ACROSS THE AMAN GLOBE: FESTIVE SEASON 2021/22
As the year draws to a close, there is no better time to celebrate and make lasting memories with loved ones. Whether finding solace in a spacious villa or enjoying festive traditions from across the globe, Aman’s sanctuaries provide the perfect place for friends and families to gather and reconnect. This year, Aman’s festive programming is designed to invite guests to discover the rituals of Aman hotels and resorts around the world, with on-property experiences that pay homage to other destinations in the brand’s portfolio.
Surrounded by the golden sands of Playa Grande, it’s easy to feel sequestered from the everyday world at Amanera. This festive season, the resort will host several themed events from 18 December through to 2 January inspired by its tropical setting and Aman properties across the globe.
On 21 December, the Noche Asiatica, an Asian-themed evening, invites guests to travel from the Dominican Republic to Asia, with a culinary adventure to far-flung corners of the continent while on 23 December, the Sabores de Asia (Flavours of Asia) dinner offers a taste of Southeast Asian cuisine, hailing from the locations of its sister Aman properties such as Amanoi in Vietnam, Amanpulo in the Philippines, and Amanpuri in Thailand. Alternatively, those wishing to experience authentic local culture can enjoy Cerdo a la Puya at the Beach Club – a traditional dish of roasted pork that has been slowly cooked over a fire pit for over six hours. Taking guests to North America, the resort’s festive highlight falls on New Year’s Eve, which begins with an exquisite tasting menu, followed by an exclusive Studio 54-themed beach party with a DJ, dancing and a firework display in homage to the upcoming opening of Aman New York.
The resort will also continue its connection with the local community this season with the Tree of Wishes, which takes pride of place in the resort lobby. From 18 December, the tree’s branches will be decorated with notecards representing individual needs for equipment, supplies and repairs for the Hogar de Ancianos Maria Trinidad Sanchez, a local nursing home. Guests are invited to donate in this celebration of giving and receiving.
As the festive season comes to the island shores of Providenciales, heralding Amanyara’s customary calendar of festive events and celebratory experiences, the resort welcomes guests seeking an escape to warmer climates. The daily activity programme runs from 20 December to the 2 January and includes a plethora of activities for multi-generations, from group Pickleball tournaments at the Clubhouse, to family outdoor movie nights, staff versus guest soccer games and culinary classes hosted by the resort’s talented chefs. The festive spirit really shines at Amanyara over Christmas and New Year, where elaborate events imbued with island flair include a Christmas Eve Pool Party, followed by Santa’s arrival on the beach on Christmas morning. A Christmas Day Scavenger Hunt for children is accompanied by indulgent multi-course dinners with live entertainment to ensure every day is celebrated to the fullest.
In the sublime wilderness of the Utah desert, Amangiri works closely with its neighbours providing support for the community with various fundraising initiatives. This December, to support the elderly community guests can marvel the delicate craft of rug weaving as passionate Navajo artist Charlene Isaac Hunt weaves a traditional Navajo blanket in Amangiri’s Main Pavilion. Guests are invited to enter a raffle to win the intricate creation, with all proceeds donated to the Adopt-a-Native-Elder charity that supports the wellbeing of Navajo elders. Further opportunities to show support include the chance to purchase a teddy bear that will be donated to CUDDLE Outreach, a local organisation that aids children in foster care and will share the bears as much-needed Christmas gifts.
While celebrating the festive season at the resort, guests will have further opportunity to discover local culture with an extensive programme of daily activities. Alongside sunrise yoga, mountain hikes and sunset cocktails, highlights include fascinating storytelling sessions and evenings filled with live music. Those staying at Amangiri will be invited to a presentation by Peter MacDonald, one of the last surviving Navajo Code Talkers who shares fascinating tales from World War II, while the resort’s Winter Astronomy Series allows guests of all ages to look to the stars with Amangiri’s resident astronomist who leads nightly tours of the sky with an impressive Orion telescope.
Also on property, guests will be able to marvel at the resort’s unique Christmas tree. Titled The Tree of Life, this year’s tree is a work of art by Colombian design studio, Verdi. Handcrafted in sustainable fibres, copper and straw, the installation makes its North America debut at Amangiri where it will be unveiled on 16 December and remain on show until mid-January.
At Amangani’s mountain home in the American West, a welcoming atmosphere and warm festive spirit fills the air throughout December. To showcase the magic, the resort has a created a balanced programme of dining, wellness and cultural activities this season, suitable to guests of all ages.
In addition to complimentary morning yoga or mat Pilates classes and live entertainment from talented local musicians, guests will be invited to take part in daily sessions with Amangani’s resident specialists, focusing on a wide range of topics. These vary from Into the Wild, a child-friendly insight into the region’s wildlife by the resort’s in-house naturalist, to Crystal Sound Bowl Healing, a restorative experience for body, mind and soul. Throughout December, Amangani also introduces a Community Spotlight initiative comprising a series of interactive presentations allowing guests to experience the passion of local artisans, including coffee tasting with Snake River Roasting and kombucha tasting with Teatonic Kombucha.
Delicious tasting menus will provide further opportunity for guests to celebrate. A traditional Christmas dinner is served on 25 December, with refined classic dishes such as Ora King Salmon Wellington and Eggnog Napoleon showcasing fine local ingredients. In contrast, on New Year’s Eve, a five-course feast takes guests on a culinary journey across the globe, with recipes from Aman properties around the world, including Amanpuri’s delicious Pad Thai and Amankora’s Momo Dumplings.
Set within an oasis of palm trees and olive groves, Moorish heritage is reflected throughout Amanjena’s pisé- walls and manicured private gardens. Reminiscent of a sultan’s palace, the resort echoes opulence of time- gone-by and is exceptionally well-suited to hosting elaborate celebrations with loved ones. From 24 December to 1 January, the resort will offer several seasonal activities. These include children’s entertainment in the form of cookie making, Christmas crafts and treasure hunts alongside more sophisticated activities for adults, such as a cocktail making class and a tennis tournament. The programme will also feature events inspired by Aman properties across the globe. These include a Turkish coffee and teatime, inspired by Amanruya’s home in Bodrum, and a Japanese afternoon tea, with sweet treats such as matcha cookies and other desserts paying homage to Aman’s three properties in Japan: Amanemu, Aman Tokyo and Aman Kyoto.
This festive season, Amanjena also continues to support Les Enfants De L’Atlas Orphanage and Jarjeer Donkey Refuge, with guests invited to visit both locations to learn about the important work the charities do and support them with donations should they wish.
Throughout the month of December, an enchanting sense of excitement fills the air in Venice and the city’s cobbled streets, charming squares and romantic canals come alive with a magical festive feeling. In Aman Venice’s Palazzo home, festivities begin on 6 December, when, in Christmas tradition, guests are invited to leave a shoe outside their door at night, in hope that San Nicola may visit and leave behind an early gift. The traditional theme continues with a ceremonial lighting of the tree and multi-course Christmas Eve and Christmas Day tasting menus making for an opulent stay.
On New Year’s Eve, the hotel is also planning a memorable event, where the celebrations begin with a Blue Note themed Aperitivo in tribute to the future opening of Aman New York. The jazz-inspired refreshment is followed by an exquisite dinner with a variety of musical entertainment. As the time nears midnight, guests can choose to be whisked away by boat to watch the fireworks over the Salute before returning to enjoy yet another Italian tradition, Zampone e Lenticchie, for a truly unforgettable start to 2022.
This season, Aman Venice will support the rehabilitation programme at Padova Prison once again, which is home to a pastry workshop, where inmates make award-winning panettone. Padova-made panettone will be served – and available for guests to buy – at Aman Venice throughout December, with proceeds supporting the prison’s rehabilitation efforts.
Over the festive season, the serene garden estate of Amanbagh sets out to immerse guests in the culture and heritage of Rajasthan and the Aravelli Hills, showcasing local crafts and cuisine. Guests can learn the unique regional art of Lac bangle making at a pop-up artisan’s workshop in the hotel’s grounds and discover how the natural resin can be heated and shaped to make colourful jewellery. Alternatively, they can enjoy the traditional Indian art form of rangoli, whereby intricate patterns are created from coloured rice and sand, representing good fortune.
Further opportunities to experience the inextricably connected trinity of food, faith and medicine that have shaped Indian culture for millennia await, including the chance to try Rajasthan’s own ‘sport of kings’: camel polo. On 31 December, guests are invited to join the Amanbagh team in celebrating the arrival of 2022 with a traditional Indian fair, featuring fortune tellers, fire dancers, traditional Manganiyar singers and an elaborate seven-course feast showcasing a choice of Indian or European cuisine.
Interwoven with the village of Kedewatan and the verdant drama of the Ayung Valley landscape, Amandari celebrates the natural beauty and rural culture of inland Bali. This season, guests are invited to personally engage with village life through several experiences and encounters, including scenic guided treks through the surrounding countryside, dance performances by the local village children, and daily afternoon tea with Ibu Made and Ibu Wayan, two local villagers who bring with them a selection of Balinese sweets and traditional tea and coffee for all to enjoy. To give back to the local community, guests can choose to take part in a complimentary cooking class, where they will learn the basics of traditional Balinese cooking, before packaging the food carefully and donating it to the local villagers.
Alternatively, and for those seeking indulgence, there are several exciting dining opportunities on offer at Amandari. These include the New Year’s Eve Night Market, where guests can try several flavoursome street food dishes, such as Ayam Bakar (grilled chicken with Bumbu Bali) and Pisang Bakar (grilled banana with palm sugar and roasted coconut), followed by a celebratory Thai-inspired brunch on New Year’s Day in homage to Amanpuri.
Aman’s original place of peace, Amanpuri has hosted Christmas and New Year festivities for over three decades. This year, the fabled Phuket retreat is pleased to announce an exclusive 10-night private jet journey originating from London, Paris, Dubai and Moscow, allowing guests to reach Amanpuri in safety and comfort. Those travelling from London, Paris and Dubai will arrive on Amanpuri’s peninsula on 22 December and depart on 1 January. Guests flying in from Moscow will begin their adventure a week later, on 29 December, and return on 8 January. Every day in between arrival and departure will be personalised to individual interests, with bespoke activities and excursions on offer, ranging from pasta making and mixology masterclasses, to sailing lessons and holistic massages, and no less than seven memorable dining experiences.
Those spending the festive season at resort will also be invited to a series of specially curated events commencing on 22 December with a Beach Barbeque at dusk. Other celebrations include a White Christmas-themed Christmas Eve feast, where glistening decor transforms the resort into a winter wonderland accompanied by ballet, acrobatics and Jazz quartet performances. Also this season, nightly themed dinners take guests on culinary journeys from across the Aman globe, including to Aman Tokyo on 27 December, where Japanese specialties are served against a backdrop of lanterns and Sakura flowers, and to Amanjena on the 29 December, where the magic of Marrakech arrives in Phuket. The celebrations culminate with Amanpuri’s iconic New Year’s Eve party which this year pays homage to Aman Venice with a Masquerade Ball.
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