Steeped in tradition and laced with contemporary elegance in every detail – that is how Rajiv Kapoor, General Manager of Fairmont Jaipur, defines luxury. Over the past ten years, he has seen this term evolve gradually. From the erstwhile ostentatiousness, it now embraces individuality and wellbeing, with an acute need for hyper-personalisation and elevated levels of indulgence.
Kapoor has managed to stay on top of this game by keeping the guest connect alive. “We ensure that the time spent by our guests at Fairmont Jaipur, right from arrival to checkout, are momentous. We truly believe in turning moments into memories – which indeed is luxury in the true sense!” he stated.
To celebrate the hotel’s tenth year in India, an outdoor barbeque restaurant, ‘Zia’, was launched. The restaurant takes inspiration from the Mughal era’s grills and authentic American barbeque trails, ensuring a luxurious culinary experience for guests.
WELCOMING THE EXCURSIONISTS
Post-pandemic, guests seek much more than just a luxurious stay in a hotel. To inspire people to travel again, Fairmont Jaipur introduced various on-site guest experiences, private and exclusive dining experiences and personalised services to make them feel truly special and have a delightful stay.
Additionally, it unveiled opportunities to allow guests to immerse themselves in the local culture, including a visit to Nahargarh Fort and cycling to Hathi Gaon. These bespoke experiences go a long way in converting guests who visit the property as ‘excursionists’ into brand loyalists.
“The story of Fairmont Jaipur inspires a vision of timeless hospitality and invites guests to join us in imagining a place that is steeped in rich and privileged heritage, yet is effortlessly modern,” Kapoor stated. “Every aspect of the hotel, the architecture, the layout, the décor and the hospitality has been inspired by two of India’s most celebrated rulers – Mughals and Rajputs.”
Hence, guests visiting Fairmont Jaipur get a multi-sensory experience drawn from these cultures from the moment they cross its threshold. It starts with the thrumming of the Nagada and the royal sounds of the trumpet, which not only heralds their arrival but also awakens their auditory senses.
The rose petal shower that follows provides visionary pleasure while a cold towel soothes their touch senses. The chefs continually curate locally-inspired welcome drinks, which are seasonal, to offer a taste of Rajasthan.
10 YEARS AND COUNTING
Over the last decade, Fairmont Jaipur has emerged as a key venue for dream weddings, and by extension, even Kukas is seen as a must-visit destination for travellers. The hotel has successfully conducted high profile events like MTV Music Summit, the sixth edition of Talk Journalism, the Young Presidents’ Organisation gathering, and the 10th season of Fashion Connect with international designer Michael Cinco.
While hosting these high-voltage events is a significant achievement, on a personal level, Kapoor is more focused on team empowerment and motivation. His sincere belief is that a great team is the backbone of success.
“I ensure that all my managers and key associates start their mornings on a healthy note with a gym or yoga session,” he elaborated. “Over weekends, we enjoy hiking and trekking together as part of our team bonding activities. During COVID-19, vaccination for all employees was one of my highs.”
The hospitality sector faced a major drawback during the pandemic leading to economic and corporate losses. However, Kapoor believed that employee trust, guest confidence, and commitment to wellness helped Fairmont Jaipur retain its brand status and positioning in the market with a substantial increase in overall business revenue and GOP.
The pandemic allowed Kapoor to add an extra level of scrutiny to the hotel’s housekeeping, security and other operations. SOPs were revised considering the situation and operational needs.
He introduced the ‘Angel List’ to enable floor supervisors to keep track of FIT and VIP movement on their respective floors and engage with them for better feedback. They were also provided short inspection forms to warrant consistency in daily checks as per the brand standard.
“We prepared videos for housekeeping and guest room cleaning procedures to train new and existing employees for consistency and uniformity. We have also kept in mind the safety measures, hygiene, standard operating procedure, disinfecting, time and motion study which need to be followed by the colleagues while cleaning the guest rooms,” Kapoor added.
Taking a leaf out of Accor’s Planet 21 initiative with the vision to give back to society, Fairmont Jaipur auctioned unclaimed lost and found items. The funds received were donated for the welfare of underprivileged people in the surrounding area.
Adopting digitalisation through technology with its menu, welcome card, and Butler services helped Fairmont Jaipur establish stronger guest relations. It walked the extra mile by creating unique dining experiences and assisting guests in celebrating their milestones.
Adding these personal touches while delivering luxury is yet another spin that Kapoor devised to make every stay at Fairmont Jaipur an unforgettable memory.
