Tl;dr – Aman’s ‘second’ brand, Janu, will open a boutique property within a national park on the island.
Luxury hotel fans who love spinoff movies and sitcoms might also enjoy today’s news. Aman Group recently announced its latest project for its sister lifestyle brand Janu – the Janu Turks and Caicos. Set within ‘the shores of an 18,000-acre nature reserve, bordering the white-sand beaches and rocky coves of Northwest Point Marine National Park,’ the Janu Turks and Caicos will consist of both guestrooms and a small offering of residences and presumably won’t be very far away from its sister property, the Amanyara.
Similar to properties from its ‘big sibling’ Aman, wellness will be on prime display at the Janu Turks and Caicos. Taking every opportunity to weave the scenery into a thoughtfully crafted sensory experience, the resort will feature a robust Spa and Wellness Centre, including an IV Lounge, Meditation Studio, and Apothecary Bar. The private beach club will also be a great place to relax.
Guests will enjoy a variety of culinary concepts, each with a focus on fresh, high-end cuisine.
My Take
Turks and Caicos is beautiful. A few years ago, I had a great trip where I stayed at two hotels, one in Providenciales and the other in South Caicos. I enjoyed my stays at both Point Grace Resort and Spa and Sailrock (I stayed at these properties when they were bookable on Hyatt through its now-defunct partnership with Small Luxury Hotels. Both are now available on Hilton). Additionally, there’s been some solid introductions to the Turks and Caicos luxury scene over the last year. And a property that promises serenity within a scenic national park sounds great.
That said, I have my reservations about the Janu brand and whether it’s worth it. The Janu Turks and Caicos is one of twelve new Janu projects under development around the world. If you’re unfamiliar with the Janu brand, its first location debuted last year with the opening of Janu Tokyo, which has received mixed reviews to date. Part of the lukewarm reception surrounding the Tokyo property can likely be attributed to the whole ‘working the kinks out’ thing.
Still, it’s fair to wonder if the Janu brand might have an essence problem in the future. While Aman’s small-uber-exclusive-high-price-tag-catered-service motif is well known, it seems like every other hotel chain is capable of (and actively does) spinning out an ‘upscale’ offshoot that is a bit more light touch with service but plays up the ‘vibe’ and ‘hip sense of place.’ I’m not sure there’s enough of a distinction between the Janu Tokyo and other premium hotels that would catch my attention, particularly at comparable price points. (I recently decided against staying at the Janu Tokyo for an upcoming trip to Japan).
Conclusion
There is no set opening date yet, but construction is underway for the Janu Turks and Caicos. It’ll be interesting to see how this property settles in amongst the burgeoning luxury hotel scene on the island(s), including its existing sister property from Aman, Amanyara.
