Essence of Sri Lanka
Now open, Amangalla welcomes guests inside the ramparts of Sri Lanka’s 17th-century Galle Fort, a Unesco World Heritage Site.
An Atlas of Celebration
Festivities across the Aman globe
Around the Aman world, the festive period shall be a season of splendour and spectacle. It is a time to throw oneself into new and extraordinary experiences, for families and friends to make lifetime memories together, and for the senses to be spoiled with exceptional gastronomy, music and entertainment.
At Christmastime, a calendar of exclusive events, celebrations and activities unfolds, strengthening the connection between resorts and across cultures, with a series of special events paying tribute to the rituals and traditions that shape life in different parts of the Aman world.
Amanpuri, Thailand
Feasts and festivities in Phuket
Nowhere commemorates the festive season quite like Amanpuri. This year, the original Aman invites guests to the ultimate extravaganza with nightly themed dining, special events and daily masterclasses.
From the moment of arrival, guests will embark on a journey of celebration from Christmas to New Year including gala dining experiences, daily wellness activities, Aman spa treatments and expert-led lessons in everything from pasta making to mixology and Thai cooking.
The festive programme makes the most of Amanpuri’s beachside setting, with an exciting array of water-bound activities including coastal tours, Hobie Cat sailing and the opportunity to dine adrift on the resort’s floating platform. At night, the resort’s chefs take guests on culinary journeys with themed dinners inspired by other Aman destinations including Tokyo and Marrakech and culminating on New Year’s Eve with a masquerade ball in homage to Aman Venice, live entertainment and a DJ-led afterparty until the early hours.
Aman Venice, Italy
A Venetian Christmas
Winter is an especially magical time of year for Venice, when the air is crisp, the cobbled streets and squares are peaceful, and strains of music drift from the opera houses just like the mists along the canal.
Immersed in Baroque majesty, Aman Venice honours the most revered festive traditions, commencing on 6 December with San Nicola, when guests are encouraged to leave a shoe outside their bedroom door in the hope that the saint will leave them a gift. On 8 December, the lighting of the Christmas tree marks the beginning of the season, setting a magical mood for the rest of the month.
Christmas Eve sees the palazzo filled with live piano music before a six-course celebratory dinner, midnight mass at the Basilica San Marco and panettone and hot chocolate before bed while Christmas Day also unfolds in Italian style, with board games, movies and a grand Christmas meal. Then, in anticipation of the opening of Aman New York, New Year celebrations begin with a Big Apple aperitivo, followed by a nine-course banquet and the option of a boat trip to watch the fireworks as the clock strikes midnight.
Amanjena, Morocco
Family celebrations in Marrakech
In the peace and greenery of the Palmeraie, outside the Red City, the generous Maisons of Amanjena are the perfect wintertime retreat for guests looking to spend meaningful time with their children over the holiday season.
Morocco
From Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day, the resort presents a calendar packed with activities suited to every age, with movie nights each evening and daily craft activities for young guests from cookie-making to calligraphy. Treasure hunts around Marrakech are a highlight of the schedule, as is the annual Amanjena Games on 30 December.
Meanwhile, older guests will discover the secrets of cocktail making at a mixology class led by the resort’s expert team and compete at the Amanjena tennis tournament. A traditional Japanese tea ceremony honours Aman’s hotel in Tokyo, Kyoto and Ise-Shima; a Turkish coffee tasting evokes Amanruya’s home on the Bodrum peninsula; and a cocktail evening inspired by the flavours of the Peloponnese pays tribute to Amanzoe.
Amangiri, Utah
Desert delights in Utah
The holiday season at Amangiri and Camp Sarika begins on 16 December, with the unveiling of the Tree of Life, a unique art installation by Colombian design studio Verdi. Then, from 22 December, every day is dedicated to celebration, with cocktails, campfires and unique cultural encounters rooted in the region’s Navajo heritage.
Each day begins with a sunrise wellness session such as yoga, Pilates or meditation, with daily mountain hikes to introduce guests to the extraordinary geology of the desert landscape. Cocktail hour serves as a prelude to evening activities ranging from wildlife workshops to s’mores-making sessions and storytelling by the fireside, as well as the chance to hear the WW2 tales of Peter MacDonald, one of the last surviving Navajo Code Talkers. For those keen to soak up the star-spangled desert sky, Amangiri’s resident astronomer is on hand to help explore the cosmos.
The festive season is also a time for next-level dining, and the chefs of Amangiri are pulling out the stops with a range of special feasts including nightly themed dinners at Camp Sarika, seasonal tasting menus, celebrations of Native American cooking traditions and an exquisitely indulgent Christmas dinner on the 25th. Renowned jazz and blues musicians will be performing live at Amangiri and Camp Sarika on selected dates – including the celebrations on New Year’s Eve.
Amangalla and Amanwella, Sri Lanka
Seasonal spirit in Sri Lanka
The welcoming warmth of Sri Lanka shines throughout the month of December, where balmy days and nights make way for festive cheer. With Sri Lanka open once more to international guests, Aman’s two properties on the island are celebrating with a programme of elegant events including dining experiences and cultural performances.
At Amangalla, the Galle Fort All Saints Church Choir serenades guests on Christmas Eve while a gala dinner sets the tone for the days to come. More feasting ensues on the days that follow, with traditional lunches served with all the trimmings and contrasted by authentic Sri Lankan dinners, accompanied by a diverse range of live performances - from traditional Kandyan dance, to classical music and fire dancers on New Year’s Eve.
Meanwhile, on a picture-perfect bay further south, Amanwella junior festive programme runs from 23 December to 5 January and sees children painting wooden masks, playing beach badminton, and enjoying friendly competition with scavenger hunts and more. In the meantime, adults can indulge gourmet gastronomy. Christmas celebrations will begin with canapés and arrack cocktails on the 24th, followed by a traditional five-course set menu and New Year’s Eve will be celebrated with a gala dinner and full orchestra, creating a refined atmosphere in which to ring in 2022.
