With a Refurbishment and Added Facilities
The first Aman resort, Amanpuri – with its palm-fringed, secluded beach setting on Phuket – continues to capture the imagination three decades on. To mark its 30th anniversary the resort has undergone a thorough enhancement, upgrading original aspects including the Aman Spa and the addition of suspended swimming pools to six of the guest Pavilions, and extensive facilities ranging from new spa facilities to added watersports equipment, a children’s Eco-Discovery Club, to a beach bar and the introduction of an activity space for all ages called The Hot Spot. Continuing to push the boundaries of experiential luxury travel and setting new standards in wellness, dining, comfort and entertainment, Amanpuri’s refurbishment and added facilities cater to all generations and interests.
Meaning “place of peace” in Sanskrit, and Amanpuri exudes the grace and classic Thai charm of its design, inspired by Thailand’s ancient capital, Ayutthaya. The recent additions reflect the same aesthetic and blend seamlessly into the property’s breathtaking natural setting on the west coast of Phuket. Embracing the turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea from a sheltered headland, the resort comprises 40 Thai-style Pavilions and 40 private Villas (available for rental) within a grove of swaying coconut palms. Six of the Pavilions have now been enhanced, each with the addition of its own private swimming pool.
With its tranquil setting and secluded beach, Amanpuri has long been a sanctuary for those seeking a positive shift in terms of wellbeing. Since the launch of Aman Wellness in 2016, Amanpuri has spearheaded a global holistic initiative, leading the way with innovative Individual Wellness Immersions, date-led Group Retreat Experiences, and new wellness menus by international vegan chefs. In its commitment to wellness, Amanpuri’s recent enhancement included the Aman Spa, which has been developed to incorporate new facilities and refurbished treatment rooms.
Set on a hillside amid lush vegetation, the Aman Spa now features 12 treatment suites – six brand-new and all double the original size. Each has a spacious treatment room, its own bathing area, private steam room, dressing room, and an outdoor relaxation pavilion. Other new spa facilities include hydrotherapy areas with steam rooms, traditional saunas, two infrared saunas, Jacuzzis and cold plunge pools, plus a finishing salon for nails and hair. At the top of the hill lies Amanpuri’s two-storey fitness centre incorporating a glass-walled gym, a Pilates studio, a new Muay Thai studio with boxing ring, yoga pavilions and a new juice bar, all with breathtaking sea views. The new spa facilities at Amanpuri, have also enhanced the resort’s three Individual Wellness Immersion programs –Detox and Cleansing, Mindfulness and Stress, Weight Management and Transformation. Each designed to promote profound change and carefully calibrated to meet each guest’s needs, the programs have been adapted to incorporate the new amenities.
The new children’s Eco-Discovery Club, located adjacent to the Beach Club with its restaurant, deck and lap pool, is a striking glass-fronted structure designed to appeal to all ages. The new club showcases its own nature museum – with terrariums, as well as a craft centre at which traditional Thai crafts such as batik and flower weaving are demonstrated and taught. Surrounded by koi ponds and decks for relaxing by day and stargazing at night, the club flows from one space to the next, also offering areas for environmental and cultural discussions and lectures. Here, the children’s programme for four- to nine- year-olds is both educational and fun, whether kids are learning about turtles or customising their own batik-style surf trunks.
Amanpuri’s new programme for all ages is inspired by alternative sport, music and digital-tech cultures, and takes place at The Hot Spot. This new space has an outdoor rope-free bouldering climbing wall and a skateboarding half-pipe complete with custom-built skateboards – both of which will be visited by coaches including skating pros from California in high season. Indoors, older children will be able to record music and DJ at The Sound Box studio, or edit films they’ve shot of their Amanpuri adventures at a GoPro editing counter. The screening room/cinema can project movies (self-made or otherwise) both indoors and outside for evening viewings.
Among its broad range of watersports equipment, Amanpuri has Hobie Cats, stand-up paddle boards, stand-up Kawasaki JetSkis, Lampuga electric surfboards, Seabobs and Schiller bikes – with which resident watersport experts are always ready to assist. A new addition to Amanpuri’s fleet is the ultimate boat for wakeboarding – a MasterCraft X23 – with a wakeboarding coach and boat captain available daily, in season. There are also speedboats for waterskiing, while yacht charters with Amanpuri’s extensive fleet can take guests to explore the coastline, scuba dive in remote reefs and snorkel round deserted bays. After any session on, in or by the water, guests can now relax at the resort’s new Straw Hat Beach Bar – a thatched “hut” on the beach. Backed by boulders and natural vegetation, it offers a selection of classic Aman beach cocktails from the collection of Aman destinations including the Kila Colada, Yara Mojito and Nera Daiquiri, plus Thai craft beers, fresh juices and smoothies.
A new dining space soon to be unveiled at the resort, is the stylish Magnum Room, a 14-seat private dining room with its own bar, wine lockers, magnum-sized display cases and humidor. A new, celebrated mixologist has expanded the resort’s signature drinks offerings across all restaurants including the Japanese Nama (with its beautiful new weather protected, canopied terrace), the Italian Arva, Thai at The Terrace, the Beach Club restaurant, The Lounge and The Bar.
While celebrating its 30-year anniversary Amanpuri continues to look forward and to find new ways to safeguard and elevate the guest experience for decades to come. Truly a “destination resort” offering something for all generations, it has been refreshed and enhanced – just as guests can expect to be during a visit here.
