"Deceptively Edited" | Aman Issues Official Response to Ryan Walker Fiasco
Breaking weeks of silence following a viral internet storm, corporate leadership at ultra-luxury hospitality group Aman has formally issued its official corporate statement regarding the confrontation between security staff and YouTube reviewer Ryan Walker at the newly opened Amanvari resort in Baja California Sur, Mexico.
LOS ANGELES. In a direct statement delivered to The Wall Street Journal, an official corporate spokesperson for Aman rejected Walker's narrative, issuing a firm, direct accusation against the digital creator. For context on the resort itself and its opening, see our Amanvari resort guide and architectural breakdown.
“The deceptively edited video created by someone unauthorized to be on our property does not reflect the circumstances of the incident accurately.”
Aman Corporate Spokesperson, via The Wall Street Journal
Key Points Issued by Aman Corporate
Accompanying their formal statement, Aman representatives provided four specific structural clarifications detailing what occurred during the encounter.
1. Police Were Never Contacted
While Walker's viral video titled "Amanvari Called the Police on Me" features an on-camera staff member stating "I need to call the police now," Aman confirmed via internal incident logs that law enforcement was never actually summoned or dispatched to the resort. Walker subsequently acknowledged to reporters that he departed the property before seeing any officers arrive.
2. Arrival via Restricted Employee Entrances
Aman clarified that Walker's driver bypassed the resort's formal main entrance, pulling up instead to a wooden guard shack used exclusively as a service access point for staff. Ambient audio in Walker's own unedited footage captures a resort worker explicitly stating in Spanish, "Este es el acceso de colaboradores" (this is the employee entrance).
Aman Corporate Counter-Claims Matrix
├── Official Quote: Video is "deceptively edited" by an unauthorized individual
├── Law Enforcement Status: No police dispatched; internal incident report contains zero police logs
├── Entry Gate Clarification: Walker arrived via a service/employee gate
├── Prior Warning: Five-day prior notice issued regarding a month-long media blackout
└── Financial Resolution: Full $4,662.82 reservation refund issued plus offer to cover travel rebooking
3. Media Blackout Policies and Cancellation Timelines
According to internal emails provided by both parties, Amanvari contacted Walker five days prior to his trip to explain that the property was enforcing a strict month-long media blackout during opening week and could not accommodate stays involving commercial content coverage. Although Walker requested to be treated as a standard paying guest, the property ultimately canceled his $4,662.82 booking a day before arrival after no formal media clearances were arranged.
4. Financial Refund and Rebooking Offer
Aman confirmed that the resort processed a full 100% refundfor Walker's $4,662.82 reservation cost and formally offered to cover his additional travel cancellation fees and assist in rebooking his stay for a future date outside the exclusive media window, an offer Walker declined.
What This Means for Luxury Hotel Media Policies
The Amanvari incident has quickly become a case study in the growing friction between ultra-luxury hospitality brands and the digital creator economy. As properties increasingly enforce media blackout windows and commercial filming restrictions during opening periods, the lack of standardized protocols for content creator access has created a regulatory gray area that both sides are navigating in real time.
For readers tracking the broader luxury travel and hospitality landscape, our Travel section covers resort openings, hotel policy analysis, and destination guides across the premium segment. See also our luxury travel credit card guide for the booking benefits that apply across top-tier properties, and our Maldives vs Bora Bora guide for how other Aman properties compare in the island resort segment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Aman actually call the police on Ryan Walker?No. Aman confirmed via internal incident logs that law enforcement was never summoned or dispatched. The security guard's on-camera statement about calling police was never acted upon, and Walker left before any officers could have arrived.
What did Aman say in its official statement?Aman told The Wall Street Journal that Walker's video was "deceptively edited" and that Walker was "unauthorized to be on our property." The statement also clarified that Walker arrived via a restricted employee service entrance.
Was Ryan Walker refunded for his Amanvari booking?Yes. Aman confirmed it issued a full 100% refund for Walker's $4,662.82 reservation and offered to cover his additional travel cancellation fees. Walker declined the rebooking offer.
Why did Aman cancel Walker's reservation? Amanvari contacted Walker five days before his trip to notify him of a month-long media blackout during opening week. After no formal media clearance was arranged, the property canceled the booking one day before arrival.
Full reporting on the incident, the corporate statement, and industry analysis is available via The Wall Street Journal and Live and Let's Fly.