“Sometimes a few days are enough to return to everyday life completely renewed.” Sabine Galas, Editor in chief of Business Traveller Germany
Since my short stay in Amanpuri I know what a little time out can do. The five-star resort on the Thai island of Phuket is only an hour and a half flight from Singapore and Bangkok, but it feels like being on a different planet. You enter this planet after a 40-minute drive from the airport via a shiny wooden staircase that leads to an open lobby. Behind it: a fabulously beautiful black pool that shows you the way to the sea. With palm trees all around, mild light and a deep silence that spreads inside me like warm, honey-sweet milk. The croaking of frogs and the chirping of cicadas does not bother me. Everyday life falls away, and the soul frees itself.
Luxury does not always feel so relaxed. The Amanpuri – literally: “peaceful place” – is one of Thailand’s best addresses. For 30 years, the flagship of the London-based Aman Group has been asserting itself as an icon of Asian luxury hotels and a symbol of upscale hospitality that is pleasantly relaxed and uninhibited.
With 40 exclusive pavilions and 30 villas on 40 hectares, the guest remains on his own, screened off in stylish Thai style living units, with his own living room and terrace, some with private pool and/or sea view.
Below the complex, which was built in 1988 on a former coconut plantation on the west coast, the picturesque Pansea Beach opens in a protected bay – accessible only for guests, on windy days a paradise for surfers and surfers. The beach is particularly beautiful at sunset, which is best enjoyed at Beach Terrace or – slightly elevated – at the bar on the lobby level.
Food as therapy
Right next door: the “Terrace Restaurant”, which serves Thai and international cuisine all day long, and the “Restaurant”, which serves Italian specialties in the middle of tropical Phuket, including the best burrata I have ever eaten outside of Italy. In general, eating in Amanpuri is an experience – always cleverly composed, always light and digestible. Also in “Naoki”: the third and youngest restaurant in the Amanpuri has a new culinary concept, which – developed by Aman’s Corporate Chef Keiji Matoba – combines creations from traditional Japanese cuisine “Washoku” (harmony of dishes) with the refinement of French haute cuisine.
Culinary experiences such as these can only be topped in the private seclusion of one’s own villa, where guests have their own chef and service personnel at their disposal and can literally read their menu wishes from their eyes.
Holistically to new form
The sports and relaxation facilities in Amanpuri are just as individual. In the exquisite Aman Spa with sauna, steam bath, open rooms made of wood, glass and granite, guests can book treatments tailored to their needs – the therapeutic approach is holistic and includes various forms of massage as well as baths, body wraps and beauty treatments with Aman’s own organic products.
For all those who want to specifically address health deficits, “Aman Immersions” are recommended, three- to 14-day cures that – from weight reduction to stress relief – involve body, mind and soul and are intended to make a lasting contribution to an improvement in well-being. Each guest receives a tailor-made action plan, which – depending on the indication – includes tight workouts, a detox cure and/or yoga and meditation. I was able to experience first hand that the therapists understand their work: From Reformer Pilates to Thaiboxing to tension-relieving massage – all units were focused on the point and still have an effect today.
Sabine Galas …
is still flushed by the relaxing effect of this business travel extension. “Muscles were strengthened, tensions released and my soul was at peace,” she enthuses. “It’s hard to believe I was only there for three days.”
At a glance
Key Facts: Yes, Phuket is one of the tourist capitals of Thailand. But whoever comes to this corner of the island knows why Phuket is loved for its beauty. From Singapore as well as from Bangkok it is only about one and a half hours by plane. Getting to Amanpuri, Phuket takes another 40 minutes by car.
Hotel: The Amanpuri, Phuket belongs to the best hotels of the traditional Amanpuri group. The luxury resort has 40 pavilions and 30 villas. Gastronomically, the hotel offers a wide range from traditional Japanese cuisine to Italian cuisine.
Address: Amanpuri, Phuket, Pansea Beach Cherngtalay, Thalang District, Phuket 83110, Thailand, Tel: +66 76 324 333
Fotos: Amanpuri, Phuket
