Aman hotels and resorts are a favorite among celebrities, including the Kourtney Kardashian and Emily Ratajkowski who stayed at the Amangiri, Utah.
As Aman celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, every Aman destination is celebrating in its own distinctive way. From the snowy mountain wilderness of Wyoming to the sun-blanched shores of Thailand, each interweaves the cultural identity of its location with timeless international festive traditions.
This festive season guests of Aman can look forward to a calendar of events commencing in December, carefully designed with an assortment of gourmet experiences devised by Aman chefs, one-off masterclasses, craft workshops, exclusive music and dance performances, and fun-packed activities for families.
As the New Year’s Eve signals the end of Aman’s 30th anniversary, many destinations is honoring this milestone occasion with once-in-a-lifetime events and celebrations, ranging from dining and dancing in a 10th century Khmer temple in Cambodia, to a Caribbean evening of sensory spectacle and entertainment courtesy of a surprise, iconic music artist.
AMANBAGH, India
On December 26 and 31, a local bangle maker will shift his workshop to the garden to teach guests how to mould colourful accessories from lac – a natural material secreted by the tiny red insects that suck resin from trees. A rangoli art session on 28 December explores the ancient tradition of creating intricate patterns on the thresholds of Indian homes; and the practice of henna body art takes centre stage on 30 December.
The end of the year will be celebrated with a traditional Indian fair on 31 December; a seven-course dinner enhanced by fortune tellers, fire dancers and Qawaali singers. 2019 begins with “the sport of kings” – a camel polo match. In this exceptional adaptation to the age-old game, the camel, the “ship of the desert” replaces the graceful horse.
AMANJIWO, Java
In Central Java a series of festive celebrations will take place throughout December, with highlights including daily talks from Amanjiwo’s anthropologist Patrick Vanhoebrouck. A passionate expert on Javanese culture, Patrick will deliver fascinating talks on the history and significance of Borobudur and the ancient kingdoms of Java, as well as leading guest tours on request.
For children, Amanjiwo will host a series of traditional craft workshops over the festive period, including leaf weaving, mask painting, pottery and gingerbread house decorating, while guests of all ages are invited to try their hands at batik painting, Javanese cookery, and pot making with the master potters of the neighbouring Majaksingi Village.
On December 31, Amanjiwo’s New Year’s Eve celebrations begin with sunset cocktails overlooking Borobudur and end in the early hours with champagne, live jazz and the release of wish-bearing lanterns into the sky.
On New Year’s Day, a sunrise or sunset tour of Borobodur to mark the first day of the year can be arranged. A barbeque brunch with a range of local dishes, cold beers and coconuts will be served by the Pool Club.
AMAN VENICE, Italy
Venice is especially alluring in the winter months and festive season in La Serenissima is magical, with gondolas shrouded in mist and uncrowded piazzas. Throughout December, guests of Aman Venice can expect a special advent afternoon tea served daily in the Piano Nobile.
New Year celebrations commence with an aperitivo, followed by an exquisite dinner on December 31, after which guests may take the hotel’s boat to watch the fireworks light up the sky over the Salute, before returning to enjoy an Italian new-year tradition, “zampone e lenticchie”.
AMANGANI, USA
Seven thousand feet above sea level, the snow-crested wilderness of Wyoming is one of the most wildly beautiful landscapes to celebrate the festive season. Amangani sustains a celebratory atmosphere daily from December 21, with tastings in the resort’s Zinc Bar every afternoon and live acoustic music played by local musicians in the Lounge in the evenings.
The annual torchlight parade on the December 31 from the Amangani Ski Lounge marks the beginning of the New Year’s Eve celebrations, which includes a special dinner with a trio of strings, DJ and balloon drop.
AMANEMU, Japan
Festive season at Amanemu is a gastronomic affair. From December 22, Executive Chef Masanobu Inaba will serve a special dinner, featuring Wagyu beef, roast chicken and a delicious cook-at-the-table Shabu-Shabu hotpot made with Japanese crab.
On December 31, New Year’s Eve celebrations will commence with an insightful talk from local guide Mr Lijma regarding the history of Ise Grande Shrine, one of the most sacred shrines in Japan located close to Amanemu.
In Japan, soba noodles are a New-Year tradition – their long, thin shape is associated with the longevity of life. On the evening of December 31, Amanemu guests will tuck into a bowl of noodles just before midnight in the Bar Lounge before the champagne begins to flow and the celebrations commence.
2019 begins with sweet sake at sunrise, as guests join the Amanemu family to toast to health and happiness for the year ahead. Other Japanese New Year traditions include: mochitsuki (pounding rice to make sweet cakes, known as mochi) which will be marked with a live demonstration and tasting in the afternoon; and osechi (wooden boxes of auspicious or symbolic foods) which will be prepared by Chef Inaba and served throughout the day.
AMANPURI, Thailand
The end of 2018 will mark Amanpuri’s 30th festive season, and to commemorate its anniversary year, the resort’s celebratory agenda is more extravagant than ever, with a series of special events and celebrations planned from December 11 to January 7.
Tuesdays and Saturdays bring evening beach barbeques, with freshly shucked oysters and Pata Negra with Phuket lobsters, Bang Tao grouper and dry-aged prime beef. From December 21, Italian restaurant Arva presents a daily lunchtime feast of pastas, salads, grilled fish and meats, and live-made risottos at the Beach Club. Guests can head to the Latin American Lounge for fiery Mexican street food, tequila cocktails and magaritas on Jalisco Night (December 21 & 26, and January 2); join Nama Executive Chef Keiji Matoba for an ocean-fresh evening of sashimi, sushi, Matsusaka beef, sweet lobster and miso-marinated black cod at the Robata Grill Soirée (December 28 and January 4); and settle down poolside for dinner alfresco at Arva (December 23, January 1 & 6), tucking into cicchetti, beef carpaccio, house-made pastas and more.
On New Year’s Eve, Amanpuri sees out its birthday year with a spectacular gala dinner and a sumptuous buffet with truffle, lobster and caviar. The entertainment and the cabaret show will be hosted by the renowned “Heart” from Ibiza. Midnight fireworks on the iconic Amanpuri stairs, and a Pool terrace after party, with DJ Ali Kuru and others resident Ibiza DJs keeping the beats until sunrise.
Venetian flavors on January 3, when Aman Venice’s Executive Chef Dario Ossola will temporarily transform the Beach Club into the Rialto Market.
On January 7, Christmas on the Russian Orthodox calendar, Amanpuri celebrates with a Russian-inflected evening of frozen vodka, stroganoff, salmon and sturgeon under the stars.
AMANOI, Vietnam
Located within 29,000 hectares of Nui Chua National Park, Amanoi ensures a memorable stay within the beauty of the surrounding untouched wilderness this festive season.
On 28 December, after an early-morning group trek to take in the spectacular bay views from the summit of Goga peak, guests will have their own chance to recreate the nation’s flavours with a spring roll cooking class led by Chef Duong or Sugar Lee. In the evening, the Amanoi sommeliers will welcome guests to the bar to embark on a delicious journey tasting an array of New World wines accompanied by tapas and canapés.
New Year’s Eve begins with a cocktail and canapé reception, leading into a six-course tasting dinner, interspersed with a Carnival Show performance including live jazz, contemporary fan and hat dancers and a lion dance drumming troupe, with a DJ keeping the celebrations going into the early hours. On New Year’s Day, Amanoi’s guests will be invited to join the local Cham people for a sacred blessing in the Central Pavilion to secure their health, happiness and fortune in the year ahead.
AMANSARA, Cambodia
Guests of Amansara can experience the magic of Khmer celebrations this festive season. Located on the fringes of Angkor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the hotel’s signature experiences, including exclusive temple visits, monk-led meditation walks through the forest and scenic cruises to floating and stilted villages on Tonlé Sap Lake are especially memorable during the festive period. The particular highlights of the season take place on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
On New Year’s Eve, in the beautiful and intimate 10th-century Angkor temple of Prasat Kravan, guests are treated to an immersive culinary and cultural spectacle, with a Cambodian feast accompanied by a showcase of Khmer performing arts, including performances by Phare Circus acrobats and the Sacred Dancers of Angkor, bringing to life the stone apsaras on the temple’s walls. On January 1, Amansara welcomes the new year with a celebratory garden lunch party.
AMANYARA, Turks & Caicos
Over the festive period, children can take part in daily classes and activities including gingerbread house and cookie decoration, mocktail making, scavenger and candy cane hunts, tie-dye sessions and fashion shows. Meanwhile, adults can look forward to fitness-enhancing yoga, pilates and core training on the beach; naturalist-led snorkeling trips around the coral reef; fun “Taste & Tell” (blindfolded tasting) and “Sip & Paint” events; a MasterChef cookery challenge; film screenings; and themed “Taste of Aman” cocktail receptions – as well as an Amanyara festive tradition: the annual staff vs guests Olympics on December 29.
Guests can also expect to encounter a number of special guests during their stay this season, including a performance from a surprise, iconic music artist, who will headline Amanyara’s celebrations on New Year’s Eve, supported by international DJ Maggy Smiss, spinning the sounds into the early hours of New Year’s Day.
AMANKILA, Bali
Located in east Bali, overlooking the Lombok Strait, Amankila invites its guests to enjoy the wonders and delights of the Karangasem Regency this festive season, including a series of cultural performances and special dinners culminating in an unforgettable New Year’s Eve celebration.
On New Year’s Eve, there will be a Kecak dance performance. This iconic Balinese dance incorporates a troupe of forty men and depicts a battle from the Ramayana scriptures, where the monkey-like Vanara joins Prince Rama in fighting the evil King Ravana. The performance will be followed by an eight course French Brassiere-style Degustation menu paired with French wines. After dinner, the festivities continue with a poolside fire show accompanied by musicians playing traditional instruments. As midnight approaches, bamboo Marimba artists will play on the build-up to a firework display as the clock strikes midnight. After midnight, the party will continue in the bar.
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