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at a 25,000-square-foot spa like the one atAmangiri (which even features a
FloatationPavilion forcolor-therapy-enhancedflotation treatments)?Orperhaps
it’s the thrill of a tigersafari drive inRajasthan’sRanthambhoreNationalPark
they’reafter?“Someare insearchof anexperience that ismoresybaritic,”Zecha
notes. “Others, somethingmoreadventurous.”Whether it’sdownrightpampering
orcultural immersion—orsomecombinationof both— thatareon theagenda,
Amanjunkiesdohaveonequality incommon: loyalty.Theyare, bydefinition, re-
peat customers, oftenbouncing fromone far-flungAmanresort to thenext.
Zechaseems tofit theAmanjunkiedescriptionhimself: amanwith limited
timebutplentyof passion for farawayculturesandplaces. Fromawealthy
Indonesian-Czech family, Zechawasschooled insophistication fromanearlyage.
Hedabbled in journalism,workingat
Time
magazine in the late1950s, before leav-
ing to launch lifestylepublications inAsia.He later foundedRegent International
Hotels, oneofAsia’sfirst luxuryhotel groups,with two friends.Over thedecades,
he’s foundedandheldstakes inhalf adozen luxuryhotel andmanagement compa-
nies.Hewas looking forasite tobuildaholidayhome inThailandwhenhestum-
bledacross thepeaceful, pristinestretchwhereAmanpuri sits today.
Indeed,Amanresortspropertiesaredesigned to feel likevisitingaprivate resi-
denceora friend’svacationhome,whichvisually translatesasspaceandsimplici-
tywithout stuffiness. It’sas thoughAmanresortshaspatentedastateofmind, and
“
Clearly the specialtyof [the SouthernUtah location] iswhat
we callGeorgiaO’Keeffe country; although, whatwewantedwas
tohave something thatwasnot a classicpueblo-stylehomebut
somethingmore contemporary in that spirit.Whywe chose [the
site] is because of the beautyof the drama in the surroundings.
”
Amangiri (Utah)
PROFILE
Aman’s Appeal
WINTER 2011
celebratedliving.com
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