Aman is the thread running through this issue, but not in any neat or predictable way. We return to Amanpulo, one of the great originals, still blessed with a beach so beautiful that it can almost silence criticism before the stay has even begun. We then move to Amanoi, a more architectural and contemporary expression of the brand, before arriving at Aman Nai Lert Bangkok, the new urban Aman and perhaps the clearest indication yet of where the group now thinks luxury is heading. Three Amans, three eras, and a useful reminder that a famous name can mean very different things depending on where, and when, you meet it.
The journey continues in Bangkok with a return to The Siam, now under a new General Manager and operating in a city where the luxury hotel scene has become almost absurdly competitive. From there, we move to Taipei, still one of the most underrated cities in Asia, and now home to the new Capella, arriving just before more high-end competition follows. It is a Grand Tour in the truest sense: beautiful places, serious hotels, old reputations, new ambitions, and the occasional question of whether the magic is still quite where it claims to be.
AMANOI
AMANPULO PHILIPPINES
AMAN NAI LERT BANGKOK
CAPELLA TAIPEI
THE SIAM (UPDATE)
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A special Asia issue featuring three very different Amans — Amanpulo, Amanoi and Aman Nai Lert Bangkok — alongside The Siam, and Capella Taipei . . .
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