Founded in 1988, Aman Resorts' first destination was the result of hotelier Adrian Zecha's desire to build a holiday home in Phuket.[2][3] His plans soon developed into an idea to build a small boutique resort with Anil Thadani and two other friends. They invested their own money in the venture as no banks would lend for the project due to the small number of planned rooms. The resort opened as Amanpuri in 1988, with nightly rates reportedly five times higher than local competitors.[4]
By 1992, following the success of the first hotel, the group had expanded to include several resorts in Indonesia, a resort on Bora Bora and one in the Alpine village of Courchevel. Later, Clement Vaturi acquired a majority stake in the company,[5] thereby allowing the boutique hotels to be further conceptualized.
First ownership dispute (1998)
In 1998, Vaturi's controlling interest was acquired by Los Angeles-based Colony Capital, a real estate investment fund. A lawsuit between Vaturi and Colony Capital promised to drag on, and Colony Capital moved to protect its interests by taking a more active role in the company. At this time, Zecha resigned from his position at Aman and pursued other interests for the next two years.[6]
In 2000, Colony Capital and Vaturi settled their lawsuit, and Vaturi sold his shareholding interests to Lee Hing Development, a Hong Kong investment company. With controlling investors allowing full control over the company, Zecha returned as chairman and CEO. Over the next seven years, Aman launched retreats in Cambodia, India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Caribbean. On 27 November 2007, DLF, India's largest real estate company, acquired Lee Hing's controlling stake in Aman Resorts for $400 million, including debt of $150 million.[7]
Second ownership dispute (2014)
In early February 2014, DLF sold Aman Resorts for $358 million to Aman Resorts Group, an investment company led by Russian businessman Vladislav Doronin, which also included Omar Amanat.[8] The sale included all Aman properties except for the Lodhi Hotel in Delhi. DLF sold Aman Resorts to reduce its debt and refocus on real estate after it had expanded into hotels, wind farms, and running export processing zones.[9] In April, Zecha stepped down as chairman a second time, and the company relocated its headquarters from Singapore to London in June.[10] Its corporate headquarters has since been moved to Baar, Switzerland. Doronin assumed the position of chairman, and French hotelier Olivier Jolivet was appointed chief executive officer in 2014.[11]
Aman under Doronin (2015–present)
In August 2015, Doronin became the sole owner of Aman when Pontwelly Holding Company took full ownership of Aman's hospitality business, Silverlink Resorts. Following this restructuring, Doronin and board director Alan Djanogly remain the only two directors.[12][13] In February 2017, Roland Fasel joined Aman as chief operating officer, continuing a 25-plus-year career in luxury hospitality.[14][15] Olivier Jolivet left the company the same year and Doronin assumed the position of chief executive officer.
In 2020, Doronin unveiled Janu, a spin-off brand that operates larger hotels in Japan, Montenegro, and Saudi Arabia, reportedly aiming to become a slightly more affordable complement to Aman.[16] The group's diversification strategy continued in 2021 with the launching of a clothing line, marking a shift towards becoming a self-proclaimed lifestyle brand.[17]
Aman Venice, Italy occupying the Palazzo Papadopoli
Each Aman property typically has a small number of rooms, usually fewer than 55. The brand is often characterised by media outlets to offer remarkable service, with many of its properties reportedly having a staff count typically of six staff to one guest.[3][21][22]
Outside urban settings, guest accommodation is typically provided in individual private villas, pavilions, or tents (in the case of Aman-i-Khás in India, Amanwana in Indonesia, and Amanpulo in the Philippines), and often includes private outdoor lounging and dining areas.[23]
Aman mandates a concern for cultural preservation, and several properties are said to have some historical background and importance.[3] In Cambodia, for instance, the company acquired a ruined guest villa that had been built in the early 1960s by the country's King Sihanouk. All architectural records of the villa had been destroyed, but the discovery of an old tourist book with pictures of the building allowed the company to closely replicate what had been lost.[24]
Since its establishment, Aman has been highly rated by Condé Nast Traveler,[25]Zagat Survey, Gallivanter's Guide, Harper's Hideaway"[26] and Travel & Leisure. 34% of Aman patrons reportedly originate from Europe, another 34% from Asia-Pacific, 28% from the Americas and 4% from the rest of the world.[27]
In January 2023 Charles McGonigal, a former high-ranking FBI official and global director of security for Aman Group, was arrested on charges of money laundering and for violating US sanctions law. According to the US Department of Justice,[33] McGonigal conspired with a former Russian diplomat to assist Oleg Deripaska, a sanctioned Russian oligarch.[34][35][36] McGonigal’s hiring in the spring of 2022 was done through a very obscure process, according to Aman staffers, and raised many eyebrows because the previous director of corporate security was reassigned for no apparent reasons and because when reports that McGonigal was under investigation had surfaced and the first witnesses were scheduled to appear before the grand jury investigation of his conduct, he continued to be retained by the company.[35][37][38]
Locations
As of 2024, the group operates a total of 35 properties in 20 countries:
While Aman presently has no footprint in London, it opened a standalone Aman Spa in the basement floors of The Connaught in 2009. Designed by Jaya Ibrahim, the spa has five rooms and offers mainly Asian-based treatments, ranging from Thai hot herbal compresses to Himalayan crystal salt body scrubs.[81][82]
Aman operates a luxury yacht called Amandira, which launched in 2015 and sails through the waters of Eastern Indonesia. The yacht, modeled after the traditional Indonesian sailing vessel pinisi, has five cabins that can accommodate up to 10 guests.[83]
In 2023, Aman opened Aman Residences Tokyo, the company's first standalone residential property, in the Azabudai Hills skyscraper complex. Designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects and Yabu Pushelberg, it encompasses 11 floors with 91 units in total, and ranks as the tallest residential towers in Tokyo.[84]
In December 2023, Aman launched Aman Interiors, presenting limited edition furniture collections in collaboration with Japanese architect Kengo Kuma.[85]
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