Breathing a Fresh Breeze at the Samaya

The local hotel chain Santika Group has been working on renovations and improvements at The Samaya for some time, and finally they are really rolling up the curtains for those who are curious. Glimpses of it were already accessible with the opening of Breeze, the beach side bistro which quickly becomes the talk of the town. However, weekenders, travelers, and five-star junkies have been waiting patiently until everything was completely set-up.

The Aman

Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the most quintessential resort brand in of Asia continues to put emphasis on pioneering locations, privacy without pomp, and above all, its people. “It’s the human touch”, Hing Kong businessman Robert fong tells me over tea. “That’s what Aman has perfected. That’s what keeps me coming back.”

In anticipation of Amanresorts’ 20th anniversary, I have been traveling to some of the Singapore-based group’s 18 properties, talking with longtime employees, the newest genration of managers, and regular guests like Fong – known mainly among themselves as Aman jungkies – in the hopes of understanding what makes this iconic brand stand out even after all these years. I almost drop my scone when Fong announce that an Aman vacation is “actually very good value,” before he adds that “Of course, even one night is expensive, and certainly there are now other beautiful hotels in asia. But when I go elsewhere, I miss Aman because the service is not as personal. Staying at an Aman resort enywhere in the world feels like coming home.”