PRIVILEGES.

Originally conceived as the gardens of a textile museum, the surrounds of Aman Kyoto conjure a sense of magic. The authentic yet contemporary sanctuary features 24 stunning guest rooms and two luxurious villas. That the resort beautifully combines the present-day with local history is apparent not only in its design but also its location – Aman Kyoto’s secluded grounds were home to an artistic community that gave rise to the revered Rinpa school of painting some 400 years ago.

Wellness offerings include both outdoor and indoor onsen hot-spring bathing facilities, yoga and mindfulness sessions, and a spa with an extensive treatment menu that draws on local Japanese healing practices. Once you’ve relaxed the body, indulge your senses by savouring seasonal bites at Aman Kyoto’s Living Pavilion restaurant, with a picnic in the garden or a Japanese afternoon tea.

Those looking to explore Kyoto’s rich culture and history may choose to venture out to 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites nearby or visit the bustling city itself.

In regards to this offer you will find the latest information regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation on the website of our partner.

The word ‘Aman’ means variously peace, shelter or protection. These are promising and entirely appropriate connotations for a hotel group that focuses assiduously on deeper, more personal values. While some hotels might aspire to being the biggest or most grandiose, the 30 Aman properties worldwide focus instead on more sympathetic values. Each small hideaway estate is rooted in a particular location. This approach exerts a subtle influence on guests, allowing them to connect more deeply with the local culture and values. This, of course, is only part of the Aman appeal. A commitment to indigenous materials, impressively high staff to guest ratios, and a convincing ‘at home’ philosophy (you won’t find a lobby, for example) all contribute to the overall success of the brand.

There is more to Design Hotels™ than ‘just’ design. Each of the company’s member hotels represents a story. A story of innovation, sustainability, originality and individuality. From humble beginnings, with only ten members, the company has grown into a global network of more than 290 independent hotels in more than 60 countries. Each property is hand-selected and checked personally. To be a member of Design Hotels™, not only design and service are critical, but those individuals behind the hotel – “Originals”, as the company calls them – and their vision is equally, if not more important. Visit the Design Hotels™ online store for some exquisite trinkets for the modern traveller. 

In regards to this offer you will find the latest information regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation on the website of our partner.

Six Senses instantly became a pioneer for a new kind of responsible travel when it was founded in 1995. Consider the meaning of responsible travel and the priorities are clear: respect for the environment, sensitivity to local communities and offering guests a chance to reconnect with nature and discover a renewed sense of calm and wellbeing. For Six Senses, however, these values are not only influences – they are a mission statement. As the company’s very name implies, Six Senses has an especially high reputation in wellness, catering to the mind, body and spirit of their guests. This goes much deeper than run-of-the-mill massages and other therapies to revitalise tired limbs. At Six Senses, guests can expect in-depth consultations and therapies from renowned guest practitioners as well as the hotel or resort’s own professional therapists. Since the company has an Asian heritage, it is appropriate that Six Senses now starts and finishes each of these wellness therapies with a signature Singing Bowl Ritual, claiming to create a “soothing humming vibration” to promote balance and relaxation. This is a satisfyingly idiosyncratic, but calming step that fits the brand and should, quite literally, ring true with guests.

It’s located in Courchevel, one of the world’s largest and most luxe-loving mountain resorts, with ski-in/out access to the ‘Trois Vallées’, but at Aman Le Mélézin, skiing is almost secondary to what goes on after the slopes shut down – warming up with a cocktail by an open fire in the main salon, taking to the spa for its Jacuzzis, pool and Turkish hammam, or cosying up in your suite with breathtaking mountain vistas, for starters.

With its original Giambattista Tiepolo frescoes, roof terraces, opulent ballroom and private gardens overlooking the Grand Canal, the 16th-century Palazzo Papadopoli is not only an uber-luxe hotel but a historical site in its own right – a place so magnificent that owners Count Giberto Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga and Countess Bianca decided that rather than move out once the hotel had opened, they would simply make the top floor into their private residence. And as if the hotel wasn’t romantic enough all by itself, BMW i Pure Impulse members enjoy an exclusive boating experience of the Venetian Lagoon –  marvel at Venice’s beautiful sights while sipping on a complimentary bottle of bubbly.

This is the other Beijing. The one that existed before skyscrapers and Olympic stadiums, metros and smog masks. Removed from the buzz of inner-city Beijing, Aman Summer Palace features nine courtyards connecting a series of traditional pavilions, some more than a century old, that once hosted guests of Empress Dowager Cixi. Here, modernity (a movie theatre and underground spa) meets history (demonstrations by the resident calligrapher), but perhaps the resort’s greatest perk is after-hours access to the Summer Palace park – which may not sound all that impressive until you see this 716-acre site’s countless lakes, gardens, palaces and temples firsthand.

From a 15th-century fortress to a 19th-century village and a 20th-century playground for the privileged, Sveti Stefan has had a long, colourful history. In its 21st-century iteration, the tiny island off the coast of Montenegro sees the return of the rich and famous – and not too much has changed. The beaches are still that famous pink hue, and most of the buildings retain their historical façades. Only now, the interiors have been upgraded, the spa modernised and new pools installed. It’s the glamour of a bygone era, plus WiFi.

Exploring ancient Balinese temples. Teeing off at the Bali National Golf Course. Surfing the white sand beaches along the southern coast of Nusa Dua. Aman Villas at Nua Dusa are a worthy launching pad from which to take in the varied facets of Bali, but the all-villa resort is also a destination all of its own – and once you arrive at the villas, each equipped with a frangipane-flanked pool and views over the luscious, expansive gardens,  you might not want to leave. Embracing local architecture, materials and artworks, each villa come with a large open-air dining pavilion, a library, the services of a private chef and the option of enjoying relaxing wellness treatments rooted deep in Balinese tradition right in the seclusion of your own accommodation.

Renowned for its hidden sanctuaries amidst awe-inspiring scenery, it came as a surprise when Aman announced that their 27th luxury hotel would be nestled in the fast-paced urban setting of Tokyo. But stepping inside Aman Tokyo, it quickly becomes clear that the metropolitan location does not detract from the serenity. Quite the opposite – views from the Otemachi Tower’s top floors over the bustling metropolis add to the contrasting sense of calm within. The city crowds fade away upon entering the vast lobby, which soars almost 30 metres high and features a Japanese rock and water garden at its centre. Spacious guestrooms exude the sleek, soothing ambience of a traditional Japanese residence with sliding Shōji screens and warm pinewood floors. The basalt-lined infinity pool’s water level was even measured precisely to give you a wraparound framed view of the mountains towering in the distance. For a relaxed dining experience, The Cáfe by Aman sits at the base of the tower in the middle of the impressive 3,600 sq. m. of the planted Otemachi Forest. Despite the location, or perhaps because of it, Aman might have just created their most tranquil location yet.