Phuket, Thailand
Amanpuri
The Ur-Aman
What it is
A celebrity hideaway of airy pavilions on the Andaman Sea.
What it isn't
Dated. Iconic since its birth in 1988, Amanpuri—the headwaters where Aman’s empire began—still feels brand-new.
What we think
Aman took its cues from centuries-old Ayutthayan architecture when it built this property, so attuned to its place that it retained the on-site coconut plantation. Rooms (called pavilions and villas, here) are everything you could ask for from a Phuket getaway—think cane furniture, vaulted ceilings and indigenous art. Ask for one with a sea view and plunge pool for the full pinch-me-I’m-in-paradise experience. We all but require you to visit the spa, where the pilates studio has a panoramic outlook on the landscape and the toxin-expelling Royal Thai massage is reportedly the same one created for Thai monarchy.
You're here because
Everyone from Jay-Z and Bey to Bill and Melinda Gates have stayed here, according to legend. And what slays Beyoncé slays you.
The Moment
There are beach clubs, and then there’s Amanpuri’s beach club: a candlelit dinner on the sand. The only thing more eye-popping than dusk falling over the ocean before you? The charcoal-grilled catch of the day—and wood roasted pizza—set delicately before you.
Restaurants & Bars
- Nama Restaurant - Japanese fine dining
Location
Seaside on Phuket’s western coast, a mere 33-minute drive from the airport.