Humankind’s striving for physical, mental and emotional wellbeing runs like a golden thread through every new beginning, leading over the centuries to a vast and constantly evolving spool of knowledge. Since 2016, Aman Wellness has been dedicated to preserving and adding to this invaluable repository. Honouring the ancient wisdom of traditional practices while keeping a lens on the future, Aman has consistently woven positive change into the intricate and unique tapestry of each guest’s state of being. As we welcome the spring season, Aman’s evolved methodology of Well-Living aims to help guests reach their full potential with even greater efficacy, introducing advanced programmes, retreats and the new Aman Essential Skin range across the globe.
A forward-facing methodology rooted in the past
Taking Aman Wellness to the next level, Aman Well-Living is a holistic, innovative and immersive wellness offering promoting life-long change and longevity. Encompassing every aspect of personal health, it is upheld by five intrinsic pillars of wellness. The first – Medical – embraces the technological innovation of modern medicine to heal, as well as the complementary powers of functional and integrative medicine to rebalance and restore. The second and third pillars cover Nutrition and Movement, while the fourth – Wellbeing – recognises the importance of spiritual health maintained through mindfulness and the meeting of energetic needs. The final pillar is Recovery & Support, which aims to boost the body’s ability to self-heal and recuperate through time-tested traditional remedies and the very latest wellness technologies.
Aman has always believed that transformational experiences in combination with privacy, the right environment and compassionate guidance are of the utmost importance in optimising wellbeing. In 2023 and beyond, Aman Well-Living will amplify each of these aspects to ensure increased personalisation and ever more impressive results. Resident medical professionals and practitioners will oversee Aman Personalised Wellness Immersions at select resorts as defined by each of the five pillars, while Aman Personalised Retreats will focus exclusively on the four non-medical pillars. Enhancing spiritual, emotional and psychological wellbeing, Aman Wellness Journeys will be hosted by visiting specialists sharing their wisdom at Aman’s most tranquil retreats.
A centre for longevity in New York
Drawing its name from the Sanskrit-derived word for ‘peace’, Aman now offers 34 exceptional resorts and hotels around the world. The brand’s most recent opening is Aman New York, which has epitomised Aman’s expanded wellness philosophy with its growing reputation as a centre for longevity. The very definition of an urban sanctuary with over 25,000 square feet of space, Aman New York’s unmatched facilities range from a 3,000-square-foot Fitness Centre and double capacity Cryotherapy Chamber to a 65-foot heated swimming pool flanked by firepits. They also include two luxurious private Spa Houses. Temples of wellness providing half- and full-day retreats like nowhere else in Manhattan, each features a marble Hammam steam room or a wood-clad Banya sauna, as well as a double treatment room, a spacious living area with fireplace and a large outdoor terrace with a hot bath and cold-plunge pool – canopied for year-round use.
Serving as a wellspring for enhanced wellbeing beyond its physical boundaries, it is Aman New York’s bespoke Wellness Solutions and Wellness Immersion Programmes that truly set it apart. In the spa’s Functional and Integrative Medicine examination and therapy rooms, Harvard-trained physician Dr. Robert Graham, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners and other in-house specialists assess individuals via body composition analysis methods such as Bioimpedance screening. They then assist in the creation of tailored, multi-disciplinary plans of varying duration designed to achieve any wellness goal – be it rehabilitating an injury, working towards a marathon, or reducing stress. These customised programmes draw on the latest research to enable peak performance and a whole new level of personal wellbeing.
New Aman Essential Skin
Launched in February 2023, Aman Essential Skin is the newest skincare line from Aman created in partnership with KOSÉ in Japan. The new line comprises five products that combine to form a functional and effective daily skincare routine supporting the natural skin barrier. Together they encourage deep hydration and protect from daily environmental stressors using a unique blend of potent herbs long valued in Japan for their powerful effects, as well as skin actives including Vitamins C and E, peptides and hyaluronic acid.
The Essential Skin collection includes Clarifying Milk Cleanser, Skin Activating Toner, Rejuvenating Face Serum, Radiance Face Cream and Illuminating Eye Cream. Each product is built around two key ingredients: indigo extract for its antioxidant effects and ancient purple rice brand extract, known for its antioxidant properties and for supporting collagen production. Available to purchase via shop.aman.com and within Aman Boutiques worldwide, Aman Essential Skin will also be used in a new facial treatment – the Aman Advanced Facial – at Aman New York, Aman Tokyo, Amanemu, Amangiri and the Aman Spa at The Connaught, London.
Extreme watersports and plant-based nutrition in the Philippines
Claiming the entirety of Pamalican Island in the Philippines, Amanpulo offers a secluded escape ideal for investing meaningful time into personal wellbeing. After a successful launch over the 2022 festive period, two exclusive new wellness initiatives will continue into 2023 – the three-night Extreme Water Sports Retreat and the all-encompassing Eat-to-Bloom programme led by Tania Balasch.
Perfect for fitness enthusiasts, the three-night Water Sports Retreat involves numerous challenges with participants testing their physical limits whilst expanding their lungs and absorbing the healing qualities of Amanpulo’s natural surroundings. On land, enjoy a 3.4-mile beach run along the island’s golden shores and a two-hour hike to the summit of Mount English. Off-shore, an open water island-to-island swim offers a rewarding way to meet the community on Manamoc. A kitesurfing session (introductory or advanced) from Amanpulo’s Kite
& Surf Centre takes advantage of the north-easterly wind, known locally as Amihan, and a scuba diving excursion and a freediving experience reveal the island’s vibrant marine life. Daily breakfast, a Sunset Breeze yoga session, a Sunset Yin yoga session, a 50-minute Holistic Massage and daily group wellness activities are also included.
A holistic health coach, yoga instructor and healthy lifestyle educator, Tania Balasch has a special interest in wellness therapies, fitness modalities and nutrition that support natural healing. In Amanpulo’s three- to five-day Eat-to-Bloom programme, she draws on her experience as a plant-based chef to nourish body, mind and spirit. Guests are invited to follow a custom plant-based diet designed along with daily exercises and meditation to inspire a healthy lifestyle and achieve their fitness goals. The programme also includes a 90-minute nutrition workshop and cooking class set in Amanpulo’s organic gardens, as well as a 60-minute fitness movement class and a 60-minute mindful movement class.
Arawak healing in the Dominican Republic
Backed by luscious jungle and overlooking the celebrated shores of Playa Grande, Amanera invites guests to experience a multi-day journey guided by the philosophy of the indigenous Arawak community. Lasting for three-nights, the Anichi Healing Retreat is rooted in the practice of mindfulness, with a focus on finding time for oneself and becoming more aware. Ideal for those seeking a moment’s peace and air of calm in contrast to the hectic pace of their daily lives, the retreat releases unnecessary energy to rejuvenate through a combination of spa treatments using local ingredients and gentle, grounding exercise sessions in the resort’s natural surroundings.
Across the course of three days, guests will experience nightly in-room lunar baths, alongside one water healing session aimed to completely relax the body and alleviate stress. Meanwhile, in the spa, a Mud Mask Purification treatment and Holistic Massage nurture and nourish, providing much-needed pampering. The retreat also includes a moon-lit yoga and two mindfulness sessions designed to bring lightness. For further immersion in Arawak culture, the programme offers a native cooking class - combining a hike to gather fresh ingredients and a lesson in the preparation of nourishing Taíno cuisine - and an Abuelo Fuego Connection (purifying bonfire experience) to cleanse negative energy. Ensuring the healthiest start to the programme and removing temptation, a wellness-orientated mini bar is provided in every room.
Legends and stress relief in Turks and Caicos
Located on the secluded shores of an 18,000-acre nature reserve, Amanyara’s abundance of space makes it an ideal location for sports and recreation with guests able to take advantage of outdoor tennis courts, a full-size football field and professional boxing and Pilates studios. Making the most of these unrivalled spaces, the Amanyara Legends programme continues in 2023, inviting guests to learn and improve their sports skills through clinics with award-winning professional athletes from across the globe.
Following on from the success of clinics led by professional tennis star, Maria Sharapova and NFL superstars Cody Barton and Asante Samuel Jr., Amanyara’s first Legend of 2023 will be tennis professional, Sam Querry. He will share his talents on the court from 17 to 20 February. Basketball is in the spotlight next, with former US pro, Brian Scalabrine, hosting a series of one-hour clinics from 30 March to 4 April. Each three-day programme is capped by a cocktail reception hosted by the Legend in residence.
Amanyara’s idyllic setting makes it equally suited to more insightful, meditative programmes. Taking place in June and December, the resort’s four-night Stress Relief Wellness Retreat unpacks the causes, effects and effective management of stress. Led by global wellness icon Toby Maguire (featured in the Sunday Times, Forbes Magazine and the Huffington Post for his contributions to the wellness industry), the retreat will include daily sessions introducing meditation techniques, breathwork for relaxation and goal setting for balanced living, as well as a signature massage, a personalised wellness session and a private movement class. Toby will draw on his extensive knowledge of meditation, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Hypnotherapy to help each participant reduce their stress levels, gain clarity with regards to personal and professional goals and improve their physical and psychological wellbeing to live a happier, more fulfilled life.
A spiritual journey through Indonesia
From Central Java to Bali and beyond, few regions of the world reveal their history, culture and spirituality, past and present, more profoundly than the vast archipelago of Indonesia. With five atmospheric resorts across the region, Aman is perfectly placed to offer the ultimate Indonesian journey of discovery. Drawing inspiration from Aman Spa’s three signature pathways which in turn reflect the brand’s organic Aman Skincare range, Aman Indonesia has curated a new three-to six-night spiritual retreat for 2023 which combines stays at Amanjiwo (Grounding) in Java, and Amankila (Purifying) and Amandari (Nourishing) on Bali. Stays at each resort include a temple visit and a selection of spa and movement sessions, alongside a choice of activities linked to each theme, such as reiki and singing bowl treatments, acupuncture, private yoga, meditation, nature treks and visits to local healers.
Amanjiwo rests at the foot of the Menoreh Hills with awe-inspiring views of Borobudur. After witnessing sunrise atop this ancient Buddhist sanctuary, experience a private tour of Prambanan or Mendut, or trek through rice paddies and villages to enjoy a riverside picnic. At Amankila on Bali’s dramatic east coast, meditate at dawn on the black sand beach or snorkel the waters of the Lombok Strait on a sunrise cruise before experiencing the sacred 11th century temple of Gunung Kawi. Finally head inland to the fertile heart of the island – Ubud – where Amandari perches above the lush Ayung River Gorge. Here find nourishment in the Ubud Water Palace or Elephant Cave, soak in a herbal bath after a stroll along Campuhan Ridge or visit a local seer.
Mindfulness on a Peloponnese peninsula
A modern-day Acropolis, Amanzoe rests on a private peaceful Peloponnese peninsula, offering expansive views of the Aegean Sea, surrounded by fragrant gardens filled with citrus, pomegranate, carob and olive trees. For those seeking serene time-out, no setting is better suited, with the resort’s 30,000 square foot Aman Spa providing a sanctuary in which to focus on wellbeing. Available for guests staying five nights or more from 6 April – 26 May, a new Optimal Living mindfulness retreat inspired by the region’s ancient Hellenic Delphic Maxims will offer a comprehensive programme of mindfulness, breathwork and meditative movement classes, equipping participants with the tools to overcome mental barriers and obstacles in everyday life.
Forming the foundations of the retreat, the maxims of Know Thyself, Perfection is the Middle Way, Certainty Brings Ruin and I Am, will be unveiled through daily talks with local wellness expert, Konstantinos Chrysikakis, and combined with movement, meditation and massage, leading to improved mental wellbeing. The daily programme includes a 60- or 120-minute energy awakening session, 45-minute talk, 60-minute mediative movement class, 60-minute healing meditation, 60-minute spa treatment, and late check-out.
Aman Japan wellness journey
A tranquil haven high above the capital, Aman Tokyo introduces the country’s urban core through its history, art and cuisine, also serving as a Zen oasis dedicated to wellness. In contrast, Amanemu celebrates the rural peace and seclusion of Ise Shima on the shores of Ago Bay, and Aman Kyoto provides enticing glimpses of the ancient capital’s imperial past from its secret garden near 17 Unesco Heritage Sites. The Aman Japan Journey has long offered guests the opportunity to combine a stay at all three, enjoying a range of exclusive privileges.
New for 2023, guests journeying across Japan with Aman can now tailor their trip to fit with individual wellness goals, with treatments and lessons incorporated along the way. Starting with a wellness assessment at Aman Tokyo, recommended sessions combining ancient techniques and fitness recommendations take place at Amanemu and Aman Kyoto, ensuring the journey is as beneficial for health and wellbeing as it is culturally enriching. On returning home, the mind and body are energised and wellness goals supported, rather than interrupted.
