Amanvari Incident: Viral Feud Erupts Over Content Creator's Banned Stay

On August 14, 2026, a social media controversy erupted, pitting a prominent luxury travel influencer against one of the world's most exclusive hotel brands. Ryan Walker, a YouTube personality known for paying full price for his reviews, alleges he was barred from a pre-paid one-night stay at Amanvari, the new Aman property in Baja California Sur. Walker claims he never made it past the front gate, despite a reported $4,663 reservation.

Days after Amanvari's August 1 opening, Walker posted a video titled “Amanvari Called the Police on Me,” which quickly garnered over 750,000 views. The Wall Street Journal notes that the video depicts Walker being escorted away by staff who informed him he lacked a reservation. However, Aman provides a starkly different account. The company asserts that Walker's video was "deceptively edited" and disputes his version of events. According to Aman, police were never involved, a claim they reportedly substantiated to the Wall Street Journal with an incident report that omits any mention of law enforcement.

Aman further states that Walker attempted to enter via a staff entrance, not the main gate. The resort also claims it sent both an email and a WhatsApp message notifying Walker of a cancellation the day prior to his arrival, citing limited capacity during opening week. Walker, for his part, maintains he did not see these communications until after the incident. Entrepreneur reports that "nearly every detail is disputed: when the cancellation email arrived, which entrance Walker used, whether police were actually called."

Aman has refunded Walker in full and offered to cover additional costs, an offer he reportedly declined while accepting the initial refund. What this means: The incident underscores the escalating tensions between content creators, who often value unfiltered access, and luxury brands accustomed to controlling their narrative. This public dispute casts an early, unglamorous shadow on Amanvari, a property designed for utmost discretion. Both parties face significant reputational stakes in the digital court of public opinion.