aman resorts

The Turks and Caicos islands in the British West Indies is well known for having the world's most beautiful beaches. It also has some of the world's most stylish and luxurious beach resorts, which are remarkable for their amazingly private settings and lush natural landscapes, far removed from the over-development that plagues some other Caribbean hotspots. The perfect setting for our latest style feature, we're sure you'll agree.

Parrot Cay, located on a pristine 1,000-acre private island, including a mile-long powdered beach, is an elegant combination of glorious nature, understated luxury and unparalleled privacy complete with an award-winning holistic spa, healthy gourmet cuisine and beach villas with private pools (above).

The villas are a favorite with celebrities including Donna Karan, Bruce Willis, Keith Richards and Sir Paul McCartney. Some like Willis and Karan were so entranced they decided to build their own beach houses on the island. Want to own one? So do we. Parrot Cay is currently offering a small selection of villas for private ownership, starting at $10 million.

We recently reported on JetBlue's great new direct service to the island paradise of the Turks & Caicos. To help you plan your glamorous getaway, Luxist is featuring the best of the Caribbean hotspot's luxury resorts. Next stop: Amanyara, one of the world's most alluring escapes.

Aman Resorts are known by A-listers around the globe as some of the world's most prestigious getaways. Amanpulo, the chain's private island retreat set in the turquoise waters of the Philippines' Sulu Sea, is already an ideal beach getaway.

But even great things can get better ... in this case with the addition of its Aman Spa.This new facility includes six spa treatment rooms in three pavilions, a yoga and meditation pavilion, a Pilates studio, a gymnasium and a finishing salon for hair, hand and foot treatments. Two steam rooms with cold plunge pools will open in March.

Well, Happy Holidays! It could be me or you or a deserving friend, walking along that beach, looking toward one of the Quintess Villas at La Samanna, built on that cliff. The family would be either outside, sailing or swimming, or inside, relaxing, or fixing dinner, or lunch or breakfast. This is just one part of a Quintess vacation that turns memory to legacy.

I have written about Quintess, Leading Residences Of The World (LRW) before on Luxist: once about the mission and vision behind this high end Destination Club, others about it's inclusion of The Tour Club and DUO by Quintess, two other clubs that have been created under Quintess aegis, this year.

Quintess,LRW is one of two ultra high end. non-equity destination clubs in existence, and, according to Ben Addoms, Founding Member and CMO, it has been a good year. October was the best sales month in over two years, and Christmas is coming! "There are over 600 members now in Quintess, LRW, The Tour Club and the newest, DUO by Quintess. Not surprisingly, in the last quarter of the year, we receive requests for memberships to be used as holiday gifts, for family members, and business associates.. The Quintess LRW, and DUO by Quintess memberships are holiday gifts that keeps on giving, certainly."

Those gifts that keep on giving are usually not cheap, and a membership in Quintess certainly isn't. From 10 to 60 days of vacation, pricing levels range from $140,000 to $525,000 membership deposit, (but 75% is returned at resignation.) But, as with those gifts also, the members receives a type of travel that becomes needed, and unforgettable.

• The choice of any home and destination in the complete portfolio of over 80 luxury homes,on average priced at 4M in 40+ destinations around the world.
• Travel with comprehensive travel planning with on-site Destination Hosts and a personal member relations manager who gets to know you and your family's travel needs.
• Extended family use that allows the member to send the entire family, plus their friends, on their own club vacations, because of the ability to reserve and use 2 residences in the same destination.

Now that summer is coming to a close, it is not too early to think about making travel plans for summer 2011.

Luxist readers nominated and voted for the destinations that they believe are the best-of-breed around the world. Below, are their favorite destinations within such categories as Best Adventure Getaway, Best Beach Hotel, Best International Summer Destination, Best Luxury Family Vacation and Best Summer Cruise.

Best Adventure Getaway
The first nominee offers an unforgettable trekking experience in Bhutan while the second offers an unparalleled safari in East Africa. The third nominee is located in one of the world's finest unspoiled havens, while the fourth features elephants in their natural habitat. The final nominee, located in the Montana Rockies, is known for its outdoor sports, from fishing to horseback riding.

Amankora Resort: Trekking in Bhutan
East African Safari with Abercrombie & Kent
Phinda Private Game Reserve
Savute Elephant Camp by Orient-Express
Montana's Triple Creek Ranch (Winner)

Best Beachside Hotel
The first nominee is where to go when in search of a peaceful sanctuary while the second nominee is a tropical haven with a relaxed pace. The third nominee is located in a secluded natural sanctuary while the fourth offers an award-winning beach. The last nominee offers a beachside location that is idyllic and unspoiled.

Amanpuri Resort, Phuket, Thailand
Four Seasons Resort, Bali at Jimbaran Bay
Four Seasons Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo
Grace Bay Club, Turks & Caicos (Winner)
The Oberoi, Mauritius

Best International Summer Destination
The first nominee is one of the world's most glamorous destinations while the second one was once the home of the Ottoman Sultans. The third nominee is the premier hot spot on the Amalfi Coast while the fourth offers chauffeured-driven tours of the Tuscan wine country. The final nominee offers a once-in-a-lifetime trip from Venice to Istanbul aboard one of the world's most luxurious trains.

Hotel Santa Caterina, Amalfi Coast
Kempinski's Ciragan Palace, Istanbul
San Pietro di Positano, Amalfi Coast (Winner)
Tuscany Wine Tours
Venice Simplon Orient-Express Train


Best Luxury Family Vacation
The first nominee offers a luxurious barge cruise through Burgandy while the second offers an armchair safari suitable for the whole family. The third nominee is where families go for Scottish outdoor pursuits from falconry to golf. The fourth nominee is considered to be the jewel of Maui while the final nominee is unplugged and unpretentious.

Abercrombie & Kent's River Barge Cruise in Burgundy
Ebony Lodge, Singita Game Reserves
Gleneagles, Scotland
Grand Wailea Resort Hotel, Maui
Kona Village Resort, Hawaii (Winner)


Best Summer Cruise
The first nominee offers an unforgettable cruise through the fabled Far East while the second nominee is the way to experience the Greek Isles and Turkey in complete luxury. The third nominee is an expedition to see the ice bears upclose while the fourth nominee takes its passengers down the Nile in style.

Fabled Far East Cruise by The Yachts of Seabourn
Greek Isles and Turkey Cruise by Sea Cloud Cruises (Winner)
Land of the Ice Bear Cruise by Lindblad Expeditions & National Geographic
Oberoi Zahra Luxury Nile Cruiser: Down the Nile in Style
Mediterreanean Luxury Cruise on Cunard's Queen Mary 2

Opened in 1988, Amanpuri was the very first Aman resort, named for the Sanskrit word for 'peace'. Located in Phuket, Thailand, this tranquil retreat, which is the flagship property in the Aman family, is a nominee for a Luxist Award for Best Beachside Hotel.

Located in a secluded coconut grove overlooking a sheltered bay, the resort radiates from the private crescent-shaped beach lapped by the Andaman Sea. Private villas grace the peninsula affording guests spectacular views, while other facilities include a Beach Club and lap pool, a hillside gym and spa and a number of restaurants, situated in picturesque locations around the resort. Amanpuri captures the warmth and generosity of spirit so unique to Thai culture.

Amanpuri's spectacular beach is lined with sun loungers and umbrellas. Guests can enjoy complimentary windsurfing, snorkeling, sea kayaking and body boarding, as well as Hobie cat and Laser sailing, with attendants providing qualified instruction as needed. Searay Bowriders helmed by trained crew are available for waterskiing at a nominal fee. A nearby reef is flush with fish, and complimentary fins, snorkels and masks are provided. Snorkelers can hand feed or swim among the fish. All activities are available between December and April, weather and tide permitting.

Situated some 2,135 meters (7,000 feet) above sea level and high above the town of Jackson, Wyoming is Amangani, a nominee for a Readers' Choice Award for Best Ski Hotel.

If it is action-packed days on the slopes and a convivial après-ski atmosphere you are in search of, look no further than this 40-suite resort. Amangani, which translates to "Peaceful Home", is the first Aman resort in the United States. Opened in October, 1998, Amangani is near the southern boundary of Grand Teton National Park.

Constructed with soft-hued Oklahoma sandstone, Douglas fir, cedar and Pacific redwood, the three-story resort is cut into the hillside on the western edge of the East Gros Ventre Butte. The area is encircled by elevated peaks and buttes, hence the world "hole" is used to describe this extensive alpine valley. It is a peaceful location at the southern end of the Greater Yellowstone Area, a vast expanse of mountain and meadow, sage flats, river bottoms, national forests and wildlife sanctuaries.

Amangani is a short ride away from some of the North America's most acclaimed ski runs at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, where ski and snowboarding enthusiasts enjoy 1,000 hectares of high-thrill skiing and snowboarding terrain featuring a lift-serviced vertical drop at 1,260 meters (4,139 feet). As Jackson Hole averages 1,016 cm (400 inches) of snow a year, it offers some of the best skiing conditions in the world. During winter months, snow piles up to four meters (10 feet) in the mountains. The entire valley turns white after mid-November and winter can stretch past early April.

In Teton Village, at the base of Rendezvous Mountain, the resort has a private ski lounge where guests will find snacks, hot beverages and a concierge service (which organizes ski equipment rentals and lessons). The resort offers a complimentary shuttle service as well as private transfers to and from the resort and the ski lounge, which is 20 minutes away. After a day on the slopes, guests unwind before the large wood-burning fireplaces of Amangani's Lounge with the two-story window wall offering beautiful views of the Snake River Range.

In addition to skiing and snowboarding, other winter activities enjoyed by the guests include snowmobiling, snowshoeing and half-to-full day dog-sledding. Amangani also offers horse-drawn sleigh rides which take guests up to the ridge of the butte where they will see panoramic views of the valley. Guests can also spend a day visiting nearby Yellowstone National Park, which is America's first national park and its largest outside Alaska. Yellowstone boasts its own Grand Canyon, plentiful geysers and Yellowstone Lake, the largest mountain lake in America.

While the resort has been nominated for best ski hotel, Amangani is also a great option for spring and summer vacations. During the warmer months, wildlife safaris led by biologist guides enable guests to view a wide variety of wildlife including black bears, grizzly bears, elk, bison, moose, pronghorn, bald eagles and golden eagles. Fly fishing enthusiasts enjoy the Snake River, which is a haven for local cutthroat trout as well as rainbow, lake and brown trout. Canoeing, kayaking, mountain biking, horseback riding and hot-air ballooning are other activities offered to guests.

The Health Center features treatment rooms, exercise studios, steam rooms and individualized yoga programs. The resort offers a 30 meter outdoor pool and whirlpool with magnificent mountain views; both are opened year-round.

Each of the resort's 40 suites have spectacular mountain and valley views. Rates start at $565 for April to mid-June and mid-October to mid-December; $725 from early January to early April (excluding Presidents' Day weekend when the entry rate jumps to $875); and $857 from mid-June to mid-October. A four-bedroom home with full hotel amenities is also available for $3,400 to $4,800 per night, depending on the time of year. The resort is a 20 minute drive from the Jackson Hole Airport.

Vote now for what you believe is the best of breed for each of the Winter Travel categories. Readers' Choice Awards for the Best in Winter Travel will be announced on January 31st.

Le Mélézin, in the fashionable Alpine village of Courchevel 1850, is a nominee for a Readers' Choice Award for Best Ski Hotel.

The intimate alpine retreat lies in the heart of the world's largest ski area, the Trois Vallées in the French Alps. Ideally situated on the Bellecôte piste, the four-story lodge provides easy ski-in and ski-out access to Courchevel 1850, one of one of Europe's most fashionable and exclusive resorts. Le Mélézin is a short stroll from the epicenter of the resort which offers superb restaurants and shopping.

Le Mélézin opened in the heart of the Trois Vallées region as an Aman resort in 1992, offering 31 luxurious guest rooms and suites. The four-storey resort combines a ski experience with the classic traditions of the finest French Chateaux with its classic design. Its patterned parquet flooring and panelling and spectacular 200 year old oak beams, add a weathered touch to the updated surroundings. Most of the rooms throughout the property offer spectacular views of the ski slopes and surrounding peaks.

The resort , which is an Aman Resort, offers the ultimate après-ski experience with guests relaxing in the spacious hammam (steam room) or the white capri stone pool with a jacuzzi on either side. The resort also offers a spa with three treatment/massage rooms and a Thai/Shiatsu room.

The Trois Vallées region that embraces Courchevel is acknowledged for its beautifully groomed slopes, superb infrastructure and some of the consistently best skiing conditions in the world. Guests at Le Mélézin enjoy 600 km of groomed slopes, some with gradients of 38 degrees that are among the most taxing black runs in the world. There are also more than a dozen cross-country routes in the area, most of them created especially for the 1992 French Winter Olympics. A two-kilometre toboggan run, lit for night use, links the village of Courchevel 1850 with Courchevel 1550. There is a range of sports and other activities for children both indoors and outdoors during the day and a mix of day nursery and introduction to skiing pending on age.

Rates at Le Mélézin through April 7, 2010 start at 730 Euros per night, net of taxes and service. The winter ski season runs from mid-December to mid-April.

Vote now for what you believe is the best of breed for each of the Winter Travel categories. Readers' Choice Awards for the Best in Winter Travel will be announced on January 31st.

If the gray days of a far-too-slowly emerging spring are getting you down check out this article from Travel and Leisure (I read it out loud to my boyfriend while we were stuck in traffic on on L.A. freeway under cloudy skies).  Travel and Leisure is the first to check out the latest Aman resort, Amanyara in the Turks and Caicos.  As we've seen by the rash of developments being announced in the Turks and Caicos, the relatively unspoiled Caribbean islands are getting ready for their big moment. Amanyara represents the beginning of the trajectory from elite getaway to potential tropical saturation. But for now, the lucky few can enjoy the spectacular new hotel. The article lovingly details the unspoiled views, the lush vegetation and the decor which is minimalist and yet luxtacular, featuring materials from 39 countries.  The resort offers 40 shingled pavilions which are designed to offer ample outdoor as well as indoor space. The Amanyara experience is all about tranquility, from the reflecting pool to the non-check-in (you check in officially from the comfort of your own room) and the views of the unspoiled shoreline. There are also villas which will be for sale.

Could there be a complaint with such a gorgeous place? The author of the article, Peter Jon Lindberg, does say that this Aman, like the others in the chain, have a more Asian than traditionally Western tropical flair.  But if you wanted umbrella drinks and a water slide you'd be somewhere else.  From now until Halloween, pavilions cost $1,350 and villas cost $5,250. Rates include round-trip transportation to and from Providenciales International Airport, non-motorized water sports, tennis courts,  laundry, mini bar (except spirits) and all telephone calls.