The short answer
Aman, Six Senses and Como Hotels & Resorts are three of the most aspirational hotel collections in the world. They are not direct competitors: each is the best at a different type of trip. In summary: Aman for those who seek architectural silence and hotels that are destinations in themselves; Six Senses for those who prioritise serious wellness and sustainability with measurable standards; Como for those who want Italian elegance with an Ayurvedic-rooted spa and more family-friendly flexibility. All three are our partners and we have operated all three dozens of times.
This article compares philosophy, signature locations, price range, gastronomy style, spa offering and ideal client profile. At the end, a guide by trip type.
Aman · luxury understood as silence
Philosophy and design
Aman has spent 36 years (founded in 1988 with Amanpuri in Phuket) building hotels with the same thesis: fewer rooms (rarely more than 40), native architecture interpreted by Kerry Hill, Ed Tuttle or Jean-Michel Gathy, and a staff-to-guest ratio above 4:1. There are no welcome signs. There are no organised activities. There is space to do nothing.
Representative locations
- Aman Tokyo — floors 33-38 of the Otemachi Tower, views over the Imperial Palace. Urban-monastic.
- Aman Venice — 16th-century Palazzo Papadopoli on the Grand Canal, 24 historic suites.
- Amanjena (Marrakesh) — desert kasbah, 39 pavilions arranged around reflecting pools.
- Aman Kyoto — 26 rooms + 2 villas in a cedar forest north-west of Kyoto.
- Amanzoe (Peloponnese) — white temple set above olive groves with views over the Aegean.
- Amangiri (Utah) — set on desert sandstone, architecture by Marwan Al-Sayed.
Price range
A standard room at Aman rarely drops below 1,500 € · night. The reference suites (Aman Tokyo Suite, Rooftop Suite at Aman Venice, Amanjena Al Hamra Maison) start from 4,000-8,000 € · night. Amangiri Camp Sarika and the villas at Amanzoe can exceed 15,000 € · night.
Ideal client profile
Those seeking complete disconnection, where the destination is part of the trip, who prioritise architecture and do not ask the hotel for a social life or an activities programme. It is the favourite hotel for anniversary trips, retirement, or architects and designers. It is not the most suitable hotel for families with young children, nor for those who want to be near urban life.
Six Senses · serious wellness and measurable sustainability
Philosophy and design
Six Senses was founded in 1995 and today belongs to IHG (InterContinental group). Its thesis: wellness integrated from the architectural design and sustainability with measurable standards (water bottled in-house, plastic eliminated, organic garden, certified buildings). The dominant materials are bamboo, reclaimed teak and local stone. Rooms have less visible technology than Aman but more functional technology (air quality, climate-control curtains, sleep systems).
Representative locations
- Six Senses Bhutan — 5 connected lodges (Thimphu, Punakha, Paro, Gangtey, Bumthang), one of the most complete wellness offerings in the world.
- Six Senses Douro Valley — restored 19th-century Portuguese estate with vineyards along the Douro.
- Six Senses Ibiza — the most sociable of the collection, at Cala Xarraca on the north of the island.
- Six Senses Fiji — family resort on Malolo island, ideal for young families.
- Six Senses Kaplankaya — Turkish Aegean coast, stone architecture on a clifftop.
- Six Senses Zil Pasyon (Seychelles) — private island of Félicité, 30 villas with pools.
Price range
A standard Six Senses room starts from 800 € · night. The reference villas (Nature Villa in Fiji, Cliff Villa at Kaplankaya, Royal Zil Pasyon Estate) sit between 3,000-8,000 € · night. The 5-lodge Six Senses Bhutan itinerary costs from 12,000 € · person for 12 nights. It tends to be 25-40% more affordable than Aman on comparable properties.
Ideal client profile
A traveller who values real wellness (not just spa: sleep retreats, biohacking, integrative medicine), young families with children who want a resort with a serious kids club and sustainability, couples who want a good balance between relaxation and activity. Also those who seek emerging hotels in less obvious destinations (Bhutan, Douro, Kaplankaya).
Como · Italian elegance with a spa soul
Philosophy and design
Como is an independent collection founded by Christina Ong in 1991. Its origin and philosophy comes from wellness: the first Como was the Como Shambhala Estate in Bali, today a world reference in ayurvedic retreats and detox. The aesthetic is minimalist Italian with Asian touches: light fabrics, bleached wood, contemporary art. Como Hotels has fewer hotels than Aman or Six Senses (17 properties) but each one has a very strong identity.
Representative locations
- Como Castello del Nero (Tuscany) — restored 12th-century castle, 50 rooms among the Chianti vineyards.
- Como Shambhala Estate (Bali) — the flagship wellness retreat, in the rainforest above Ubud.
- Como Uma Canggu (Bali) — creative hotel-hostel facing the ocean, a favourite of millennial families.
- Como The Halkin (London) — urban boutique in Belgravia.
- Como Metropolitan Bangkok — modern city hotel in the heart of Bangkok.
- Como Le Montrachet (Burgundy) — vineyard hotel in the heart of the world's most expensive Chardonnay.
- Como Cocoa Island (Maldives) — 33 overwater villas in the South Rangalifinolhu lagoon.
Price range
A standard Como room starts from 650 € · night. Villa with pool at Como Shambhala or Como Cocoa Island: 2,500-4,500 € · night. It is the most accessible of the three by price, with the best specialised wellness-detox offering.
Ideal client profile
A traveller who values minimalist Italian aesthetics, wants a serious ayurvedic wellness experience (not the usual hotel spa) and appreciates flexibility. Very popular with millennial couples with mid-teen children (10-15 years), with professionals seeking a real 7-14-day detox, and with those who want to combine a cultural destination (Tuscany, Burgundy) with a top-tier hotel without the ceremonial weight of Aman.
Side-by-side comparison
Average standard room price
- Aman: 1,500-2,500 € · night
- Six Senses: 800-1,400 € · night
- Como: 650-1,200 € · night
Number of properties worldwide
- Aman: 35
- Six Senses: 30 open + 27 in development
- Como: 17
Staff-to-guest ratio (approximate)
- Aman: 4:1 (among the highest in the industry)
- Six Senses: 3:1
- Como: 2.5:1
Spa focus
- Aman: spa as architectural design + indigenous local rituals
- Six Senses: clinical wellness with sleep retreats, biohacking, integrative medicine
- Como: serious Ayurveda + holistic detox (inherited from Como Shambhala Estate)
Gastronomy
- Aman: very high-quality local cuisine, few Michelin stars but very high standards (kaiseki at Aman Kyoto, historic Italian at Aman Venice)
- Six Senses: healthy cuisine tied to wellness. Zero gastronomic pretension except in some cases (COMO at Sensei Lanai for example)
- Como: Italian gastronomy with Michelin stars (Castello del Nero holds 1 star with Chef Giovanni Luca Di Pirro; Como The Halkin holds 1 star)
Family with children
- Aman: recommended from ages 8-10 (some properties)
- Six Senses: exceptional kids club at Fiji, Zil Pasyon, Douro Valley and Con Dao. Family-friendly from age 4.
- Como: family-friendly at Uma Canggu, Uma Punakha, Metropolitan Bangkok. From age 6.
When to choose Aman
Choose Aman if your trip is a short escape (5-8 nights) as a couple or solo, where the hotel is part of the destination, and you want total disconnection, architecture as experience and silence as service. The cases where Aman consistently wins:
- Silver or gold anniversaries with a single hotel for 5-7 nights
- Solo retreat for an overworked creative or executive
- Short trip to Venice, Kyoto or Marrakesh where the hotel is the destination
- Photography and architecture as the main interest of the trip
When to choose Six Senses
Choose Six Senses if you are looking for a 10-14 night trip where wellness is central, you have children, or you want to explore emerging destinations with high standards:
- Sleep retreat (Sleep Program) at Douro Valley or Bhutan
- Families with children aged 4-15 seeking a tropical resort (Fiji, Con Dao, Zil Pasyon)
- Transformative route through Bhutan with the 5 Six Senses lodges (12-14 nights)
- Serious wellness of 7-10 nights with an integrative-medical component
- Measurable sustainability as a purchase criterion
When to choose Como
Choose Como if you value minimalist Italian aesthetics, seek Michelin gastronomy in the hotel, or want serious Ayurvedic wellness without Aman's solemnity:
- Food and wine trip to Tuscany with Castello del Nero as base
- Ayurvedic detox of 7-14 days at Como Shambhala Estate (Bali)
- Families with mid-teens (10-15 years old) at Uma Canggu Bali
- Urban escape based in London (The Halkin), Bangkok (Metropolitan) or Miami (Como Metropolitan Miami Beach)
- Honeymoon in the Maldives at Como Cocoa Island
How we do it
At Luxury Atelier by Presstour we have worked with the three brands for years as preferred partners. When a client presents a trip that could fit any of them, we ask 3-4 quick questions: active or contemplative pace? Children or couple? Serious or symbolic wellness? Is gastronomy a pillar of the trip or an accessory? In 45 minutes of phone conversation it becomes clear which brand is the right one, and often the combination: it is common to combine 5 nights at Aman + 5 nights at Como for an Asian journey, or to do a 12-night Six Senses route through Bhutan when wellness is the priority.
If you are hesitating between the three for a specific trip, write to us with the dates and who it is for. We will tell you which one fits best within 24 hours, no commitment.
About the author
Elena González Teruel
Director of Luxury Atelier by Presstour. Decades of quietly opening doors others can't — Asia, boutique cruises, ultra-luxury hotels.
View Elena's LinkedIn