INVESTMENT
THE EVOLUTION of Aman ’ s strategy
COO ROLAND FASEL ELABORATES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF AMAN EMPHASIZING URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND TALKS ABOUT THE EXPECTATIONS FOR THE NEW SIGNATURE NEW YORK CITY PROPERTY , AMONG OTHER THINGS .
by JEFF WEINSTEIN , EDITOR IN CHIEF
Aman Suite at Aman New York City
Aman has been putting greater emphasis on urban resorts over the past five years and just now in the U . S . Vladislav Doronin ’ s ultra-luxury group is making perhaps its biggest impression yet . In early August it will finally open the Aman New York and earlier this spring they signed a deal to operate in Beverly Hills , California , for developers Alagem Capital and Cain International at the high-profile , 17.5-acre One Beverly Hills development .
At Fifth Avenue and West 57th Street with views of Central Park , Aman New York , under development for seven years , occupies the top 20 floors of the iconic Crown Building and includes 22 exclusive residences atop the 83-room hotel . All but four of the condos are sold and sales really took off over the last 18 months , according to Aman COO Roland Fasel . A full-floor unit sold for a reported grandiose US $ 55 million ( roughly US $ 8,730 per square foot ).
Doronin ’ s OKO Group in July closed a US $ 754 million loan to refinance the New York property and finally opening the doors with extraordinary pre-opening demand is a welcome relief to Fasel and property Managing Director Rudy Tauscher .
Across the country in Los Angeles , the Aman hotel , branded residence and membership club are supposed to open in 2026 less than a mile away from Rodeo Drive shopping .
Aman now operates some 35 resorts and urban hotels in more than 20 countries , again with an increasing emphasis on city center opportunities . Aman Residences in Tokyo is expected to open next year along with Aman Nai Lert Bangkok , while Aman Miami Beach is set for 2024 .
Fasel says Aman believes it is still underexposed in Italy and is very close on a deal or two there . He added that it would be beautiful to add properties in Africa and South America and move in further south of the Aman in Mexico City .
HOTELS recently spoke with Fasel to describe Aman ’ s direction and the significance of these two crucial urban developments in the United States .
HOTELS : What ’ s on your mind ? Roland Fasel : We are still in the middle of a very strong growth cycle . The pipeline is strong and there are nine hotels under construction and 20 at some sort of commitment level . I feel that ’ s about the magnitude of a pipeline we can absorb during
48 hotelsmag . com September 2022