Book Belmond for storied places and glamour — landmark historic hotels, legendary trains like the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, and a lively, sociable atmosphere. Book Aman for the opposite: serene, minimalist, design-led seclusion and radical privacy. They're both icon-makers, but Belmond celebrates the place and the scene while Aman removes you from it.
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Belmond and Aman both create places people travel specifically to experience — but they sit at opposite ends of the luxury spectrum, and choosing between them is really choosing a mood.
Belmond, owned by LVMH since 2019, is a collection of about 46 storied properties across 24 countries: grand historic hotels like Hotel Cipriani in Venice, Splendido in Portofino, and Mount Nelson in Cape Town, plus a roster of legendary trains — the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, the British Pullman, the Royal Scotsman — and river cruises and safaris. The register is romantic, sociable, and celebratory; Belmond hotels are part of their cities' life, not removed from it. The brand's own language is 'slow luxury.'
Aman is the seclusion purist: roughly 35 resorts, most under 50 rooms, pared-back architecture, near-monastic calm, and a famously devoted following. Where Belmond puts you at the glamorous center of a place, Aman gives you silence and privacy at its edge. Choose Belmond for storied landmarks, trains, and a lively scene; choose Aman for quiet, design-led seclusion. Full case below.
| Belmond | Aman | |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | ~46 hotels, trains & cruises, 24 countries | ~35 resorts, 20 countries |
| Owner | LVMH (since 2019) | Privately held |
| Register | Storied, sociable, glamorous | Minimalist, serene, private |
| Signature | Iconic trains (Orient-Express) & landmark hotels | Design purity and seclusion |
| Atmosphere | Part of the city's life | Removed and hushed |
| Loyalty points | None | None |
| Best for | Heritage, trains, romance, scene | Privacy, design, switch-off |
Signature: A collection of the world's most storied hotels, trains, and cruises — places with history and glamour, experienced sociably rather than in seclusion.
Belmond sells the romance of place and journey. Its hotels are landmarks — Cipriani on Giudecca with its Olympic-size pool, Splendido above Portofino's harbor, Caruso terraced over the Amalfi Coast, Mount Nelson under Table Mountain — and its trains are legends in their own right, led by the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. The mood is celebratory and sociable: you're at the glamorous center of a destination, dressing for dinner, surrounded by history. For anniversaries, milestone trips, and travelers who love a sense of occasion, that's the appeal.
It's part of LVMH's luxury portfolio now, and the recent investment leans into 'slow luxury' — journeys and craft over check-in-and-out.
Honest trade-off: Belmond is the opposite of secluded — its best hotels are lively and central, so they're a poor fit if you want privacy and quiet. Because it's a collection of distinct, often historic properties, consistency varies and some grand dames trade partly on heritage; rooms can be smaller or more classic than a modern resort. The trains, while extraordinary, are short, expensive, and not for everyone.
Weighted: Service 25%, Design 20%, Romance / Value / Food 15% each, Location 10%. Scores are HotelsForKings editorial judgments, not guest review averages.
An 11th-century palazzo in Ravello with a clifftop infinity pool.
A former monastery with a Michelangelo-attributed façade above the city.
The pink grande dame in nine acres of gardens under Table Mountain.
Raymond Blanc's two-Michelin-star country-house hotel in Oxfordshire.
Signature: Pared-back, site-specific design and near-monastic calm — privacy so complete you can pass days seeing almost no other guests.
Aman is what you choose when you want to disappear. Resorts are small and architecturally serious, service is discreet to the point of near-invisibility, and the whole experience is engineered for silence and privacy. Where Belmond immerses you in a place's life, Aman gives you a sanctuary apart from it — ideal for honeymoons, anniversaries spent in private, and anyone who wants to genuinely switch off.
It runs no loyalty program and sits at the top of the price ceiling, but for design and seclusion it's unrivalled.
Honest trade-off: Aman's austerity and quiet can feel under-energized to travelers who want glamour, history, and a scene — exactly what Belmond delivers. It's extremely expensive, earns no points, and the hushed, adult atmosphere makes many Amans a poor fit for lively families or anyone who finds minimalism cold.
Weighted: Service 25%, Design 20%, Romance / Value / Food 15% each, Location 10%. Scores are HotelsForKings editorial judgments, not guest review averages.
Twenty-six rooms in a secret 32-acre garden at the foot of Hidari Daimonji.
The most private square footage in Manhattan, in the Crown Building.
A five-lodge circuit across Bhutan's valleys — the ultimate switch-off.
Ubud-valley suites over the Ayung River; vintage Aman serenity.
Book Belmond when the place is the point — a storied hotel with history and glamour, a legendary train journey, and a sociable, celebratory atmosphere. It's the natural choice for anniversaries, milestone trips, and travelers who want to be at the romantic center of a destination rather than hidden from it.
Book Aman when you want to switch off completely — silence, privacy, and design-led seclusion at a small, architecturally serious resort. The choice is mood, not quality: Belmond celebrates the place and the scene; Aman removes you from it. For a honeymoon spent in private, Aman; for a grand European tour, Belmond.
Both are top-tier, but in different registers. Aman is more exclusive and private — small, minimalist resorts engineered for seclusion. Belmond is more glamorous and storied — landmark historic hotels and legendary trains experienced sociably. Neither is 'more' luxurious; Aman wins on privacy and design, Belmond on heritage and occasion.
Belmond operates the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, the famous luxury train, along with the British Pullman, the Royal Scotsman, and the Eastern & Oriental Express, plus river cruises and safaris. This collection of iconic journeys is a defining Belmond feature that Aman, a resort-only brand, doesn't offer.
Aman if you want privacy, quiet, and design-led seclusion — small villas, hushed atmosphere, a true switch-off. Belmond if you want romance with glamour and a sense of occasion — a storied hotel, dressing for dinner, perhaps a leg on the Orient-Express. Choose by whether your ideal honeymoon is secluded or celebratory.
Neither runs a loyalty points program. Belmond is part of LVMH and Aman is privately held, and both deliver value through experience and preferred-advisor perks (breakfast, upgrades, credits) rather than points. If points are a priority, look instead at Park Hyatt or Ritz-Carlton.
Belmond's resort and beach properties can suit families, and its trains are a memorable experience for older children, but several of its hotels are grand, classic, and adult in feel. Aman is generally less family-oriented still. For dedicated family facilities, a Four Seasons or Ritz-Carlton resort is a stronger fit than either.
No — Belmond is a collection of distinct, often historic landmark properties, so each has its own character and the experience varies by hotel, much as Aman's resorts differ. The common thread is heritage and a sense of place rather than a uniform chain standard.
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