- You have had a remarkable hospitality journey with two of the major groups in the industry- Oberoi and Marriott, How would you describe both these experiences in a few sentences?
I have had a remarkable Hospitality journey spanning little over two decades. I consider myself lucky to have started this journey with Oberoi Hotels and Resorts, which helped me with a solid base in terms of understanding luxury. It helped me in the earlier part of my career to understand that the devil is in the details. It is beneficial to get this trait in the beginning of the career, as this is something that came in handy running a hotel. Transition from Oberoi hotels to Marriott International was easy. Marriot being the largest operator globally has helped me to work in five different countries in the past ten years. Working with a diverse workforce opens up our perspective on Hospitality and prepares us for bigger responsibility. I look forward to many more years with Marriott International.
2. What are the unique GM learnings you bring to Le Meridien Maldives?
Following Marriott International founder’s philosophy of “Take care of associates and they will take care of the customers”, we always put people first. Everything is linked while leading a dedicated team to manage a resort in the Maldives. It is linked in the way that we need to take care of our associates even more, as everyone lives on the resort. This is a different environment. Unlike a city hotel where once the associate finishes their work they go back to their respective houses, then they are not the responsibility of the hotel. In a resort in Maldives, it’s different because everyone lives on the resort. Therefore, a lot of focus is on associates and their well-being.
Again, Marriott conducts an associate driven measurement, which is called the Associate Engagement Survey, wherein we measure associate engagement in their department and hotel. We have done very well on that front as well, which is a testimony to the fact that the team is happy on the resort island. As I said earlier everything is linked, so once your team is happy, they create happy moments for the guests. We pursue excellence and our dedication to our guests show in everything we do. Guests, who are being wowed, have returned to the resort multiple times. This in turn helps you to generate revenue.
Having worked in different countries like Bali, Malaysia, Singapore and India, I have many resources everywhere in terms of manpower. A lot of people who had worked with me in the past also wanted to come and be a part of this preopening team. To move people from Bali to Maldives and from Bangalore to Maldives, and shuffle the workforce from within Marriott is what we did. In the end, approximately 45% of the total workforce of Le Meridien Maldives Resort & Spa is from a Marriott background. They understand the Marriott culture, which makes our life easier on the island. When we opened the resort on 1 September 2021, we were ready and set. We knew that we were absolutely in a space where we could welcome the first guests on the island. We had the first seaplane on the island, and the journey then began!
3. Since the hotel encloses a beautiful experience for its guests, what do you as a GM ensure for maximizing these bespoke experiences?
Le Meridien Maldives Resort & Spa personalized service and thoughtfully created programs assist us in curating unforgettable memories for our guests during their island getaway. In addition, satisfied guests are a powerful marketing tool, as happy guests will recommend our hotel to their family and friends as well as stay with us again. In a span of 14 months, we have had many repeater guests, some who have chosen us for the 4th time for a vacation in the Maldives. This is an upscale brand, and what is expected out of Le Méridien as a brand is what we keep delivering consistently. Quality of food and beverage is important because guests who stay in the resort do not have an option to visit any other restaurant. There is a lot of emphasis on the quality of F&B. Guests have praised us for our F&B quality, which makes us feel happy about the fact that we are not making the guests a captive audience on the resort and not giving them food which they like or which is of their choice.
Some of the one of kind, bespoke experiences that we offer to all our guests are as follows:
The Greenhouse
Learn about sustainable farming practices with links to traditions of foraging and preserving and garden-to-plate philosophies and their impact in an archipelago formed nation. At 430M2, The Greenhouse is one of the Maldives’ largest state-of-the-art hydroponic farms that has been purposely designed to promote sustainable farming and consumption.
The Harvest Table
The Harvest Table transforms the essence of The Greenhouse into an edible narrative with every bite. Garden-to-table supper club with homegrown flavours that embodies the spirit of the Maldives in every bite. Bursting with fresh vegetables, fragrant herbs and ocean breezes, this weekly pop-up table engages guests in a dining experience that spotlights ethical and sustainable farming practices whilst enjoying imaginative dishes with a conscience.
Tabemasu
Defined as “to eat” in Japanese, Tabemasu is a distinct dining experience where art, design and cuisine are fused to create a playful dining experience. The menu focusses on various Japanese dishes encompassing regional tastes that blend modern and traditional techniques. Tabemasu’s attention-to-detail extends to a purposely-designed Teppanyaki counter, and curated cocktail, sake and tea list. Savour show-stopping cuisine with a lively culinary performance by Tabemasu’s expert Teppanyaki chef. Sample Japanese delicacies – with the option to include wine and sake pairings.
Dining experiences
A dreamy picnic on a private island, sunset by the sea with waves lapping at the shore, harvest dining in a tropical greenhouse, hideaway within the seclusion of your villa or a sparkling family soirée – whatever the special occasion, we’ll make it magical.
Culinary Season
Culinary Season is the resort’s premier dining programme where we showcase some of the best dishes, beverages and dining experiences from all around the world right. From Michelin star, award winning to trendsetters, the resort invites chefs, baristas and mixologists from the world’s top restaurants and bars to offer their unique talents, signature dishes and delicious beverages. Culinary Season is packed with industry heavyweights and a diverse range of unique experiences for our guests.
Bodu Finolhu
Discovery moments await at Bodu Finolhu, in our exclusive Private Island. Defined as “Big Island” in Dhivehi, encounter an untouched idyll with a flourishing tropical forest, pristine beach, and glistening shades of blue, exclusively for guests of our resort to explore. Bodu Finolhu is the perfect locale for an exclusive sunset aperitif hour in, a romantic beach dinner, or a private picnic for you and your family.
Unlock art
Creative Arts Studio – The creative arts space aims to educate and inspire guests during their stay through a dynamic mix of art programmes presented by Maldivian artist Karuhaa Raape, guests are invited to explore the Maldives through various forms of art and design, presented by a calendar of young up and coming artists who has been handpicked to bring the art programming to life on Thilamaafushi Island.
Le Meridien Family
A curated menu of purposely designed family expeditions that include nature trails, coral restoration, mangrove conservation, traditional fishing, dolphin sightings, private island explorations, and more.
Featuring age-appropriate programming catering for kids, tweens and teens, the programming blends discovery, adventure and how their Maldives learning experiences can be employed at home.
• Ecological explorations that showcase Le Méridien’s commitment to conservation on land and sea.
• Promotion and stewardship of the environment.
• Nourish the body through green-thumb gardening, harvesting, plotting and cooking.
• Enriching discoveries that foster a greater understanding of the local terrain and connection to the larger eco-system.
Le Méridien Family Kids Hub
Through an edu-taining program that nurtures discovery and conservation, the Kids’ Hub aims to engage through a curated program that invites make-believers, aspiring inventors, junior culinarians, and little culture-seekers into an immersive world where toying, tinkering, and free-play are celebrated. We offer a fun-filled schedule, 7 days a week, with outdoor activities allowing the children to experience the Maldivian spirit: marine biology, aqua adventures, Maldivian dance lessons, Bodu Beru lessons, gardening, shell collecting, palm leaf art, coconut bowling, treasure hunt, nature walk, beach fun games and sand sculptures making.
Thilamaafushi Marine Master’s
Unique to Le Meridien Maldives Resort & Spa is Thilamaafushi Marine Master’s, a specially designed programme that inspires young adventurers to connect with the environment around them in the hope of future preservation. The immersive programme is available in bite-size modules or a full curriculum that is scalable from young children to teens. Led by the resort’s marine biologist, topics include atoll topography, coral identification and health monitoring, turtle identification and for young adult’s ray and shark protection.
Ensuring minimal environmental impact was and continues to be paramount throughout the build and resort operations. The hotel safeguards a low carbon footprint through leading-edge practices that focus on renewable energy, waste reduction and usage of renewable resources. Standout initiatives include the widespread use of solar panels and lighting and one of the Maldives’ largest state-of-the-art hydroponic farms that has been purposely designed to promote hydroponic farming and consumption. Guests can learn first-hand hydroponic practices and its links to traditions of foraging and preserving – garden-to-plate philosophies and their impact in an archipelago formed nation.
4. What according to you is the difference between leisure and business travel hospitality?
The business and leisure traveler have different wants, needs and travel patterns. The leisure industry is the segment of business focused on recreation, entertainment, sports, and tourism while business travel is more limited. Generally, individuals are working while travelling, but are doing so away from work and home. Leisure Travelers may spend hours upon hours reading reviews and recommendations about family friendly facilities, resorts, restaurants, spa, entertainment and recreation options, etc. In most cases, business Travelers spend far less time worrying about reviews and recommendations, they are more concerned with access, convenience and productivity. They may are interested in on-site quick dining options, laundry services, hotel gym and fitness facilities, plus the presence of a business center. With business travelers, there is not much interaction with them, when they come to the hotel. Most of them they arrive, they leave early in the morning, they go out doing business, for the whole day and they come back in the evening for dinner and a good night sleep.
Typically, the main difference between resorts and hotels is in the amenities. Hotels cater to travelers who need a place to spend the night at a certain destination; resorts tend to be destinations in themselves. Resorts have a more spacious layout, offering our guests everything they need in one place. A resort like Le Meridien Maldives Resort & Spa has everything a hotel does as well as considered a destination in itself, as guests can literally find everything they will need for their vacation in one spot. Moreover, a resort island like ours caters to all leisure guests whether they are families with infants or teenaged kids and grandparents as well as young couples who are celebrating their new beginnings or two decades together, group of friends or even solo travelers who want to get away from their routine life to prioritize on some self-love. Unlike business travelers who stay in hotels based in metropolis or industrial locations, leisure travelers usually stay in resorts that are naturally positioned in scenic settings like the Maldives that offers a welcome escape from day-to-day routines.
5. The Maldives is a popular holiday destination, how does Le Meridien Maldives consider that with various aspects of the hotel?
Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa welcomed its first guests in September 2021, it marked the debut of Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts in one of the world’s most fascinating destinations. The 141-villa resort lies secluded in a southern pocket of Lhaviyani Atoll on the natural island of Thilamaafushi; is a canvas for the curious and creative minded traveler to discover an eco-conscious haven of indigenous flora and fauna enveloped by a shimmering lagoon and fringing reefs bursting with marine life. Inspired by the formation of the Archipelago and its rich culture, Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa celebrates the sights, sounds and aromas of the Maldives through the distinct European spirit of savoring the good life. To ensure that this biodiversity is not only preserved, but thrives, Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa is committed to environmental consciousness in line with Marriott International’s ‘Serve 360’ sustainability policy – with a range of pioneering programmes that promote a culture of best practice throughout resort operations.
An energetic mix of cultural and lifestyle programming at the hotel is designed to celebrate the art of travel and unlock the heart of the destination. The Marine Hub at the resort offers a range of conservation programmes including mangrove and seagrass protection and turtle identification and snorkeling with the marine biologist, with the opportunity for guests to name a turtle for themselves. Curious guests can discover an aquatic playground at the resort’s house reef that features four dive sites and a thila (Sea Mountain), all brimming with green and hawksbills turtles, various stingrays, shoals of colorful fish and many more unique reef dwellers waiting to be discovered. Guests can also embark on farther afield marine expeditions to some of the Atoll’s 50 dive and thila sites that the atoll is renowned for. Waiting to be explored is the resort’s private island Bodu Finolhu, complete with tropical greenery and 360-degree beach.
Seen through a distinctly European lens of timeless, chic and innovative perspectives on modern travel, our three unique filters help us clarify the experiences and offerings that will deliver on our promise of discovery. Encompassing our modern classic design sensibility, inherent passion for culture, the arts and cuisine, and a commitment to the highest standards of service, this distilled vision creates clear pathways for discovery that guide our resort and our guests.
6. If you had to modify/ change two things in the hospitality industry, what would they be?
Staff turnover in the hospitality industry is almost double the average across industries. In recent years, the high turnover and increasing competition has heightened the issue of the skilled labor shortage in the hospitality industry overall. We need to constantly find ways to make sure that everything is running smoothly at all times, and leaders have to find new ways to manage their team’s stress because they cannot afford them to burnout or constantly filling the same position with new hires. Better training programmes, hospitality industry certifications, and online hospitality courses and on the job training are implemented in our resort to decrease issues and enhance skilled labor percentage. Compassionate leadership is also one of the key attributes of managers today, and with proper team management, managers can reduce this gap.
The macro issues of the world right from the socio – political as well as economic challenges, affect the travel industry. Events like the Covid pandemic have only stressed on better risk management for hospitality organizations. Economic issues continually challenge businesses to adapt and change to meet current conditions by social and economic factors in the environment, which is out of our control. Innovation, diversification and effective management would continue to hold the key in terms of managing the issue of seasonality in the hospitality industry.
7. Where do you see yourself taking Le Meridien Maldives in the next 3-5 years?
We at the Marriott always embrace change and innovation has always been part of our story. We are driven to continually challenge the status quo and anticipate our customers’ changing needs with new guest experiences. We look forward to welcoming guests to unlock the sights, sounds and aromas of the destination, showcasing matchless hospitality and enriching experiences that bring to life the Maldives through Le Méridien’s distinct European-lens. Along with Le Méridien’s focus on timeless mid-century design and signature brand programmes, guests are invited to savour the moment and delight in the discovery of everything the resort has to offer.
