports such schiller bikes and jet skiing, from the resort’s private beach.
The Eco Discovery Centre offers younger children the opportunity to learn more about Thai culture, craft and resident wildlife while teens can hone their skills on the skateboard halfpipe, an Enter-Prises custom bouldering wall and the Digital Room, where GoPros and software are available to shoot and edit footage.
This summer, Amanpuri welcomes Nicolas Ilickovic as General Manager. Nicolas has over two decades of experience in the luxury hospitality industry. He began his career in 1998 in the events department at the Ritz-Carlton in Sydney and spent almost a decade in Australia working for a number of leading luxury hotel brands.
Nicolas first joined Aman in 2007 as Senior Assistant Manager at Amanjena in Morocco. He subsequently helped lead the opening of three Aman resorts; Aman Summer Palace in Beijing, Amangiri in Utah and Amandayan in Lijiang, China, where he took on the role of General Manager in early 2015. Later that year, Nicolas returned to Amanjena in Morocco, this time in the role of General Manager, to oversee an extensive four-month renovation of the resort. Since then, he has successfully managed the daily operations of Amanjena, proving to be a passionate and driven hotelier.
Aman was founded in 1988 with the vision of building a collection of intimate retreats with the unassuming, warm hospitality of a gracious private home. The first, Amanpuri (place of peace) in Phuket, Thailand, introduced the concept and, since then, Aman has grown to encompass 32 exquisitely serene hotels and resorts in 20 destinations across the world, with a further nine under construction.
The next Aman to open will be Aman New York (2020). The introduction of Aman Skincare in 2018 continued the holistic journey beyond the perimeters of Aman’s havens. Offering a soothing journey to a place of beautifully scented repose and respite, Aman Skincare represents the spirit of Aman in a bottle.
In 2020, Aman welcomed a new hotel brand, Janu – meaning ‘soul’ in Sanskrit. Janu offers a unique take on hospitality where genuine human interaction, playful expression and social wellness are at the core of the experience. Janu aims to bring balance to the head and heart and rekindle the soul. Janu launches with three forthcoming hotels which are already under construction: Montenegro (2022), Al Ula in Saudi Arabia (2022) and Tokyo (2022), as well as a robust pipeline of future hotels. Janu Montenegro will be the first hotel to incorporate the brands serviced residence concept, enabling guests to wholly embrace the Janu lifestyle.
