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The Aman Story
Meticulously designed to frame their natural settings, Aman destinations are renowned for space and privacy. Each welcomes guests as if to the home of a close friend, instilling a sense of peace and belonging amid some of the most diverse natural and historical landscapes. It is an approach that has changed little since 1988 when the first retreat was built on Phuket’s west coast. It was named Amanpuri, meaning ‘place of peace’, and Aman was born.
Today, Aman embraces 33 resorts, hotels, and private residences in 20 countries. Aman continues to seek out transformative experiences and awe-inspiring locations around the world with a further eight coming soon, taking the brand to 41 resorts in 22 countries.
Here are our Top 5 Aman Destinations:
#5 AMANZOE - GREECE
Comprising 38 guest Pavilions, an Aman Spa and ten Villas, Amanzoe lies on the east coast of Greece’s Peloponnese Peninsula. Combining the Sanskritderived word for ‘peace’ with zoe, the Greek word for ‘life’, the hilltop property enjoys panoramic views of undulating olive groves and the Aegean Sea, along with a private Beach Club in a picturesque bay and easy access to the region’s wealth of archaeological marvels.
Influenced by classical Greek architecture, the Amanzoe aesthetic is sleekly contemporary in style and attitude. Amanzoe’s entrance and reception areas overlook an expansive reflection pool, beyond which the library, boutique and gallery are set among terraces, courtyards and gardens joined by colonnaded walkways. The property offers a number of dining venues and lounges, all enjoying exceptional settings on the property.
Fronted by an expansive outdoor terrace designed for alfresco dining, the Restaurant is surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass doors with exceptional sea views. The relaxed Living Room, with its central Bar, is an ideal venue for sunset cocktails or a nightcap – either indoors or outside at the Firepit with its magnificent views The airy Pool Restaurant offers a casual spot for all-day dining, transforming by night into Japanese venue Nama, which serves exquisite washoku cuisine A casual taverna-style restaurant is also located at the Beach Club.
Situated on the shores of a beautiful bay, the Beach Club is only a 10-minute drive from the resort. Guests can also cycle the picturesque route. The Beach Club provides two 25-metre lap pools, a teenage pool, a children’s pool and an expansive deck with sun loungers. A range of water sports equipment is provided and boating excursions to explore the bay can be arranged. Four private Beach Club Cabanas are positioned close by, each with an airconditioned bedroom and bathroom, a terrace, private garden, outdoor massage area and a private swimming pool overlooking the sea.
Set on the hillside with magnificent views, every one of Amanzoe’s 38 freestanding guest Pavilions has its own private swimming pool, ranging in length from six to 12 metres. Accessed via a walled garden courtyard, each Pavilion features a spacious, high-ceilinged living and sleeping area. Beds are positioned in a marble-walled alcove that opens onto the terrace, as does the living area and bathroom. Surrounded by olive groves with spectacular sea views, the Amanzoe Villas feature private swimming pools and up to nine bedrooms. Villa 31 features a James Turrell light installation – one of a number of contemporary artworks that appear across the Amanzoe estate.
Amanzoe’s Aman Spa is situated close to the hilltop and comprises six treatment rooms, a Thai massage room, a Watsu pool, and a hair and finishing salon. Hydrotherapy areas feature hammams, saunas, steam rooms and cold plunge pools, while fitness facilities include a gym, yoga pavilion, Pilates studio and two tennis courts. Other facilities include a Meeting Pavilion and a small amphitheatre. Amanzoe is just a 10-minute drive from the coastal villages of Porto Heli and Ermioni, and offers easy access to the wealth of ancient archaeological sites in the area, as well as the islands of Spetses and Hydra.
#4 AMANPULO - PHILIPPINES
Amanpulo, meaning ‘peaceful island’, is a secluded hideaway that offers guest a consummately safe and private escape surrounded by nature. Fringed by white-sand beaches, turquoise waters and a coral reef, Amanpulo is accessible via private plane from Manila in a 70-minute flight that touches down on the island’s very own runway.
Located in the Cuyo Archipelago of northern Palawan in the Philippines, Pamalican Island is solely dedicated to Amanpulo. The island is five kilometres long and is home to diverse flora and fauna. The pristine beaches are nesting sites for hawksbill and green sea turtles, while the clear waters offer superb snorkelling and scuba diving on the seven square kilometres of vibrant coral reef surrounding the island.
Accommodation is offered in 42 Casitas and 18 Villas, designed by the acclaimed Filipino architect Francisco Mañosa. Every Casita and Villa bedroom is provided with a battery-operated, open-sided vehicle for independent island exploration.
Casitas are modelled after the traditional bahay kubo dwelling, with deep eaves providing shade on spacious terraces. Scattered across the island, each fulfils the promise of a solitary retreat. Treetop and Hillside Casitas enjoy discreet settings on higher ground, while Treetop Pool Casitas feature a luxurious plunge pool and Deluxe Hillside Casitas offer panoramic views of the sea. The Beach Casitas are set on the beachfront.
Located directly on the shoreline, the 18 Villas are secluded homes designed for seamless indoor-outdoor living. Offering up to four bedrooms and the services of a dedicated butler and chef, each of the Villas rests on an expansive private plot with its own swimming pool and spacious living and dining pavilions.
Surrounded by manicured gardens, the forest all round instills a sense of serene isolation, and a private sandy pathway leads directly to the beach. Perched on the northern hillside is the Aman Spa, which offers an enriching selection of holistic wellness treatments in six spacious treatment suites. Outdoor relaxation salas claim mesmerising sea views, while the Spa’s fitness pavilion houses the yoga studio, gym, Pilates pavilion, hydrotherapy suites and a finishing salon. Fitness specialists are on hand to provide guidance, and the Jungle Run obstacle course and four tennis courts provide further scope for outdoor activity.
Palm-lined sandy pathways lead to a selection of seasonal dining venues, with fresh ingredients sourced from the island’s flourishing organic farm. On a gentle rise sits the Clubhouse with its open-air terrace and bar overlooking the main swimming pool. Open all day and throughout the year, it serves Filipino favourites and Southeast Asian-inspired fare. On the western side of the island is the Beach Club – ideal for relaxed all-day Mediterranean dining and watching the sunset year-round. The Lagoon Club on the island’s east coast is home to Nama, serving fine Japanese washoku cuisine including sushi and sashimi from November to May. For casual toes-in-the-sand dining, the Picnic Grove and the Windsurf Hut serve a variety of wood-fired pizzas from November to May and June to October respectively.
Other facilities include the Sea Sports Hut offering a variety of water sports equipment and cruising options, the Padi Dive Centre, the Kite and Surf Centre, and the West Villa Clubhouse for bespoke events.
#3 AMANGIRI, UTAH, USA
An otherworldly desert retreat, Amangiri (peaceful mountain) is situated on 600 pristine acres in Canyon Point, Southern Utah with sweeping views towards Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Located in the centre of the Grand Circle, the all-season resort, its landmark Aman Spa and its secluded satellite camp known as Camp Sarika by Amangiri are surrounded by such iconic attractions as the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, and Bryce and Zion National Parks. It is also a short drive from the shores of Lake Powell. The region has been home for centuries to the native Navajo tribe and presents the raw landscape for which the American Southwest is famed.
Tucked into a protected valley, the resort’s Central Pavilion is approached via a winding road through starkly beautiful desert scenery. Built around the main swimming pool, which embraces a dramatic stone escarpment, the Central Pavilion houses a living room, library and gallery, as well as an elegant restaurant.
Known as the Dining Room, the restaurant features floor-to-ceiling glass doors leading to an outdoor dining terrace overlooking the pool. The focal point is the open kitchen with its wood-fired oven imparting a unique flavour and rustic authenticity to Amangiri's cuisine. An intimate private dining room and wine cellar are located opposite the open kitchen.
Set apart from Amangiri’s Central Pavilion, the Desert Lounge serves as an open-air relaxation area for sunsets and stargazing, while the 2,322-squaremetre Aman Spa features hydrotherapy and floatation pavilions, a watsu pool, finishing salon, yoga studio, gym and tranquil indoor and outdoor treatment suites. Two accommodation wings lead from the central Pavilion into the desert. All 34 Suites provide spacious terraces with breathtaking desert or mesa views, and a number have private swimming pools and roof terraces. Air-conditioned in summer, they are heated in the cooler months.
Adding ten luxurious one- and two-bedroom Tented Pavilions to Amangiri’s accommodation offering, Camp Sarika by Amangiri lies a five-minute drive or a picturesque 30-minute hike from the Central Pavilion. Continuing the clean lines and natural aesthetic of the resort, the camp’s canvas-topped Tented Pavilions each have spacious sleeping and living areas, expansive terraces with fire pits, and heated plunge pools.
A self-contained retreat, the camp has a Selldorf Architects-designed common area with a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, two tranquil spa suites, a lounge and a restaurant. Open throughout the day, the camp’s restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating with breathtaking views. Paying homage to its wilderness setting, the open kitchen features a rotisserie grill with dishes served on cedar and slate carving boards. Resort guests can enjoy dinner at Camp Sarika by Amangiri with prior booking, while camp guests have full access to the resort’s extensive facilities.
Serving as a springboard for exploration of the area, Amangiri offers private hiking trails, morning and afternoon Wellness experiences indoors and out, canyoneering, Via Ferrata routes, hot air ballooning, horseback riding, water adventures on Lake Powell and many other activities. Fireside storytelling and star gazing in the evenings enable a deeper immersion in Native American culture, and guests can also learn more about the region’s history from expert archaeologists and palaeontologists.
#2 AMAN TOKYO, JAPAN
Aman's first urban retreat, Aman Tokyo soars above the atmospheric whirl of tradition and modernity that is Japan’s capital city. Steps from Tokyo Station and the world-famous boutiques of Ginza, the hotel occupies the top six floors of the Otemachi Tower in the prestigious financial district. From here, guests can enjoy breathtaking views harmonising city and nature, with the Imperial Palace Gardens and Shinjuku skyscrapers in the foreground and Mount Fuji on the horizon. The hotel provides easy access to all points of interest, as the
five-line Otemachi subway station is connected to the building.
An exclusive sanctuary above the skyline, Aman Tokyo embraces its namesake’s cosmopolitan nature while staying true to a classical Japanese aesthetic. Wood, stone and washi paper are used to both subtle and dramatic effect, creating a gentle interplay of light and shadow. The hotel’s inner garden on the reception level is surrounded by an engawa, an inner veranda leading to extensive dining and lounge areas, as well as a boutique and meeting rooms. Aman Tokyo’s guestrooms and suites, serene Aman Spa and 30-metre swimming pool are situated on the five floors above.
Designed with business and leisure travellers in mind, Aman Tokyo offers accommodation in 84 guestrooms and suites. Imbued with a serene, Zen-like ambience, each features a unique layout, panoramic views and every contemporary convenience. Facing the Imperial Palace Gardens and Mount Fuji in the distance, Deluxe Rooms are the largest standard rooms in the city. Premier Rooms, with their spacious foyers and bathrooms, claim sweeping downtown views, while Suites and Corner Suites are even larger, with spacious living rooms, pantries and panoramic city views. At 157 square metres, Aman Suites offer the finest views of the Imperial Palace Gardens, and Mount Fuji.
Adjacent to the inner garden with similar floor-to-ceiling views, the Lounge by Aman is an ideal venue for afternoon tea, drinks, snacks and cocktails. With the same outlook, Arva serves bold and heartwarming Italian dishes featuring farm-fresh seasonal Japanese ingredients. It also houses a 2,000-bottle, walk-in wine cellar with exclusive, handpicked wines from around the world. A Cigar Lounge has a built-in humidor, and two private dining rooms overlook Arva, also with striking city views. Musashi by Aman serves authentic Edomae-style sushi at a Hinoki counter seating just eight – a fine dining experience representing the very best of Japanese omakase cuisine. Enjoying an indoor and outdoor setting with beautiful green views of the 3,600-squaremetre Otemachi Forest, the Café by Aman offers dessert sets, soft drinks and champagne. Guests can also enjoy in-suite dining 24 hours a day from an extensive menu of Japanese and international dishes.
Aman Tokyo’s wellness facilities cover almost 2,500 square metres across two floors, and include Aman Spa with eight treatment rooms, a gym, a yoga/Pilates studio and a 30-metre, temperature-controlled swimming pool with expansive city views. Changing rooms feature steam rooms, showers and a traditional Japanese bath. Aside from the resort’s superb facilities, Aman Tokyo offers guests insight into, and ease of access to, the city’s many attractions.
#1 AMAN VENICE - ITALY
Synonymous with romance, the city of Venice in northeast Italy was built atop 118 small islands separated by winding canals. The entire city and its lagoon are listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site, and the most famous of its waterways is the Grand Canal. Meandering through the heart of the city, it is lined with 170 gracious buildings, each between 200 and 700 years old. Today it is within one of these regal old palazzos that the 24-suite Aman Venice resides.
The ancestral home of the Arrivabene family, Palazzo Papadopoli was built in the 16th century and offers an unusual feature in this floating city – two beautiful gardens alive with the gentle sounds of water all around. Guests usually arrive by boat, docking at a landing that leads directly into the palazzo’s Reception Hall. Imbued with a sense of bygone opulence with its soaring ceilings and historic frescoes, the atmospheric hall leads directly to the private gardens, as well as to a boutique specialising in Giberto Glassware designed by Count Arrivabene himself.
From the Reception Hall, a sweeping staircase rises through two levels to the piano nobile, the grandest floor of any palazzo. At the top of the stairs, the vestibule leads to an elegant lounge in what was once the ballroom, with a balcony overlooking the Grand Canal. In the Yellow Dining Room adjacent, Aman’s signature Italian restaurant Arva claims sweeping Grand Canal views and a ceiling painted by Cesare Rotta. The convivial Bar overlooks the Canal Garden and is the perfect spot to watch the colours changing on the canal at sunset. Private dining can be enjoyed in the Blue Dining Room or the Palazzo Kitchen, while alfresco dining is offered in the Canal Garden.
On the fourth level of the palazzo is the lofty-ceilinged Salon with views of the Grand Canal; Stanza del Tiepolo, the games room; Stanza del Guarana, the meeting room; and the Library, which houses a selection of antique books from Count Arrivabene’s private collection.
Additional facilities include a serene spa, and a roof terrace. The spa is located on the third level and is accessed via a private staircase. It exudes the atmosphere of a secret sanctuary, providing three single treatment rooms, each with a dressing area and bathroom. There is also a small gym on the fourth level, offering commanding views of the city’s skyline. Accessed via stairs and a lift, Aman Venice’s intimate roof terrace offers panoramic views of the city’s rooftops and, on a clear day, the Alps. Almost all of Aman Venice’s 24 guestrooms and suites overlook the Grand Canal, and many feature unique architectural and artistic features – from painted frescoes to carved fireplaces – by greats such as Tiepolo and Sansovino. Furniture and furnishings throughout the rooms are contemporary, yet redolent of the palazzo’s storied past.
Aman Venice is ideally placed for exploring the city’s iconic landmarks and treasure trove of art galleries, while experiencing authentic Venetian daily life on personalised private excursions with the hotel’s experienced guides.