We left Bangkok later than we’d hoped and were barely in time to get to Siem Reap, Cambodia to join our new friends for lunch. We had never visited an Aman hotel before, but knew the chain by reputation. It’s actually hard to call Aman a chain, as each of its 31 properties in 20 countries is uniquely situated and designed to belong to its own location in architecture and culture. We were wowed by Amansara and thoroughly enjoyed our delicious lunch there. When the rest of our party had to leave, Julian and I were delighted to meet with Astrid, the manager, and to receive a tour of this exceptional hotel, filled with brilliant (not flashy) design, and wonderful hospitality. I can see why fans of Aman Hotels are fiercely loyal clients.

We got a taste of that hospitality when, during our sharing of plans with Astrid, she expertly put together a full itinerary to fill our remaining day and a half in Cambodia. All to start the next day at 5:00 am!

We finalized the plans, went for a drive through the city of Siem Reap, and landed at the Park Hyatt ready to close our eyes in preparation for waking before dawn.