Aman Nai Lert Bangkok Resort Assessment

Since making Bangkok my residence greater than a decade in the past, I’ve witnessed quite a few big-brand resorts debut right here: a ritzy Park Hyatt, a brand new 4 Seasons, and Capella’s first Thai outpost all entered town’s star-studded lodge scene with becoming fanfare. Few, nonetheless, got here as extremely anticipated as the brand new Aman Nai Lert Bangkok, which welcomed its first friends on April 2.

Aman’s arrival within the Thai capital was at all times going to be a landmark second. In any case, it is a return to the nation the place the cult luxurious model first started, with the opening of Amanpuri on the island of Phuket in 1988, which continues to be considered one of my favourite Thai resorts. For years, whispers of an Aman property in Bangkok circulated amongst hospitality insiders, but it surely wasn’t till the announcement of Aman Nai Lert within the ritzy Phloen Chit district that these rumors lastly solidified.

With such buzz and pedigree come sky-high expectations, and admittedly, I used to be a bit skeptical once I checked in on opening day: in a metropolis teeming with luxurious choices, how would Aman handle to face out? Would it not have the ability to ship its signature hush-hush hospitality in a metropolis as loud and frenetic as Bangkok? And extra to the purpose, how may it justify its eye-watering value tags—which, beginning at $1,100, are the very best on the town?

It didn’t take me lengthy to seek out out. Entering into the lobby felt like swapping Bangkok’s cacophony for a world of soothing interiors and whispery jazz. The lodge’s designer, Jean-Michel Gathy, took inspiration from the encompassing Nai Lert Park and Heritage House, and infused the widespread areas and sprawling suites with nature-toned coloration palettes, a lot of botanical references, and nods to the legacy of Nai Lert, the erstwhile Thai enterprise tycoon whose great-granddaughter spearheaded the lodge’s growth.

“We labored across the historic particulars of the park and Nai Lert’s heritage residence, mixing them with a contemporary setup,” stated David Schoonbroodt, considered one of Gathy’s designers, whereas strolling me by the mission. “The stone flooring have a timber look to imitate the heritage residence’s floorboards, and louvered raised ceilings nod to the house’s roof construction.”

The setting, too, helped calm town’s chaos. Nai Lert Park is a lush, seven-acre pocket of tropical landscaping within the coronary heart of downtown, making the lodge really feel like an city sanctuary within the truest sense: the air smelled faintly of frangipani; the chirping of birds overpowered the site visitors din. And since the park has remained within the palms of the identical household for generations, it provides the lodge a way of rootedness that few different new developments can declare.

Service, in fact, is the place Aman resorts are inclined to shine, and this Bangkok outpost is not any exception. From the second I arrived, workers provided that elusive mix of attentiveness and restraint: ever-present, however by no means intrusive. Throughout afternoon tea within the ethereal foyer lounge, I watched a server quietly blot away the condensation left by my water glass earlier than I even realized it was there. And whether or not on the ninth-floor pool or within the elevator hall, workers members had been unfailingly heat, conversational, and intuitive with out coming off as saccharine.

The million-dollar query: Is it definitely worth the cash? It wholly relies upon: This is not your typical basic Thai lodge, however if you wish to keep someplace that exudes ‘quiet luxurious’, then you might simply discover it’s price each baht. Allow us to allow you to resolve with our full overview under.

The Rooms

Unfold over flooring 11 by 18, the lodge has simply 52 rooms—lower than half of that of its primary opponents (Capella Bangkok, for instance, has 101; the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok has 393). So although the lodge was virtually totally occupied once I stayed on the evening of its grand opening, it by no means felt busy.

All rooms are offered as suites, and even the smallest one provides a lofty 1,000 sq. toes of flooring house. Their interiors are finest described as ‘very Aman’: a lot of house and straight strains, loads of heat wooden and stone, and a soothing coloration palette of lotions, grays, and earthy browns. Layouts differ relying on the suites’ positions: my ‘Premier Nook Suite’ had two partitions lined in floor-to-ceiling home windows, a separate pantry house and a roomy dressing space close to the door. The toilet could possibly be closed off with smooth pivoting panels and got here—like all suites—with a huge bathe and spherical tub the dimensions of a Jacuzzi tub. There was a window-facing desk with loads of house to work and a TV that’d pop up from a cupboard on the contact of a button. Do word, although, that regardless of the ‘suite’ label, solely the floor-spanning and ultra-expensive Aman Suite on the 18th flooring has a separate residing space; all others really feel extra like very spacious studios.

The minibars are complimentary (with rooms this expensive, that could be anticipated), and are available stocked with hoppy lagers brewed completely for the lodge, and turmeric-infused seltzers flavored with yuzu and keenness fruit. There are jars of dried mango and nuts to nibble on, however extra substantial bites should be ordered from the in-room eating menu.

Meals and Drink

The lodge provides loads of choices to eat and drink with 4 sit-down eating places, a pool bar, and a cocktail lounge. My day began with breakfast at Arva, Aman’s signature Italian restaurant idea present in its resorts across the globe. After greater than 10 years of residing in Bangkok, I’ve sampled breakfasts at virtually all the metropolis’s luxurious resorts, however can confidently say that the one right here ranks among the many best possible. There isn’t any buffet—I discover these so un-chic—however as a substitute, a well-curated menu of breakfast classics from across the globe: Thai noodles, completely flaky French pastries, inexperienced juices, and sufficient egg dishes to eat a distinct one each morning of a week-long keep. I nonetheless dream of the basil-flecked roasted tomatoes on toast with whipped stracciatella cheese.

For lunch and dinner, Arva doles out Italian staples reminiscent of pizzas, home-made pastas, and seafood platters brimming with poached langoustine, seasonal oysters, and slices of marinated tuna. In the event you’re after one thing lighter, the Pool Bar will hit the spot with falafel wraps and good-for-you bowls just like the banana blossom salad with zingy chili dressing.

The nineteenth flooring is reserved for the Aman Lounge, a members-only cigar room and jazzy cocktail spot (memberships come at a cool $60,000 initiation price) that opens for lodge friends solely after 5 PM. That is the place you will additionally discover Hiori, a 14-seat teppanyaki joint the place Nagano-born chef Yoji Kitayama turns a mixture of Thai and Japanese components into multicourse tasting menus (suppose: grilled seasonal greens in a punchy miso-ginger sauce, or a wagyu sando with buttery-soft beef sourced from Kitayama’s hometown). Much more intimate is the eight-seat omakase counter at Sesui subsequent door, with a daily-changing sushi menu served from behind a single slab of hinoki wooden. Each eating places draw on an in depth library of artisanal sakes from small-scale breweries round Japan, a few of which you will not discover wherever else in Thailand.

Actions and Experiences

Whereas that is extra of a spot to chill and chill out, the lodge’s clued-in concierge group is readily available when you really feel like exploring town. There are guided excursions across the adjoining Nai Lert Park and Heritage House, which embody a go to to the boat museum and a handkerchief garland-making workshop. For a whopping THB 105,000 (round $3,000) per couple, you may also e-book a non-public cooking class and dinner on the Heritage House museum, the place your meal comes served on basic Benjarong tableware. There are religious journeys across the hidden shrines and temples of Bangkok’s downtown, or pictures excursions guided by Thailand’s Leica ambassador, Khun Chut. And when you’re extra involved in hitting up Bangkok’s postcard sights—The Grand Palace, a floating market, the works—a tuk-tuk will be organized.

The Spa

Calling the lodge’s wellness heart a ‘spa’ can be an understatement: spanning greater than 16,000 sq. toes over two total flooring, the Aman Spa & Wellness delivers all the things from a fast jet lag-busting Thai therapeutic massage to three-hour ‘spa journeys’ that embody natural baths, Royal Thai rub-downs, and a alternative between a head or foot therapeutic massage. I opted for a basic Thai therapeutic massage, one of many spa’s signatures, which delivered 90 toe-curling minutes of superb ache and left my muscular tissues feeling like jelly.

If even that is not Zen sufficient, e-book your self a (half-)day retreat within the signature Spa Home, a multiroom non-public spa suite with a Vichy bathe, steam room, cold and warm plunge swimming pools, and a banya sauna the place therapists therapeutic massage, whip, and exfoliate your pores and skin with aromatic bundles of birch leaves.

And when you’re out there for a cheeky forehead carry or hairline repair, Aman has partnered with Bangkok-based Hertitude Clinic and its group of licensed medical aestheticians; the eighth-floor Medical Wellness facility makes a speciality of botox injections, vitamin-rich IV-drips, and mood-boosting classes in a cryotherapy sales space.

Household-friendly Choices

Aman’s hush-hush vibe makes it extra appropriate for grown-ups, however that does not imply younger friends aren’t catered to. I visited with my six-year-old son, and ready in our suite was a thoughtfully organized tent full with a luxurious toy, solar hat, disposable digital camera, and iron-on patches—all themed round Chao Tam, Nai Lert’s beloved pet leopard. Different facilities included child shampoo, kid-sized bathrobes and fluffy slippers. There have been loads of shallow areas to play in on the pool, and the workers had pool toys and water weapons on the prepared.

The decision? My son declared it “considered one of his favourite resorts in Bangkok.” Excessive reward from a child as discerning (learn: ridiculously spoiled) as he’s.

Accessibility and Sustainability

Classifying the lodge as sustainable can be a stretch, but it surely does function with an eco-conscious ethos wherever doable. Single-use plastics are largely banned: water is served in glass or aluminum bottles, and plastic straws are, in fact, nowhere to be discovered. The constructing’s footprint was tailored to protect the century-old greenery of Nai Lert Park, which is why you will discover the higher branches of a 100-year-old chamchuri tree poking by a custom-designed opening within the swimming pool. The lodge additionally prioritizes energy-efficient techniques and incorporates regionally sourced supplies in its design wherever possible.

Accessibility can also be thought of. One of many suites is tailored for wheelchair customers, with extra-wide walkways and assist bars within the rest room. All public areas are stair-free, and in each elevator financial institution, at the very least one carry is designed to be totally accessible.

Location

Relying on site visitors, which will be ghastly, the drive from Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) takes about 45 minutes. There isn’t any want to attend round for a taxi upon arrival, as all suite bookings embody airport fast-track service and limousine pickup.

The lodge’s perch within the ritzy Phloen Chit district places you inside strolling distance of a few of Bangkok’s fanciest procuring malls, together with Central Embassy and Central Chid Lom, whereas the mega-malls of Siam (Siam Paragon, Siam Discovery, CentralWorld) are only a brief taxi-hop away. So is Lumphini Park, Bangkok’s reply to NYC’s Central Park, which is a beautiful spot for an early-morning stroll. In the event you’re planning to hit up Bangkok’s postcard sights, reminiscent of Wat Pho and the Grand Palace, count on to spend at the very least 40 minutes in a taxi—the concierge can prepare a journey.

How one can Get the Most Worth Out of Your Keep

The Aman model is notorious for its sky-high costs. There’s no loyalty program, and discounted room charges are virtually remarkable—however there are just a few savvy methods to get extra bang on your baht. Reserving immediately on the Aman web site provides you entry to a useful calendar that shows nightly charges, making it straightforward to identify lower-price dates (even entry-level suites can fluctuate by greater than $300 an evening). Underneath the ‘Unique Provides’ tab, you’ll additionally usually discover package deal offers that embody perks like airport transfers, resort credit score, and afternoon tea.