The brand is often characterised by media outlets as to offer remarkable service, with many of its properties reportedly having a staff count typically at a ratio of six staff to one guest. Hotels Īman Venice, Italy occupying the Palazzo PapadopoliĮach Aman property typically has a small number of rooms, usually fewer than 55. The group's diversification strategy continued in 2021 with the launching a clothing line, marking a shift towards becoming a self-proclaimed lifestyle brand. In 2020, Doronin unveiled Janu, a spun-off brand to operate larger hotels in Japan, Montenegro, and Saudi Arabia reportedly aiming to become a slightly more affordable complement to Aman. Olivier Jolivet left the company the same year and Doronin assumed the position of chief executive officer. In February 2017, Roland Fasel joined Aman as chief operating officer, continuing his 25-plus-year career in luxury hospitality. Following this restructuring, Doronin and board director Alan Djanogly, remain as the only two directors.
In August 2015, Doronin became the sole owner of Aman, when Pontwelly Holding Company, took full ownership of the hospitality business, Silverlink Resorts. Doronin assumed the position of chairman and French hotelier Olivier Jolivet was appointed chief executive officer in 2014. Its corporate headquarters has since been moved to Baar, Switzerland. In April, Zecha stepped down as chairman a second time, and the company relocated its headquarters from Singapore to London in June. DLF sold Aman Resorts in order to reduce its debt and refocus on real estate after it had expanded into hotels, wind farms and running export processing zones. The sale included all Aman properties except for the Lodhi Hotel in Delhi. In early February 2014 DLF sold Aman Resorts for $358 million to Aman Resorts Group, an investment company led by Russian businessman Vladislav Doronin which also included Omar Amanat.
On 27 November 2007, DLF, India's largest real estate company, acquired Lee Hing's controlling stake in Aman Resorts for $400 million including debt of US$150 million. Over the next seven years, Aman launched retreats in Cambodia, India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Caribbean. With controlling investors allowing full control over the company, Zecha returned as chairman and CEO. In 2000, Colony Capital and Vaturi had settled their lawsuit and Vaturi sold his shareholding interests to Lee Hing Development, a Hong Kong investment company.
At this time, Zecha resigned from his position at Aman and for the next two years pursued other interests. A lawsuit between Vaturi and Colony Capital promised to drag on and Colony Capital moved to protect its interests by taking a more active role in the company. In 1998, Vaturi's controlling interest was acquired by Los Angeles-based Colony Capital, a real estate investment fund. Later, Clement Vaturi acquired a majority stake in the company, thereby allowing the boutique hotels to be further conceptualized. īy 1992, following the success of the first hotel, the group had expanded to include several resorts in Indonesia, a resort on Bora Bora and one in the Alpine village of Courchevel.
The resort opened as Amanpuri in 1988, with nightly rates reportedly five times higher than local competitors. They invested their own money in the venture as no banks would lend for the project due to the small number of planned rooms. His plans soon developed into an idea to build a small boutique resort with Anil Thadani and two other friends. Founded in 1988, Aman Resorts' first destination was the result of hotelier Adrian Zecha's desire to build a holiday home in Phuket.