resorts – we ’ re still trying to get some over the line ... The aspiration is to reach 45 to 48 hotels within the next few years , and it is still very much where we feel we can deliver .
We have also done the heavy lifting around Aman Essential – the retail business with spa products , clothing , active wear and more – and we will do more in the retail space around furniture .
The next important part of our brand extension is Aman at Sea . We have a signed deal with partners , and it is a completely different business – from marketing to bookings and deposits . There is a lot of learning to be done there , but it ’ s exciting and I think it ’ s going to be quite a good story around expanding our brand .
We also continue to evolve with wellness , and we are very excited that Bhutan reopens in a few months , which obviously has been closed for so long .
Bath in suite at Aman New York City
the current structure … New York is opening August 2 . Miami is coming , we have announced Beverly Hills , and Tokyo is coming in November 2023 . The switch from resorts to an urban context is now very engrained in our strategy . Now it is coming through , and several others will be announced … That doesn ’ t mean we ’ re not looking for other exotic
H : How much equity is Aman putting into new deals ? RF : The aim is definitely asset light . But I am in a fortunate situation where I have an owner , developer and real estate specialist in the game who runs propco and obviously is involved in the Aman brand , intensely , and wants to have some skin in the game if necessary . So , I have from zero equity to 49 % equity and 51 % equity , depending on what makes sense . But it ’ s a huge advantage to be able to have the conversations … We have been able to grow over the last five , six years in those top locations because we have a chairman and owner who is willing to put skin in the game . That shows commitment and ability to empathize with the developer
September 2022 hotelsmag . com 49