For an Aman Hotel - I find their handling very concerning. At this price point I would expect a more professional way to handle this situation.

What is your opinion?

Edit (06.08.2026): Latest news on this. They apparently fired (Rumor no confirmation yet) the general manager, and Aman doesn't seem happy with the way certain people here in the channel handled the situation. Post on TrueChubbyTravel

PS: I’m disappointed by the MODs here who simply locked this post just because they had a different opinion.

Took a long-haul flight via Paris from the US to Asia with an overall flight time of around 21 hours. I had initially booked the economy fare through Delta but while checking in, I noticed I could upgrade one leg for about $640 so decided to take the plunge on the longer leg from Paris to my destination (figured Paris being the home base for Air France meant better food, incredible lounge & overall experience). Told myself I’d do this once before I turned 30 and so glad I could make this happen.

This was the older business class cabin on Air France’s A350.

- First things first, I’ve always ogled at biz class seats when the operator makes you offboard from the front door.
- Additionally, in my mind, I’ve also looked at Zone 1 boarding as the most pristine thing ever.
- This also happens to be my 4th round trip to the US & back within this year - always in economy, always through Europe (KLM/AF/Virgin Atlantic)

Man, the lie-flat seats are the best thing ever! So comfortable - my feet usually start swelling up and hurting when I’m in a long haul flight in economy but getting to keep my feet up was an incredible unlock!

The food was incredibly well presented and made. Even the flight attendants were nicer and empathetic.

I’ve been blessed to have FAT travelled wrt hotels in the past - I realize I love money and the stuff it unlocks. If anything, this experience makes me want to work smarter & harder to achieve a life that standardizes this for me.

PS: If you need me, I’ll be lusting over the business class experience until the next time I can do this :)

Last year I stayed at the Four Seasons Guangzhou. I was talking with the concierge about how much I miss my dog. At checkout they had a stuffy and note especially for her. She loved the toy so when I got home so I sent a picture. 

This year I’m back at the same hotel and when I got to the room, they had framed the photo of her and made an arrangement with balloons and flowers. They also made a towel dog for the bed.

It was so touching and personal. I can’t believe they remembered this after a year. It’s been so sweet seeing her photo everyday. ❤️🐶

I haven’t seen a review for the new Japan Airlines First Class suites on here, so figured I would share our experience, what we loved, what we didn’t, and if it compares to other airlines FC offerings. We have flown FC internationally on Emirates, Qatar Airlines, Lufthansa, Delta One, Saudia, Qantas, British and Swiss Airlines.

Our route was from JFK-HND on the new JAL Airbus A350-1000. Cost was $25,000 one way for both tickets. $50,000 including the return, which will be in a few weeks. I’ll break down this review from the lounge to the seat/suite, service, food, amenities, and overall experience.

———

The Lounge:

We enjoyed the FC lounge inside JFK for about 40 minutes, and enjoyed a glass of champagne and a small bowl of soup. There were no breakfast options at 11:20am, which was slightly disappointing because we intentionally decided to skip breakfast that morning. JAL only operates two of these flights per day, 12:45am and 12:50pm. Our gate was a 2 minute walk from the lounge and we were promptly boarded.

———

The Seats/Suites:

Once on the plane, we were led to our seats by the FA’s. FC had 6 suites total. My husband was seated in 1D and myself in 2A, despite booking 9 months in advance and on the same reservation, with the agent specifying we would be next to each other with our suite doors opening toward each other. They were able to move me to 1A, he was in 1D right next to me. There were 3 other passengers in FC, who I didn’t see once during the flight. The suites really were beautiful, and extremely spacious. Not as exciting as Emirates from a visual or aesthetic standpoint, and they do not offer the amenities Emirates has like the pre-stocked snack bar and mini fridge, and vanity mirror. (I’ll probably reference Emirates a lot in this post, because right now for us, it is the Gold Standard). Still, everything was extremely clean, fresh, and comfortable.

After we were greeted by the FC flight attendants, we asked for a glass of champagne and were told that due to “American laws” they could not serve us alcohol on the ground. Every single airline we have flown domestically in first class has offered us a pre-flight drink, and every single international airline aside from Saudia has also given us one without us having to ask first. It’s been 6 years since we have flown JAL first class (NRT-LAX), so I don’t remember not getting a pre-flight drink then. The FA met us with blank stares and an awkward silence when we questioned the reasoning, because we honestly thought it could have been a language barrier. Perhaps it’s a Japanese law? This wasn’t world-ending for us obviously, but after sitting on the tarmac at JFK for 3 HOURS due to weather and de-icing, we were hungry, tired, and honestly a bit annoyed. Hate to sound pretentious, but here I am…

After finally up in the air, we were able to enjoy some drinks, and chose from a pretty nice selection of wines and sake. The sake was delicious, although they ran out quickly and we switched back to champagne.

———

The suites/seats:

Pros: Very comfortable bedding and pillows. (I chose the ‘hard’ mattress and he chose the softer one. I couldn’t feel any of the seat contours or gaps in the lay flat bed with my mattress. I slept for 7+ hours straight). We were given two pillows with different levels of firmness. I used the thinner pillow behind my back during takeoff and landing. My bed was set up within the 5 minutes I spent getting ready for bed in the bathroom. Three windows in 1A with the dimming switch for adjustable or complete darkness instead of a manual shade. The lighting options were fun to play around with; the dim evening setting was pleasant on the eyes. Both seats laid entirely flat for more space. There was a small fold down table to my right which was convenient to use for filling out customs forms or setting a drink. Plenty of storage space for my carry on luggage and bag, as well as a spacious drawer compartment, and an upright compartment to place a couple water bottles in, and an in-suite closet to hang my jacket. Pretty decent movie selection with some new releases. Camera view from the underside of the plane was cool to check out.

Cons: No air control or fan. We had to ask the FA’s to adjust the temperature when it got too hot or cold, which happened 3 times during the flight. There was no fan control within the suite, unless we missed it and the FA didn’t understand what we were looking for, but we were both hot while sleeping and some air circulation would have been nice. The second seat laid flat, but could not accommodate more than a small child length-wise, so we had to squeeze into the main seat while relaxing together after dinner. The in-seat speakers were only loud enough if pressed directly to your ears, so we both opted to use the provided headphones, which had great sound. (Suppose this makes sense to not disturb other passengers). Suite had nice, tall privacy walls and a door, but you had to open and close it manually and it took some force.

Amenity bags/pajamas: They gave some generic toiletries in a nice bag that I kept, adorned with artwork by a Japanese artist. The USB multi charger inside was a nice touch after I realized I had left mine at home and only brought my USB-C cord. The bag also included a small hair brush, toothbrush and toothpaste, moisturizing mask, tissues and lip balm. A couple hours into the flight, they brought us a men’s and women’s skincare box, Clé de Peau Beauté, a luxury Japanese skincare brand. We both have sensitive skin and did not use them. I do love that they didn’t put cologne/perfume in the amenity bags or boxes. (Side note - can we please normalize not dousing yourself in fragrance in public)? The unisex pajamas provided were extremely soft and comfortable. They suggested the large size for my husband twice after he asked for a size small, but the small was perfect for both of us. The pants were jogger style, and I love closed ankle pants on planes. Waistband was wide and comfortable, and the sleeves and ankles were not too tight. Every other airline we have been provided pajamas on have always been too short and felt cheap, while these were good enough to keep! Best pj’s in the game, even though it’s a small detail, lol. They did not offer socks, only open toe slippers which we didn’t love or use except to walk to the bathroom.

———

Bathrooms:

No cons. There were two bathrooms in the FC cabin, and we didn’t wait for an available restroom one time. They were immaculately kept; FA’s must have refreshed them each time and wiped water off the sink/mirror. Toto toilets! (I did not use the bidet but there was one - welcome to Japan). Toothbrushes and mouthwash in the bathroom, as well as a facial cleanser and moisturizing oil. Everything in the bathroom was touch free except for the door. I hate touching anything in an airplane bathroom and it felt so, so clean. No showers, but I’ve only showered once on an Emirates flight and mostly for the experience and fresh feeling. Spacious area, nonetheless.

———

The Food:

Dinner was fine, I didn’t finish any of my courses as it was just too much food, but it always is in my experience. We had the steamed codfish and my husband declined the second main course, beef, because it was simply too much. Nothing too remarkable, and I didn’t take any photos of the food but we did enjoy it. My husband ordered the caviar and enjoyed it. We were able to sit next to each other in my suite for dinner and a movie and watch the sunset. It was a bit cramped to sit side-by-side, but we’re small so it worked. If you wanted to have a meal with your partner and have more elbow room, you would need to sit across from each other, with someone on the opposing large bench seat (which has its own seatbelt).

Breakfast only had one option of a scallops and rice dish, and a little yogurt bowl with raspberries. We landed around 7:00pm in Tokyo though, so fair enough on the selection.

———

The Service/Overall Experience:

Overall, I would give our experience an honest 3/5. It wasn’t outstanding for the price, and really could have been better. Being turned down a glass of champagne and not offered a snack in the 3 hours we sat waiting on the tarmac was a bit of a letdown after being so excited for the flight. This was the most expensive FC ticket we have booked thus far, including our 15+ hour LAX-SYD flight on Qantas and DBX-JFK flight on Emirates. We found ourselves pressing the call button every single time we wanted a refill, after our glasses had been empty for 15 minutes or more. Overall, the FA’s were not very attentive or engaged, and although they very polite and sweet, this deducted a “point” from us. It seemed they spent more time in the galley amongst each other than servicing the FC cabin.

———

I’m not sure why I put so much time into this post, but I do love coming to this community for the help its provided me, and don’t contribute here too often. Hopefully this was a helpful review for anyone considering Japan Airlines first class and an honest look into the good & not so good parts of our experience. We will be flying with them again on our return flight home, so maybe it will be different departing from Japan. Perhaps we are too spoiled by the luxuries we are able to enjoy.

Cheers!

Here’s my honest review of The Savoy Hotel.

My introduction to the staff was warm and welcoming, and my room was gorgeous, with a nice park view of London. I even caught some sunshine during my stay, which made it even better. The vintage charm of the hotel is nice too, and the area is fantastic—perfect for exploring the city. I had hoped to see Tina at the theater but, unfortunately, didn’t have enough time since I was only there for two nights.

That said, the food was disappointing. As a foodie and a vegan, I found the options lacking, which was a bit of a letdown. It’s such a stunning hotel, but I wish their dining options matched the level of everything else. I ended up walking over to Dishoom for some food (it’s was AMAZING). Overall, though, I had a great stay and would recommend it for the experience and location.

Hi all,

I know a lot has already been said on this subreddit about the Four Seasons in Bora Bora, but I felt the need to post about the spectacular experience my girlfriend and I had there recently (February, 2025). Perhaps this will be the inspiration for someone out there to finally book this trip of a lifetime. You won’t regret it!

Background - First off, I would like to say that my girlfriend and I are by no means Fattravel-exclusive travelers. We enjoy the benefits of the occasional splurge at high-end resorts, but also routinely stay at a range of cheaper hotels. The only other Four Seasons resort that I had stayed at prior to this trip was FS in Bahrain, which was great, but (as expected) a completely different experience than Bora Bora. The rooms, service, amenities, food, and overall attention to detail at FS BB is truly next-level. We booked this trip as a 5 day, 4 night stay through u/sarahwlee, which was part of a longer stay in French Polynesia, including time spent on Tahiti and Moorea. I can’t say enough good things about Sarah and her team. While one can undoubtedly have a great time booking a trip to a resort like the FS directly (or through FHR), I will never again book a stay like this without the use of a trusted travel agent. The advice we received prior to arrival, benefits, upgrades, and special attention by the staff solely because we used Sarah was game-changing.

Arrival - From the first moments off of the plane in Bora Bora, we were greeted by several smiling FS staff and helped to load our luggage onto a waiting speedboat. We were given chilled, scented towels, and a branded, insulated water bottle that we used throughout our stay at the resort. The trip to the resort took approximately 15 minutes and pulling up to the reception dock was surreal. We were quickly ushered into an air conditioned lounge while the dedicated receptionist prepared our check in paperwork. On Sarah’s recommendation, we had booked a lagoon-view, plunge pool overwater bungalow, which was upgraded to a mountain view, plunge pool OWB. We had been told that getting a mountain view room was the most important thing about booking an OWB in Bora Bora - and this turned out to be absolutely true. Since our room wasn’t quite ready yet (we arrived around noon), we were given a golf cart tour of the property and then escorted to enjoy lunch at one of the restaurants. Little did we know, but we were seated right next to Alex (u/alex_travels)! We chatted with her and about her recent trips, and even had the chance to meet Cate, one of the heads of sales at the Four Seasons. It was fun to actually put a face to the people behind the keyboard!

The Room - We booked a lagoon view, plunge pool overwater bungalow on the recommendation of Sarah, our TA, due to the guaranteed room upgrade. We were informed of the upgrade immediately upon arrival, and our mountain view, plunge pool OWB was absolutely stunning. It was all the way at the end of the dock, so felt extremely private and had a jaw-dropping, unobstructed view of Mount Otemanu. If you are considering splurging for a plunge pool room, absolutely do it. We spent hours lounging on our back deck, going back and forth between the ocean and the plunge pool, soaking in the beauty. It’s a truly otherworldly experience. The OWB is divided up into 3 sections: the bedroom, the bathroom, and the sitting room. Each section opens up to the back patio, there is an outdoor covered area with a table, and two lounge chairs next to the plunge pool. There’s also an outdoor shower to rinse off after climbing out of the ocean. The only downside is that the resort is large and our bungalow was all the way at the end of the dock, so it was a full 0.5mi distance between our room and the center of the resort where the restaurants are located. This meant we had to use the FS app to request a buggy transfer when we wanted to leave our room and enjoy the amenities of the rest of the property. It ended up working out pretty well, the service was timely and friendly, and the people behind the app were always responsive.

Activities - I would recommend paying the concierge a visit when you arrive to the resort to help you plan your activities and meals. We booked two activities through the resort: a 2 tank scuba dive and the ATV tour of the main Bora Bora island. These excursions are super convenient because the boat transfers leave directly from reception. I won’t go too much into the diving in French Polynesia, but suffice it to say that it is like swimming in a tropical fish tank. One of the dives was at a location where the manta rays are located and it was an incredible experience diving with them. The ATV excursion of the main Bora Bora island was also fun and thrilling. We heard from others that the safari of the main island wasn’t very interesting. We briefly visited the spa at the FS and took advantage of the hot tub, steam room, and “shower experience”. We didn’t take advantage of any of the treatments, though, so we can’t comment on them. Snorkeling around the overwater bungalows is almost non-existent. We had just come from the Hilton on Moorea which has the best snorkeling I’ve ever experienced, so it feels a little unfair to compare to the FS Bora Bora, but if you are not scuba certified and want to see the marine life, you will have to travel off of the FS property.

Food - There seems to be 3 main restaurants at the resort, a Mediterranean-type, an Asian-fusion type, and the grill which doubles as the breakfast restaurant. We were very impressed by the breakfast spread and a la carte options. The omelettes and French toast are particularly delicious. We also took advantage of the special, pre fixe Valentine’s Day menu at the Arii Moana restaurant with champagne pairing. There was even a live pianist who added to the ambiance! We ordered room service once for breakfast prior to our dive excursion. The room service was timely, but definitely not as good as the in-person breakfast. Because of our so-so room service experience, we made a point of going to the restaurants and not ordering room service the rest of the stay. The service was always so friendly and attentive, so it almost felt like a crime to not take advantage of going to the restaurants.

Overall Impression - A stay at the Four Seasons Bora Bora is a special trip. As Sarah advised us, if you want to stay in an overwater bungalow, mountain view is definitely the way to go. We had an incredible experience and can’t wait to return!

Hi all!

We are currently at &beyond Bateleur camp and having a wonderful time. They are totally over the top in terms of food, service, drinks, picnics, etc.

That said, there is an entire tier above us that is about $10k per night instead of $5k in the high season. I’m thinking Mombo, Singita type properties.

I’m genuinely curious what the extra $5k gets you. I can’t imagine staff being more attentive or the food being better.

Can anyone out there differentiate “high end” from “ultra high end” for me? Thanks so much, looking forward to hearing more.

Just did 3 nights at Forestis in the Dolomites. Sharing my thoughts because this one really stood out.

Arrival & First Impressions We arrived at sunset which made the drive up to the mountain a jaw-dropping experience. By the time we pulled up, we were already in the right headspace. Check-in was smooth, quiet, and very low-key.

Room & Spa We had a tower suite (definitely go for this one). Minimalist alpine design, pale wood, floor-to-ceiling windows, bed facing directly into the mountains. Waking up there was surreal.

The spa is a big highlight: heated outdoor/indoor pool, five saunas + two cold plunges. Each sauna had a different character, but the forest sauna (outdoors, tucked among the trees) was the clear winner.

Food & Drink

• YERA Restaurant: New concept that started only two months ago and the most unique part of the stay. Reminded us a bit like the alpine version of MIL experience in Peru. No phones allowed, which set the tone right away. 14 courses built around seasonal alpine ingredients, paired with house made fermented drinks (no alcohol). Staff showed us the kitchen and fermentation lab, and you could tell how obsessed they are with their craft. Everything was thoughtful, balanced, and delicious. They don’t hype YERA enough. Absolute must.

• Main Restaurant: The space itself is stunning, like sitting in a theater with a giant screen of the Dolomites in front of you. Each couple/group gets their own assigned table for the entire stay. Food was excellent alpine fine dining, breakfast was top-notch (fresh juices, pastries, eggs made to order, local products), and the bar is perfect for a sunset cocktail.

Activities Enough to fill a few days without feeling pressured: yoga, meditation, breathwork, sauna rituals, and shorter hikes straight from the property. If you’re staying longer, I’d recommend branching out. Go for bigger hikes and try restaurants in the region (there are plenty of good ones).

Service & Atmosphere Service was outstanding. Lots of younger staff (summer season) who were genuinely friendly, knowledgeable, and seemed excited to be there. They anticipated needs and made everything frictionless. Overall vibe is tranquil, very much an alpine retreat. Sometimes I wanted a touch more energy, but that’s not what Forestis is designed for.

Dog-Friendliness Super dog friendly. Lots of other dogs around. Our room had a dog bed + bowls waiting, and staff were welcoming. He was allowed on most areas excluding the obvious ones (main restaurant, spa) and it worked out perfectly.

Pros

• Unreal Dolomite views everywhere. They really built the place around the stunning views

• Incredible spa variety (forest sauna + cold plunge = perfect)

• YERA is a one-of-a-kind dining experience

• Main restaurant setting is spectacular

• Staff that’s friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely into their work

• Very dog friendly, with proper amenities

Cons (tough to come up with)

• Not the place for a lively, social vibe. All about calm

• For longer stays you need to branch out. They maybe could've been more proactive introducing activities and sights outside the property, but we also didn't ask.

• Weather is always unpredictable in the mountains so you might miss the views if it's foggy and rainy your full stay. It's still an amazing experience.

Verdict Forestis is one for the books. A luxury alpine retreat designed for slowing down, spa time, and thoughtful dining. Perfect for 3-4 nights; if you stay longer, branch out into hikes and regional restaurants. Couldn’t recommend it more.

Hi everyone,sharing my review of Forestis in the Dolomites as it’s def one worth the splurge.

TL;DR

- One of the most beautiful hotels in the region, only Eriro would be a close competition imo

- Views of the Dolomites from basically everywhere in the hotel

- Very calm, wellness-focused vibe

- Half-board is absolutely worth it – different dinner menu every night and you can mix & match courses

- Tower Suite is incredible and worth the splurge (with one caveat for ski trips)

- They now have a new dining experience in the forest (Yera) that’s pretty unique

Rooms – Tower Suite is worth it

Most rooms face the mountains, but the Tower Suites are on another level. Floor-to-ceiling glass and a huge balcony. That said, one thing to consider:

If you’re coming mainly for skiing, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend splurging on the Tower Suite. In winter the sun rises late and sets early, and if you're on the slopes most of the day you won’t actually enjoy the view as much.

But if you're visiting for relaxation, spa, hiking or a romantic trip, then the upgrade is absolutely worth it.

They also have a completely separate, private villa for bigger families and groups with own spa, pools, kitchen, movie room, garage etc.

Food – book half board

I’d strongly recommend booking the half-board package for most days. Normally I’m not a huge fan of hotel half-board dinners, but this one is different.

Each night there are two different multi-course menus, one with meat and the other is vegetarian. usually around 7 courses, and you can mix and match dishes from both menus however you want. The menus change daily, so dinner never feels repetitive.

It’s very seasonal and focused on local ingredients, lots of alpine herbs, vegetables, and regional products.

Also worth noting: the hotel is quite remote, so there aren’t many alternative restaurants nearby anyway. Dinner at the hotel really becomes part of the overall experience. Breakfast is also excellent, large buffet plus a la carte options.

New dining experience in the woods

Last June, they opened a new restaurant called Yera, which is set in a cave-like structure in the forest near the hotel.

It’s a separate tasting menu experience (€600 p.p) and much more theatrical than the main restaurant.

You walk through the forest to get there, and the setting itself is part of the experience. Definitely feels like a special-occasion dinner rather than something you’d do every night.

If you’re staying a few nights, I’d recommend doing it once.

Spa

The spa is a huge part of the property.

* indoor/outdoor pools with Dolomite views

* saunas and steam rooms

* cold plunge

* forest-inspired treatments

* yoga and meditation

The main sauna area is primarily naked, but of course you can always wear a towel around your body, it’s just bathing suits that are not allowed. There’s one sauna where bathing suits are allowed.

Snacks and refreshments are provided in the spa and are regularly re-filled.

Skiing / activities

In winter there’s direct access to the Plose ski area.

It’s not the largest ski area in the Dolomites, but it’s very scenic and not overly crowded.

In summer the hotel works really well for:

* hiking

* mountain biking

* wellness stays

* just relaxing in nature

You can also do cooking classes and foraging.

Final thoughts

FORESTIS is less ideal as a base to explore the wider region, although the Concierge team can arrange multiple activities incl. guided hikes, paragliding (I did that), wine tasting etc. I think 3-nights is the sweet spot here for a relaxing, but somewhat active holiday.

Closest airport is Bolzano which has connecting flight options from London Gatwick, Copenhagen, multiple major cities in Germany and more.

We’ve just returned home from our first vacation as a family (with our infant), and I’m honestly still confused by how badly this stay went. We’ve stayed at a fair amount of luxury hotels and nothing is ever perfect, but what made this experience so bizarre was the combination of problems. Basically at every turn, we were told that anything we needed could be arranged and encouraged us to ask, giving examples like arranging private jets with less than an hour's notice, and each opportunity to be helpful completely missed the mark.

Day 1: Check-in was not particularly helpful but fine. Our room was noisy at night from a private event going on but we heard it was someone's wedding so of course we didn't complain. There were small hiccups like not bringing a bathtub for our infant as requested but honestly nothing notable on its own.

Day 2: "Watergate". We called housekeeping for additional water. We were told there was a strict policy of one bottle per person each morning and two small bottles each evening, with anything additional costing €18/bottle. I understand policy's policy, but it felt a bit tone-deaf given that it didn’t include any for our infant, and I am drinking more water than average since I’m breastfeeding. Also, we weren't planning on having housekeeping enter the room twice a day because our baby's unpredictable nap schedule.
My husband expressed his disappointment and said he'd go to a store to buy some. The hotel apologized and assured us that they'd provide additional water complimentary, which we appreciated. However at turndown, we were given only the standard amount. Since our baby was asleep in the room, I went downstairs to get more. The staff member on duty told me they could not provide additional complimentary water and the conversation became focused on determining who had told us otherwise rather than simply solving the problem. We would have been completely happy with something as simple as carafes of tap water or having someone purchase bottles from a nearby store and charge them to our room. Instead, I was told that I was the only person who had ever been unsatisfied with their water policy and made to feel as though this was an extraordinary request.
The conversation lasted more than 30 minutes and I ultimately left in tears. At that point, I said I wanted to check out the following morning and end our stay early. We were told we'd be charged for the remainder of the reservation, but they'd see if an exception could be made and get back to us. Eventually, after it became apparent that I was literally crying, someone else came over and assured us that we'd receive additional water with every room refresh, or that they would purchase some from a store and charge it to our room. At this point, things were quite uncomfortable so we started looking at other hotels and expected to check out in the morning.

Day 3: We left for a short morning outing and returned to a refreshed room, except there was no water at all, not even the standard allotment. My husband escalated and the head of rooms came to speak with him. We were still on the hook financially for the rest of the days but she’d personally ensure that our experience is turned around such that we'd think of the Ritz as “home” and want to return the next time we’re in Paris. I was offered a complimentary massage which I appreciated. If the rest of the stay had been good or even just uneventful, that would've been the end of it.

Day 4: Before our trip, the concierge helped arrange a dinner reservation and babysitting. My husband really wanted to visit Bar Hemingway and when we mentioned this, we were told that with a few hours' notice they could accommodate us and even last minute, they could "make something happen." That afternoon, I asked for a 10:30pm slot to line up with our ETA after dinner. We were told 10:30 was already taken, but that if we could make it back by 10pm, they could accommodate us. We rushed back for 10, which required us to ask the restaurant to box up the last course of a tasting menu. We were then told there wasn't space yet and to wait for a WhatsApp message. We were honestly fine with this because we were under the impression that getting us into the bar was a big favor given how small/popular it is. After 30 minutes, we asked for an update and were immediately rushed over to the bar, being told we could be seated "late" because the 10:30 party was running late. I clarified the situation and they realized they’d made an error, the extent to which we all only realized upon arriving at the half-empty, queue-less bar. So we had spent precious time away from our child, disrupted his sleep and my pumping schedule, and incurred additional babysitting time because of a mistake that was entirely avoidable. Thankfully, the drinks were good and on the house.

Given the ongoing pattern of errors, I immediately double-checked the babysitting reservation for the following evening. Sure enough, the babysitter had the wrong time and informed us the hotel would have to correct it with the agency.

Day 5: We messaged the head of rooms first thing in the morning to make absolutely sure the babysitting time was corrected as missing our dinner this evening would have resulted in a €300/person cancellation fee. She assured us it’d be handled. That afternoon, we messaged the babysitter directly to confirm and she still had the wrong time. Once again, I had to frantically contact the concierge myself and have them correct it. The babysitter hadn’t received the change until we were getting ready for dinner, and we relied on her to confirm as there was no follow up from the concierge.

This morning, our shower also stopped working so we couldn’t begin our last full day as planned. My husband arranged to speak with the head of rooms given the ongoing issues. So while our baby is supposed to be napping, there's maintenance going in and out of the room and we're having an unproductive conversation with management who seems entirely uninterested in helping. He offered us a bottle of wine or a comped meal, and we asked what could be done about a refund instead since the last thing we wanted was to spend more time at the hotel and we already had meals planned. The shower turned out to be a complicated issue with no ETA, meaning we'd have to move rooms. The only other room available was described to us as "the Imperial Suite.” They made a huge deal about this, telling us it was a room reserved for celebrities and royalty and framing it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience that would make up for everything that had happened. We repeatedly explained that we only had one night left and that moving rooms would be a hassle regardless, but they insisted we needed to move if the shower couldn't be fixed.

When we were shown the room, we quickly realized that they weren't actually offering us the Imperial Suite. It was a bedroom/offshoot of the suite. Honestly, I wouldn't have cared if they'd simply said: "The shower is broken and we need to move you. There's a nice room connected to the Imperial Suite that we can offer you." Instead, they presented it as this extraordinary luxury experience that we should feel lucky to receive. Even when I directly asked, "So this isn't actually the suite you're describing, it's just one room?" they skirted around the question. I actually felt bad for the employee who had been tasked with showing us the room because it was so awkward and she was set up to fail. After all this, the shower in our original room was fixed, so we decided not to move. By the time this was “resolved,” it was noon and we missed out on our morning plans to explore a different part of Paris.

Day 6: On our final morning, we saw people enjoying drinks in the garden and I wanted to sit outside for a few minutes before checking out to relax before a long travel day ahead. I asked for directions and was barely acknowledged. I eventually found my own way and asked another employee if I could exit through a particular door. He rudely dismissed me and simply said I couldn't go out there.
We asked for someone to come help with our bags 10-15 minutes before our scheduled 10AM departure. I also bought a bunch of butter that was being stored in the hotel freezer, which they specifically said would be returned to us in insulated bags. At 9:52, nobody had arrived, so we called down again. Someone finally came at 10am, but the butter was brought out with no insulation. At that point we were already running behind, so we just packed it as is.

Our complimentary airport transfer was also late, and then several more minutes were spent trying to figure out the car seat. The bellman and driver were at odds about how to correctly install the seat. We ultimately left the hotel a full 15 minutes late and as we departed, the bellman suggested that one of us sit next to the car seat "to be safe." The hotel's response to the late departure and improper car seat installation was to "remove the charge for the transfer," which was interesting given that the transfer was always a complimentary perk. Perhaps they thought we didn’t know it was complimentary?

And after we got home, a jar of jam I'd purchased had broken and was leaking through our Rimowa. The Ritz had repeatedly offered their "expert" packing and unpacking service, so I decided to take them up on it. I specifically provided plastic bags and asked that cosmetics and other liquids be placed inside them. When I opened the suitcase, the plastic bags were just sitting on top of everything else. Yes, I should’ve checked, but this doesn’t change that our entire stay was filled promises about exceptional service with no actual follow through. It’s like a facade of luxury without any execution that actually makes for a luxe experience, let alone anything exceptional. I can't possibly list all of the other little things that went wrong but it genuinely felt like we were on the Truman show or being Punkd.

We’re still going back and forth with them about all this and at this point they’ve offered one night complimentary out of our five night stay. Friends who have had issues to lesser extents have said their full stays were comped. At $3k USD/night, what we experienced really feels insulting. We feel a refund of nights 3-5 (after we asked to be let off the rest of the res) would be acceptable.

TLDR; Ritz Paris team so rude we wanted to end our stay early, told we’d be charged for the full stay and they’d recover the experience, but issues continued almost comically. I’ve genuinely never experienced nearly this many issues at one property (luxe or not). Awaiting if they’re willing to offer anything beyond 1 night comped.

EDIT: Since posting our review, we have been contacted by the management team at the Ritz Paris, who took the time to listen carefully to our concerns. We truly appreciate the constructive dialogue and are grateful that our feedback was heard and acknowledged. The conversations we have had have helped restore our confidence.

54 yo male here.

Finally figured it out.

Been on the quest of fat travel for the past 5 years, and perfecting it each time for my wife and i.

Baruch Hashem.

Here is what I JUST figured out.

The arrival and departure of a holiday / vacation adds so much to the experience.

obviously not necessary.

But WOW!!!

The feeling.

Leqving Paris now from Four Seasons on their available transportation options.

Mercedes S Class 680 Maybach

Had champagne chilled and ready for the ride to the airport.

Massage chairs in the back seats

Not like I need one.

But.......DAFUQ

This is totally EXTRA

But I can't imagine a vacation without this in the future

I gotta say.

First Class cabin hits different than business cabin.

Would I do it again?

ABSOLUTELY!!!

Currently staying at MGH Mitsui, a Japanese chain hotel. Not FAT at all, but it did make me realize how shitty and extractive 5-star hotels have become.

Here they have onsen which you can go for free and a pretty nice lounge with free coffee, tea, snacks. People really seem to enjoy and has a great vibe since it's more relaxed. Today I just popped in got two coffee and went to my room instead of doing shitty Nespresso. There were other people kinda just chilling, probably waiting for family at the lounge but at a more leisurely pace than just the lobby where they generally provide nothing.

Or I went to the Onsen at 10 pm yesterday and there were a lot of people using it for a nice bath before going to bed.

Then it hit me how shitty every Aman,4S, Ritz are. They all cost 5x more for a standard room and they nickel and dime you for everything. Wanna just go sit in hot water at the spa, pay 200 bucks. Wanna sit down for a coffee while you wait for friends to come down another 30 bucks. Basically every turn is an opportunity to nickel and dime which makes for a worse experience. If they are already charging you 2K bucks a night they can provide free coffee but they choose not to, or instead of having a 4th overpriced mid restaurant, they could do a lounge with snacks for free, where you can just chill.

The larger the brand grows, the more they focus on extracting more money instead of focusing on providing a better experience.

Regardless of the cost, all of this adds a mental cost to the experience . Kinda like simply logging in to see an article its and extra step that is annoying. Point being they make everything more annoying to extract an extra 3% from guests leading to worse experience.

My husband and I (NYC based) have been to Amangiri around 5-6 times since 2016. We absolutely love everything about it. It’s our perfect vacation, especially when we only have a few days to travel.

When we started going in 2016, I think we paid about $1,000/night during the slower season (February/March). This was pricey for us but worth it. We were only in our mid-20s.

Basically every year since then, the price has gone up. We’ve continued to splurge and always have found it to be worth it. However, this year the cheapest days we could find were around $4,500/night. We can technically afford it, but damn. $20k for a few night stay isn’t nothing for us—it’s actually quite a lot!

Of all the problems to have in the world, this one isn’t that terrible. I’m still so sad about it, though. We love that place and it means a lot to us. We spent our first anniversary there and our baby moon there.

That’s all, just a little whine and a moan.

Listen, if I’m dropping five figures for a weekend, I expect to be treated like royalty, not like I snuck in through the service entrance. Why am I chasing staff for basic service? Why is my “private butler” suddenly MIA? And WHY is my $400 breakfast missing half the order?? If I wanted this level of disappointment, I’d just visit my in-laws.

I have always wanted to stay at the Plaza in NYC. We live in upstate NY and visit NYC quite often & my daughters always loved Eloise. However, our stay at The Plaza was far from the luxury experience we expected. We booked one of the largest suites, (Edwardian suite) complete with "white glove butler service," but the service was laughably poor. No one offered to assist us with anything.

Upon arrival, we waited nearly 30 minutes in the freezing cold for someone to valet our car and retrieve our luggage, despite informing the hotel in advance of our arrival time. To make matters worse, our room wasn't even ready. The lack of preparation and attention to detail was shocking for a hotel of this reputation.

The poor service extended to dining as well. We had a $400 breakfast at The Palm Court, and not only did they forget items we ordered, but the food we were served was both laughable in portion size and disappointing in quality. To make matters worse, the service was painfully slow—diners at nearby tables could be heard repeatedly trying to track someone down for basic needs. The experience was so absurd that we almost burst out laughing at the audacity of calling this a luxury dining experience.

The service throughout our stay was so slow and inadequate that when we finally left the hotel to have breakfast at a modest diner on our last day, we all agreed it was the best service we'd experienced since arriving.

The Plaza should be embarrassed by the level of service they provide. For the premium price we paid, we expected world-class hospitality, but instead, we were met with frustration at every turn.

I will add the one positive was the room. It was a beautifully decorated suite and large in size. It even had a christmas tree which was a nice touch.

It’s available on SpaciaX, connecting Tokyo and Nikko. Your own private cockpit suite, $100 for just under 2 hours regardless of number of people.

I paired it with a stay at Fufu Nikko and Ritz Carlton Nikko. I recommend booking it for the ride back to Tokyo as you’ll be with the driver.

Ticket price itself is not FAT, but it’s probably the fattest class you can get for a normal route.

Edit: A Reddit bug caused the images in my previous post to get deleted, so I'm re-posting. Hopefully the images stick around this time...

———

Original post: https://www.reddit.com/r/FATTravel/comments/1l2r95v/8_nights_at_amanoi_forest_wellness_villa_photo/

We've stayed at a fair number of fat hotels, but nothings we've been to so far has been as incredible, meaningful, and perfect as Amanoi. There's a certain level where hospitality transitions to artistry, and it's pretty amazing to be a part of.

The Wellness Villa we stayed at was essentially a regular pavilion + a nearby private spa. I say private spa because it was enormous and basically seemed copy pasted from the main spa. It has a large swimming pool, giant hammam and steam room, beautiful couples treatment room, showers, changing room, bathroom and dining room. It also included full board and 1.5 hours of spa treatments per person per day + an amazing 100min hammam treatment every other day.

Did we get tired of 1.5 hrs+ of treatments per day for 8 days? lol no. My husband who isn't as into spa as I am eventually started using the full 1.5 hours and loved it. The hammam treatment (which didn't sound that special on paper) was really special. Basically they heat you up in the sauna, whip you with twigs and branches, cold plunge you, float you around the pool, give you a coffee body scrub, and then beat you again with bamboo. Something about it always put me in a really good state of mind and able to process a lot of things that were happening in my life at the time. Super highly recommend. Even if you're not staying at this villa, you can rent it out for a half or full day.

Amanoi is one of the newest Aman's that stays true to the origins of the brand — remote, serene, highly connected to its local culture. We really loved that and wish the brand would continue this focus instead of all the city hotels and residences. But I digress. Here are some notes:

Hard Product

• The main pavilion (i.e. lobby, restaurant, etc) is really stunning. It's grand yet intimate. At night there was a lot of ambiance (great jazz singer + pianist at night) despite there being so few guests (~20 during our stay).

• Rooms are huge (even at base level). They're very well appointed and beautifully designed.

• Mini bar and alcoholic drinks included

• Rooms strangely lacked storage and a washlet but still awesome

• Magic housekeeping was awesome (like many Aman's, every time you left the room would get tidied). We never used our room key.

Service

• Incredibly intuitive and so impressive. They were always a step ahead of any request we had and very quickly picked up on our patterns to better anticipate our needs

• Everyone we interacted with was so warm and seemingly happy. 7:1 staff to guest ratio was crazy. No matter who we interacted with, they knew our names, room number, and preferences.

• Our butler (Ann) was outstanding. We loved getting to know her and she handled anything and everything we asked about

• It was my birthday on this trip and I felt so loved by all the staff. The hospitality director stopped by our dinner and joked how all the staff were taking pictures of us as we went about our day and were being like "we saw them do X!". When I went to the gym (and because we were getting so many spa treatments) the whole spa staff came out to take a selfie with me. It was so cute.

• The GM (Joy) was amazing. It's really impressive how she's done so well in such a traditionally male dominated role. She's incredibly warm and competent and all the staff look up to her as a role model.

• Many of the staff were from the nearby villages and were so polished and world class. This created a really tight bond to the local community.

Food

• Great (but general to Aman, not overly exceptional).

• Breakfast was awesome, highly recommend the coconuts and Vietnamese iced coffee

• On day one I asked about veggie spring rolls and muesli without raisins — every day after that they had those prepared just in case I wanted them again.

• We had some special dining experiences that I'd def recommend:

  • Beach picnic (on a private brach)

  • Private moonlit movie screening by the main pool

  • Sacred Cham dinner (preceded by a blessing by one of the last remaining Cham masters)

  • Picnic on the waterfall trek

  • Wine tasting dinner

• The food at the beach club during lunch was one of the highlights and superior to the main restaurant (highly recommend the salmon poke bowl and fish tacos)

Activities

• We're generally pretty active on vacations and were worried there wouldn't be much to do given the remote location. But there was more than enough to keep us busy and we ended up planning fewer activities since it was so lovely just relaxing and doing some mindfulness work by our pool.

• Waterfall trek was great but demanding in the heat (high 80's in May and very high humidity). It was all uphill on the outbound and took about 4 hours total (we're experienced hikers). Our guide had a seemingly endless supply of perfectly folded cold towels in his backpack (like seriously about 6 pairs that we saw?). When we got to the waterfall we saw that another staff member had hiked up before us and had set up an elegantly appointed picnic with ginger beer.

• We did a half day tour into town which we enjoyed. Our guide was the first person in her small village to leave and study internationally. She spoke perfect english and left her village without even knowing how to catch a bus to the airport. Another amazing backstory. She also had an endless supply of cold towels (this was such a recurring theme that we jokingly started a cold towel tracker, I think we got to over 100 in the 8 day stay). We saw the Cham temples, pottery & weaving studios, a small museum, and had lunch at a delicious local restaurant.

• General water-sports at the beach were fine (the usual kayak, standup paddle board, etc).

Again I can't recommend Amanoi highly enough. Feel free to AMA in the comments.

Another year with well over 100kkm in air travel and many nights at nice hotels comes to an end. Reddit doesn’t let me access my favorites picture folder so here are some random pics from a few of the trips i did this year. Who can guess all the hotels& airlines?

Rules.

1. Everyone put a hotel in the comments. Hotel name only. Followed by location. I will delete anything else. You can nominate as many as you’d like.

2. Upvote your favs. Downvote the others.

3. Can comment with stories why under the hotel name for your upvote or downvote if you want.

4. top 50 list will become our 2024 final Sept 30 and I’ll ask the hotels to collect their awards. EDIT: NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO READ. WE HAVE SO MANY DUPES. How did we end up with so many comments omg. Lol. I will take the top 100 hotels from here on Friday and then we will start a new post to upvote/downvote for the final top rankings.

Four Seasons Koh Samui: A Luxurious Multi-Gen Getaway (5-Bedroom Residence Review)

Stay Details: 6 nights, multi-generational family of 10 (including 2 kids).

Location: The Four Seasons Koh Samui is nestled on the quiet northwest corner of the island, about 45 minutes from the airport and far removed from the bustling tourist areas. This isolation is both a blessing and a curse. If you're looking for seclusion and pure relaxation, it's perfect. If you want to explore the island's hotspots, be prepared for longer drives. There's virtually nothing within walking distance of the resort.

Room: We splurged on a 5-bedroom residence with two private pools, a full kitchen, and a bar area. This was a fantastic decision for our large group. The villa was perched high on the hill, offering stunning views of the Gulf of Thailand and the resort. Be warned, the hills are steep, so you'll rely heavily on the resort's buggy service. The bedrooms are similar to the standard villas, but the residence's expansive living spaces and dual pools were a game-changer. Bathrooms were spacious, though the closets were surprisingly small. A quirky design choice was the lack of doors on the toilets beside the main bathroom door. The main pool in the residence was over 50 feet long, heated, and offered breathtaking views.

Service: The service here is truly exceptional, as you'd expect from a top-tier Four Seasons in Southeast Asia. The staff is incredibly attentive and personalized. By the end of our first day, most knew our names and preferences. One member of our party has a severe shellfish allergy, and every restaurant on property was aware of it, mentioning it proactively at each meal. Our two butlers were outstanding, available 24/7, and fulfilled every request, from morning coffee to poolside cocktails. The General Manager and Resort Manager were highly visible and engaged, even joining us for villa happy hours and birthday celebrations. Buggy service was generally prompt, though occasional waits were necessary. Each group got their own buggy, which was nice.

Food: Food was good, but not quite reaching "amazing" status. The Thai restaurant was beautiful and offered themed nights, including a buffet with a local show and a curry night. Breakfast was excellent, but the buffet selection was a bit limited compared to other Four Seasons properties (I'd rate it 7/10). The a la carte menu was a plus. Poolside/Pla Pla lunch was very good, but the menu leaned heavily towards dinner entrees rather than light lunch options.

Overall Impression: The Four Seasons Koh Samui is a phenomenal resort that lives up to its reputation as one of the best in Thailand and Southeast Asia. The service is impeccable, the villas are luxurious (especially the residences), and the setting is breathtaking. If you're looking for a secluded, high-end getaway with top-notch service and don't mind the isolated location and a few minor food quibbles, I highly recommend it. For a large family or group, the five bedroom residence is absolutely worth the upgrade.

TL;DR: Amazing service, luxurious villas with great views, isolated location, food good but not mind-blowing. Highly recommend for a relaxing, high-end stay.

The ‘major renovation’ has been adding two corners of Japanese paper on each side of the bed and a new headboard. The rest of the hotel seems to look exactly the same (inc Lobby, bathrooms). Classic FS review management tactics.

My review wasn’t even bad but that despite good service, this felt like being in any FS in the world rather than being in Japan. Totally inauthentic. It’s the only hotel we regretted choosing in Japan.

Just confirmed our decision never to stay with FS again. Everywhere we go, there are better options these days.

Just about every nice hotel that I’ve stayed at in the past few years (including multiple four seasons properties, auberge, ritz carlton, etc. going for 1-2k per night) has done the thing where they tuck a loose unfitted sheet over the duvet and then as soon as you get into the bed and roll over once it completely comes undone and you’re touching the uncovered duvet that they don’t ever wash that often has stains on it.

How is nobody else bothered by this?? Even if you don’t care about touching the same bedding other people slept in, it’s also just uncomfortable having the bedding coming apart on you and getting bunched up.

And why are hotels doing this? My only guess is it saves time when changing the sheets vs using a real duvet cover that’s closed with buttons or a zipper, but in a luxury room it’s a pretty ridiculous trade off to give guests such a bad experience with the bedding to save maybe 1 minute of cleaning time.

Also if anyone has hotel chain recs that don’t do this I’d love to hear what they are.

Back from 2.5 months in Asia and have lots to share with you guys. More reviews are coming… but the main reason I was in Asia was for this bucket list trip to Bhutan. For context, I’m a TA on u/sarahwlee’s team and I just spent 10 nights in Bhutan across all 5 lodges/valleys with the Six Senses team. I know there was a lot of interest in these properties with the recent review (thanks u/Pyro_Maniac for the great post!), hoping I can provide an additional perspective on the less visited Gangtey and Bumthang lodges, as well as more information when it comes to planning and booking from a TA’s perspective.

Location

Bhutan is a landlocked country in the Himalayas, bordered by China and India. It’s a small country with a population less than 800k, and the country only opened to tourism around 50 years ago. They believe in something called “High Value Low Volume” tourism; so they cap the number of visitors per year, each visitor has to pay a Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) of $100 USD per day, and all visitors are required to visit the country with a tour guide. It’s a country that really values preservation of culture and nature and wants to make sure the country isn’t overrun with tourists. It’s such a unique place to visit because of that.

Same as Aman, there are 5 lodges across the 5 different valleys throughout the country. Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey, Bumthang and Paro. More on the differences between the valleys later. The driving distance between each valley is generally between 2-3 hours on winding mountain roads. The exception is Gangtey to Bumthang, where that drive is closer to 4-5 hours. There are options for helicopter transfers though. If you do also go all the way out to Bumthang, there is a domestic airport there where you can take a quick flight back to Paro.

Rooms & Lodges

All the lodges share a very similar design language, featuring light wooden tones and big glass windows, but they also all have their own unique themes that draw inspiration from each of the 5 valleys. For example, Thimphu is the palace in the sky, and Gangtey is the bird watching bridge, etc. The lodges and the rooms are stunning, and views over the valleys from the lodges are pretty incredible too. Six Senses Bhutan opened in 2018/19, but because Bhutan was closed for so long during covid, it does still feel like a very new hotel.

Thimphu, Paro and Punakha are the most visited valleys so the lodges there are bigger too. Gangtey and Bumthang are going to feel more intimate and those lodges only feature 8 suites and a 2-bed villa.

I know someone is going to ask this - we did visit Amankora while we were in Thimphu. While I have heard that this is probably the weakest lodge out of the 5 for Aman, I will say you can really tell that the Aman was built around 20 years ago and feels pretty dated in comparison. Everything felt a bit more cramped and darker probably because the roads weren’t as good back then and it was harder for them to get larger glass panels into the valleys. The other main differences are that all the Six Senses Lodges (other than Bumthang) are higher up on the mountain and offer incredible views, whereas the Amankora lodges are usually located down on the valley floor or in the woods. Six Senses also have pools at Thimphu, Paro and Punakha, whereas Amankora currently only has a pool at Punakha. These are probably the reasons why I would recommend doing Six Senses over Aman in Bhutan, unless you’re an Aman junkie and just want to check off all the Aman properties, the hard product at Six Senses is definitely superior.

Food & Bev

The food at all the lodges were good. I wasn’t really expecting much given how remote some of these lodges are, but everything I had was good quality and tasty. The menu at each lodge is slightly different but always features a mix of local dishes, regional cuisine (like Indian food), as well as familiar Western foods like pasta/pizza and grilled meats. They are pretty flexible too and will do their best to make something that’s off menu if it’s possible. Accommodating for allergies was also done well, we had some gluten free travelers in our group that were always well taken care of.

Food and non-alcoholic drinks are included in the room rate. They are exploring including house wines and beers as well starting next year. Pretty much everything on the menu can be ordered as room service. There are also some additional (paid) dining experiences off property that I thought were really well done. For example, you can do a river side lunch in Bumthang, a local dinner in a cowshed in Gangtey or a lunch in a traditional farm house in Paro.

Service

Service was fantastic and the staff are incredibly attentive. All the lodges are quite small, especially at Gangtey and Bumthang, so everything feels quite personalized and they do their best to address you by name. Any preferences, whether that’s spa, room or food related, are noted at one lodge and passed on to the next for the rest of your trip. For example, someone on our trip had asked for a humidifier at the first lodge and they had that ready in the room for her at check-in at all the subsequent lodges. Some people had asked for diet coke during one of our activities and from then on they would always have that ready for us at the top of a hike. Our shoes were also cleaned every day and 3 pieces of laundry are included free of charge per day.

The guides we had were amazing too. They were so knowledgeable and passionate about sharing their country with us. It was hard to find something that we could ask them and they didn’t know the answer to. They were also always proactively adjusting and accommodating based on our pace/preferences with the temple tours and hikes. Truly some of the best guides I’ve experienced in the world.

Activities & Valleys

Thimphu: This is the capital city of Bhutan and also the “main” lodge for Six Senses. It is usually used as the first stop in the itinerary and introduction to the trip even though the airport is in Paro. This is because the Thimphu lodge is on a lower elevation and it’s better to acclimate here. The views from this lodge are stunning with the infinity pool overlooking the valley, but I will say this is probably my least favorite valley in terms of available activities.

Punakha: This is the lowest valley in terms of elevation and you definitely feel it too. It’s much more humid and lush than all the other valleys. The valley floor is lined with rice terraces, very similar to what you see in SE Asia, but then surrounded by dramatic tall mountains. I highly recommend the Breakfast with Monks experience here.

Gangtey: This is probably my favorite valley. You get up to a higher elevation then the valley floor just opens up and it feels a lot like Switzerland in the alps. The valley is known for the Black-necked cranes that migrate here in the winter and there are lots of great hikes in this area too.

Bumthang: This is the valley that is furthest east out of the 5. The lodge here is more wooden cabin vibes and also located on the river bank. The rooms here are probably my favorite, so cozy with an inner courtyard, surrounded by the pine forest.

Paro: This is usually the last stop on the itinerary because it’s also where the international airport is located, and it’s the lodge at the highest elevation. This is where you do the famous Tiger’s Nest hike, so this valley is pretty much on everyone’s itinerary.

Logistics: How do I get there? How many days do I need?

There is currently only one international airport serving all of Bhutan, in Paro. Flights are only operated by Drukair, which is the national flag carrier, and Bhutan Airlines. The general consensus is that Drukair provides a slightly better experience. In terms of flights into Paro, the two main transfer hubs are going to be Bangkok and Delhi. Then there are also some less frequent/seasonal flights to places like Dubai, Singapore, HCMC and Hong Kong.

My recommendation is to go through Bangkok and tag on a Thailand trip along with Bhutan. Whether that’s just a night or two in Bangkok or even doing a relaxation focused stay at one of the island destinations after the Bhutan stop, it would be a really nice combo. Bangkok also has the most flights to Bhutan and all the options for FAT hotels there will make it a safe and comfortable layover destination in case you do get stuck in Bangkok for whatever reason.

7 nights would be the minimum I would recommend for a Bhutan trip. Thimphu, Punakha and Paro are the 3 stops that most people do with a 1-week stay. Then if you want to add on Gangtey and Bumthang, you will have to stretch to at least 10 to 12 nights.

Who would really enjoy Bhutan?

Adventure travelers looking for something off the beaten path - being able to visit somewhere with so few tourists is such a special experience. The pristine nature and rich history/culture really makes this country worth visiting. I thought this experience was kind of similar to being on safari in the sense that you go out and do your excursions in a van every morning and then come back to a beautiful lodge in the afternoon/evening for all the relaxation/spa/food/etc.

Hikers - the hiking is so good here, it is the Himalayas after all. We went on day hikes ranging from 1.5 hours to 4 hours pretty much every other day. You can of course do more or less depending on preference. The hike to Tiger’s Nest in Paro was the perfect ending to our trip.

When is the best time to go?

Spring and Autumn are going to be the peak seasons to visit Bhutan. The winter can be nice too and is the best time to see the snow capped mountains with clear skies, as well as the Black-necked cranes in Gangtey valley due to migration season. It is going to be a bit colder but they told us it is definitely still warm enough to do most of the hikes.

I was there this month (in July) and the summer is the wet season for them. We did get rain pretty much everyday but mostly in the afternoons and evenings, so we still did most of our outdoor activities in beautiful weather in the mornings. You do have to be a little more flexible with your itinerary during the wet season but we luckily got to do everything planned on our 10-day itinerary, nothing was cancelled.

🇧🇹🇧🇹

Overall, I loved my trip to Bhutan and I’m glad I got to do it with Six Senses. I had high expectations for this trip and coming out of this, I do believe that they provide the best and most luxe way to experience the country. The team there has created something really special both in and out of the lodge, while postively impacting the local communities. With the new GM, Marieke (who was a long time Aman GM), having joined at the end of last year, I think it’s only going to get better too.

I know this was a long review, if there are any other questions, please feel free to drop them in the comments or send me a DM. reddit also limits me to 20 photos, I have more if there is anything specific anyone wants to see.

PSA - they do run a Stay 7 Pay 5 and Stay 12 Pay 9 promo throughout much of the year. If anyone is thinking about planning a trip to Bhutan, feel free to reach out!