The World’s Most Exclusive Hotel

Aman Junkies

Leonardo DiCaprio, Jay-Z and Beyonce, Bill Gates, and Harrison Ford are among the rich and richer who have made the 20 hour trip from NYC to Phuket. It’s a long flight, even on a private jet, but once you touch down, the magic carpet rolls out. We were met by a white-uniformed greeter from the Amanpuri, who escorted us to a black chauffeured BMW that whisked us to the hotel. Looking out the window, you see a poor third world country streaming by until you swing into the long, palm-lined drive to the resort’s enchanted garden; all the teak wood buildings are built in the traditional Thai style with whimsical peaked winged roofs. The architecture echoes the Royal Palace compound in Bangkok where King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit Kitiyakara live. Frederic Varnier, the charming and erudite head honcho here for the past 15 years and members of his sarong wearing staff meet us, bowing in the time-honored greeting.  Here you will find a collection of the world’s savvy cognoscenti who are called “Aman Junkies”, because of their loyalty to the brand.  This list includes Jason Statham and his wife Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, and their six children when they were still married.

Vladislav Doroni

The Amanpuri was built by legendary hotelier Adrian Zecha in 1988. It was the first in the Aman Group of hotels and resorts that now span the world from the Turks & Caicos and Bali to Sri Lanka and Tibet. The Aman Resort Group is now owned by Vladislav Doronin. I wandered down hand-hewn stone steps, surrounded by greenery to a tiny rock peninsula on the property.

This idyllic spot, edged with swaying palm trees, overlooks Pansea Beach. The soundtrack was provided by a gentle wind and white-capped waves rolling picturesquely against the boulders that create this stone jetty.  A young Tai girl led us to the outermost table, one of only four, perched eight feet above the sand and sea. She held back a simple wooden chair and placed a freshly pressed white linen napkin on our laps. The menu was something you would expect at Sant Ambroeus, not on a rock in Thailand. The chef proves masterful and the cuisine an unexpected delight; healthy, sophisticated and scrumptious. With a majestic palm tree acting as our umbrella, I looked out over the multi-blue hued sea, relaxed and comforted, this table symbolizes the exquisite experience that is the Amanpuri.

The Jet Set

Every detail at this flagship hotel is elegantly curated, from the fragrant cool towels and the refreshing hibiscus teas that await you at every stop to the refined taste exercised in the execution of the pavilions and reception areas.

The most extravagant way to stay here is in one of the 30 private villas that spread out over the hills looking down at the ocean. These range from a two-bedroom compound with a private pool and separate pavilions for dining and lounging for $3,800 a day to a grand 8-bedroom house with a live-in housekeeper and chef for 14k a night. Billionaires, the jet set and stars like Pierce Brosnan, Jean-Claude Van Damme and One Direction’s Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson have all slept here as well as scores of others who don’t want to see their names in print. The management has been known to send out boats filled with security to bribe and shoo away the paparazzi that train their long lenses on their guests. Not long ago they spied on Brangelina and reported that their son Pax had hurt his leg while jet skiing. When one of these villas goes on the market, they fetch 10 to 25 million dollars.

The Pavilions

For a romantic rendezvous, I’d suggest staying in one of their 40 glamorous stand-alone Pavilions that face the sea and are near the beach, bar, pool, and restaurants. These rooms are spacious and well thought out; they also boast their own outdoor dining and lounging pagoda. The bedroom is a sleek dark wood cocoon with sliding teak doors and windows that either seal you in or open to the views of the sea and the tropical gardens that surround you. The twin bath and dressing rooms make it easy for a couple to get ready simultaneously. Every day there is a surprise, the Buddha in your bedroom is draped with a fresh frangipani lei, floating orchids fill your bathtub that is surrounded by lit candles, there is package on your pillow bearing a gift: a white silk scarf, white orchid plants punctuate your room, and fresh fruit and cookies are always left on a tray. Service is silent and they time it so you never see it happen.

Puri Naoki

Although you can go into Phuket to eat, it’s easier to dine at the resort. Although there is swift room service, we started every day with breakfast in the main pavilion facing the Olympic sized, black tiled pool, that is surrounded by grey chaise lounges. The food here is on a par with the Carlyle in NYC or the Rosewood in London, with freshly brewed coffees and teas and homemade

breads and jams. There are lots of healthy choices; try the fresh fruit smoothies, egg white frittatas, or the open-faced Tai omelet. That said, I couldn’t help but miss the lavish buffet breakfasts you find in European hotels, but the Amanpuri is far quieter than a normal five-star hotel and you never wait for anything. You can choose from three separate restaurants and cuisines, The Tiger restaurant serves Tai food but if you want a hamburger, it’s done just like at home. Their Italian restaurant offers perfect pastas and a heavenly Tagliatelle lamb ragu. Puri Naoki serves Japanese fare; order all the sushi, the grilled yellowfin tuna and the tangy hot and sour soup with a floating shrimp. To work off the calories head to the hotel’s state of the art gym, which sits on top of a bluff.  Every treadmill offers a breathtaking 360-degree view of the sea and long stretches of beach. You can hire a trainer to put you through your paces or there’s a yoga master who conducts a class in the mornings. Sweat in Nirvana. Recover in the elegant spa. It is a quiet oasis and all they want to do is pamper you. Order up: The Royal Thai massage, invigorating facials with local herbs or expert mani-pedis. My favorite treatment was the foot massage with Andaman sea salt and roasted coconuts. After lunch, nap in the shade, then rent jet skis and go exploring. They offer all the watersports here, from snorkeling and waterskiing to sailing and paragliding. As I swam in the sea it was hard to envision the tsunami that hit the area 15 years ago in 2004. Thankfully there are very few signs left of the devastation that it wrought.

Tea Time

Between 4:30 and 5:30 pm there is a not to be missed ritual in the teahouse overlooking the pool. A gaggle of maidens makes traditional Thai pancakes, the size of silver dollars, over a charcoal stove while a musician softly plays an indigenous instrument. These tiny treats are beyond yummy; try the banana, mango, and chocolate, or go rogue and have one made with sweet onions. They melt in your mouth so you have to be careful not to eat too many. The ladies also serve cold ginger tea with mango juice and offer pumpkin and banana bread and coconut cookies if you want to switch things up. Luckily, tea time is exactly one hour or you’d need to wear a caftan to the beach. We went swimming at sunset; the water was warm and the sun’s last rays reflected off the ocean as we body surfed and played in the waves like happy seals.  Later, the lapping waves lulled us to sleep in our beds. Amanpuri, the stuff dreams are made of. aman.com (66)76-324-333

View full Social Life Magazine article and more photographs here

The post The World’s Most Exclusive Hotel appeared first on R. Couri Hay.

R. Couri Hay is a New York City-based publicist and founder of R. Couri Hay Creative Public Relations. He started his career as one of the original contributing editors to Andy Warhol’s Interview Magazine and went on to write for a variety of publications including Travel Squire and Social Life. Travels with Couri takes you on an adventure to some of the most premier resorts and locations around the world. Follow along with Couri as he shares some tips, tricks, and recommendations when traveling. From floating bars in Jamaica to art galleries in Berlin, Travels with Couri will inspire you to travel the world and become immersed in new cultures.

Image Source: Avenue.com

Tiger Kingdom

You have two choices at Tiger Kingdom, suspend good judgment and enter a caged area with a large group of playful tigers or stay behind the bars. Naturally, we went in. For 2,500 baht ($90) these keepers allow you to pose and pet three sizes of Indochinese Tigers, small, medium and large, and when I say large, I mean 400 pounds. The keepers ease you into a tightly fenced area through double gated cages. That’s when I should have turned around, but I pressed on. The experience with the baby cubs was cute, the teens were thrilling but the parents were scary especially when a gang of six monster sized cats started fighting in one corner of the pen while we were sitting 20 feet away stroking their grandfather. The two “trainers” carried slim sticks and that was it between us and them. We escaped quickly but not before we took a stream of selfies holding the tiger’s tale. On the way out I jokingly asked if any one had ever been killed or mauled, the owner said “No, but a man did get bit in the leg last October and is coming back to face his fears this year. Great news! It was exciting but I’m not sure I’d have risked it if I’d heard that story first. These tigers are definitely not drugged; they were wide-awake and hungry. We went at 5 p.m. and stuck around to watch them tear through huge slabs of raw meat at 6 for dinner. I would suggest going right after breakfast when, hopefully, they’re feeling less frisky. tigerkingdom.com

James Bond Island

We rented an Amanpuri yacht, which boasts a crew of six, to explore the James Bond Island in the Adaman Sea. This rock of an isle is shaped like a nail head and was featured in the 007 film The Man with the Golden Gun starring Roger Moore. There is always a crowd on this tiny island that the Bond villain Francisco Scaramanga called home but there is really nothing to do here except visit the souvenir shop so I suggest you cruise on by. Our chef served up a delicious lunch featuring skewers of chicken and beef, grilled shrimp, Greek salads, pasta and pink and tender sliced tuna. I had the captain crank up the music and we danced on the deck as the scenery slipped by, drinking from fresh coconuts and sipping champagne that fueled the merriment. Although the boat gracefully holds 12, the two of us enjoyed the privacy of our adventure on the sea. We jumped off the upper decks into the pristine water and swam off a secret sandy beach; the only sign of man was the occasional plastic bottle that washed up reminding us of humanity’s bad habits. It was hard to envision the tsunami that blew near here 17 years ago. Thankfully there are only a few traces left of the devastation that it wrought.

Zip Lining at Hanuman

I decided to go on an eco-adventure and headed to Phuket’s ultimate jungle experience, zip lining at Hanuman. I put on my harness, strapped on my helmet and climbed 30 minutes up steep, rocky terrain to a ladder that led to a platform on a tree. Before I could say wait or stop I was hooked onto cable and pushed off a landing from the tallest tree I’ve ever seen. I was too petrified to scream. Then presto, I landed effortlessly on another platform wrapped around another gargantuan tree. In the end, it was easy, fun and exhilarating. We continued to zip around the jungle and trek over shaking wooden bridges. When we had to zoom straight down, I felt a lump in my throat but in truth anyone from 13 to 80 could enjoy an experience that makes you feel like Harrison Ford in Raiders of the Lost Ark. flyinghanuman.com

Lady Boys at Simon’s

You pass through Phuket without being solicited to see a “sexy show.” The problem is there’s nothing sexy or fun about these ping pong shenanigans in the grungy, sad clubs that line Bargate Street, the town’s infamous red light district where they sell “sex” at a discount. In truth, The Box in NYC does it better. What is fun is the notorious Lady Boy show at Simons Cabaret. Over 80 transgender performers dress up like Ziegfeld show girls and clump through campy routines in a fast paced hour-long show. Six of these Lady Boys are real stars, who look and move like a cross between delicate geishas and leggy Vegas show girls. The costumes are as elaborate as anything Josephine Baker ever wore and they change clothes for every number with alarming speed. The Chinese Fan Dance was particularly convincing but the serious fun is in the side alley where 80 ladies and a dozen chorus boys line up for selfies. For 200 baht ($5.76) you get to pose with the “lady “of your choice. Once on the street, these “ladies “get very aggressive and their voices and manner are anything but feminine. This is where they make their tips and they will do anything to get your attention. A few of them are “real beauties “as Andy Warhol used to say. phuket-simoncabaret.com

Bangla Boxing Stadium

On the other side of the coin is the Banga Tai Boxing Stadium. The evenings bill showcases multiple generations of fighters starting with 10-year-old, 70 pound combatants. They quickly worked their way up to 15 and 17 years olds and finally to 26-year-old 150 pound professionals. Two women also ducked it out. This is a brutal sport and inevitably someone ends up bloodied and being carried form the ring. Although I thought this was “local culture,” the fighters also came from England, Australia, and Mexico. banglaboxingstadiumpatong.com

Aman Tailor

If you want custom clothes, go see Mr. Ram at Aman Tailors, which is a short stroll from the Amanpuri. They can copy anything you bring in for a fraction of what you originally paid. Their fame as an expert suit and shirt maker is sung by the super rich who own the expensive villas at the resort. In less than 8 hours, 22 people had created a dozen linen shirts and were ready for my suits first fittings. I had the shirts copied from my favorite Ralph Laurens and the suits from Kilgour, my Bond street tailors in London. My 800 dollar shirts were 50 dollars and the suits were equally well priced. I bought an extra trunk to take everything home. amantailor.com

The post How to Enjoy Phuket appeared first on R. Couri Hay.

R. Couri Hay is a New York City-based publicist and founder of R. Couri Hay Creative Public Relations. He started his career as one of the original contributing editors to Andy Warhol’s Interview Magazine and went on to write for a variety of publications including Travel Squireand Social Life. Travels with Couri takes you on an adventure to some of the most premier resorts and locations around the world. Follow along with Couri as he shares some tips, tricks, and recommendations when traveling. From floating bars in Jamaica to art galleries in Berlin, Travels with Couri will inspire you to travel the world and become immersed in new cultures.

Image Source: travelsquire.com

Pansea Beach

We wandered down hand hewn stone steps, surrounded by greenery to a tiny peninsula in Phuket. The secluded spot, edged with swaying palm trees, overlooked Pansea Beach. The soundtrack was a gentle wind and white capped waves rolled against a stone jetty. A pretty Thai girl led us to a table, one of only four, perched above the sand. She adjusted a wooden chair and placed a crisply pressed white linen napkin in my lap. The menu was something one might see in Paris or London, not on a beach in Thailand. The chef’s prowess proved masterful and the cuisine was an unexpected delight – healthy, sophisticated and scrumptious. With a majestic palm tree acting as our umbrella, I looked out over the multi-hued sea, relaxed and satiated, this meal symbolizing the exquisite experience that is the Amanpuri Resort.

Aman Junkies

Brad, Angelina and their six children along with Jason Statham and his fiancée Rosie Huntington-Whiteley were among those who made the trip to Phuket this year. It’s a long flight, but once you touch down, the magic carpet rolls out. We were met by a white uniformed greeter who escorted us to a BMW that whisked us away. Out the window you see a poor third world country streaming by until you turn into the palm lined drive of the resort’s enchanted garden; teak buildings are built in the traditional Thai style with whimsical peaked winged roofs.

The architecture echoes the Royal Palace in Bangkok where King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit Kitiyakara live. Here you will find a clique of cognoscenti who are called “Aman Junkies”, because of their loyalty to the brand. The list includes Kate Moss, Leonardo DiCaprio, Bill Gates, Mick Jagger, Harrison Ford, Jay-Z and Beyoncé. The Amanpuri Phuket was built by Omar Amanant’s partner, hotelier Adrian Zecha in 1988. It was the first in the Aman Group of hotels and resorts that now span the globe from Turks & Caicos and Bali to Sri Lanka and Tibet.

Tiger Kingdom

In Phuket anything is possible. You can take a boat to James Bond Island where they filmed The Man with the Golden Gun or go ziplining at Flying Hanuman and enjoy the company of ladies or lady boys. But if you want to play with the big cats go to Tiger Kingdom. For 2,500 baht ($90) the keepers allow you to pose with and pet three sizes of Indochinese tigers. The trainers ease you into a tightly fenced area with double gated cages.

That’s when I should have turned back! The experience with the cubs was cute but the parents were scary especially when a gang of six monster sized cats started fighting in one corner of the pen while we were sitting 30 feet away stroking their father. The two “trainers” carried slim sticks and that was it between us and them. We escaped quickly but not before we took a stream of selfies holding the tiger’s tale. On the way out I jokingly asked if anyone had ever been killed. The trainer said “No, but a man did get bit in the leg last October and is coming back to face his fears NEXT year.” Great news! It was exciting but I’m not sure I’d have risked it if I’d heard that story first.

The Jet Set

There are two ways to stay at the Amanpuri. You can bunk down in one of the 30 private villas that are spread out over the hills looking down on the ocean. These range from a two-bedroom compound with private pool and separate areas for dining and lounging for $3,800 a day to an 8-bedroom house with a live-in housekeeper and chef for 14k a night. Billionaires, the jet set and stars including Pierce Brosnan, Jean-Claude Van Damme and One Direction’s Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson have all slept here. The management has been known to send out boats with security guards to bribe and shoo away the paparazzi who train their lenses on the guests.

For a romantic rendezvous, I’d suggest staying in one of their 40 Pavilions that face the sea and are near the beach, pool and restaurants. These rooms are spacious and well thought out; they also boast their own outdoor pagoda. The bedroom is a sleek dark wood cocoon with sliding teak doors and windows that either seal you in or open you to the views of the sea and the surrounding tropical gardens. Everyday there is surprise: the Buddha in your bedroom is draped with a fresh frangipani lei, floating orchids fill your tub that’s surrounded by lit candles, a package is sitting on your pillow bearing a gift of a white silk scarf, white orchid plants punctuate your room and fresh fruit and cookies are left on a tray. Service is silent and they time it so you never see it happening.

Simon Cabaret

You can’t’ come to Phuket without being solicited to see a “sexy show.” The problem is there’s nothing sexy or fun about these ping pong shenanigans in the grungy, sad clubs that line Bargate Street, the town’s infamous red light district where they sell “sex” at a discount. In truth The Box in NYC does it better. What is fun is the Lady Boy show at Simon Cabaret. Over 80 transgender performers dress up like Ziegfeld Follies show girls and clump through campy routines in a fast paced hour-long show. Six of these Lady Boys are real stars, who look like a cross between delicate geishas and leggy Vegas showgirls. The costumes are as elaborate as anything Josephine Baker ever wore and they change clothes for every number with alarming speed. The Chinese Fan Dance was particularly convincing but the serious fun is in the side alley where the ladies and a dozen chorus boys line up for selfies. For 200 baht ($5.76) you get to pose with the “Lady “of your choice. Once on the street, these “ladies “get a little aggressive and their voices are anything but feminine. This is where they make their tips and they will do anything to get your attention. A few of them are “real beauties “as Andy Warhol used to say. I got the feeling some of these ladies would be willing to work after work, get it?

Tea Time

Between 4:30 and 5:30pm there is a ritual in the teahouse overlooking the pool. A gaggle of maidens make traditional Thai pancakes, the size of silver dollars, over a charcoal stove while a musician softly plays an indigenous instrument. These tiny treats are beyond yummy; try the banana, mango and chocolate, or go rogue and have one made with sweet onions. They melt in your mouth so you have to be careful not to eat too many. The ladies also serve cold ginger tea with mango juice and offer coconut cookies and pumpkin and banana bread if you want to switch things up. Luckily, tea time is exactly one hour or you’d need to wear a caftan to the beach. To work off the calories head to the hotel’s state of the art gym which sits on top of a bluff. Every treadmill offers a 360-degree view of the sea. You can hire a trainer to put you through your paces or there’s a yoga master who conducts morning classes. Sweat in Nirvana then recover in the elegant spa. It is a quiet oasis. My favorite treatment was the foot massage with Andaman sea salt and roasted coconuts.

We went swimming at sunset; the water was warm and the sun’s last rays reflected on the ocean as we body surfed and played in the waves like happy seals. As I swam it was hard to envision the tsunami that hit here in 2004. Thankfully, there are very few signs left of the devastation that it wrought. Later, the lapping waves lulled us to sleep in our beds.

The post Amanpuri – Phuket, Thailand appeared first on R. Couri Hay.