SAURABH RAI, Executive Vice President of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, shares how unique lodgings transform travel into magical experiences.
HOW DID YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH TRAVELING?
Actually, I was born into a traveling family, and it has occupied the center of my life before it evolved into a lifestyle. Now, I travel for work, leisure, or simply for quality time with my family, whom I travel with almost every month.
I am grateful for the privilege of loving the work I do. With our motto of “Believe in Travel”, Preferred Hotels & Resorts is about discovering bespoke travel experiences around the world and connecting them with travelers seeking unique lodgings.
WHAT IS YOUR TRAVEL PHILOSOPHY?
To embrace and immerse oneself in diversity and to respect the local people. Travel is the best education in life, so the learning never stops. I’m a student of life and travel is my guidebook.
WHAT DO YOU ALWAYS LOOK FOR IN A HOTEL ROOM?
The foremost aspect is positive energy and the sense of comfort a room creates. The design, touch points, lighting, art, and amenities need to come together to generate an uplifting atmosphere. And so if a room can’t be a soothing living space, everything else becomes irrelevant.
DEFINE AN INDEPENDENT LUXURY HOTEL.
Above all, an independent luxury hotel is an unbound expression of extravagance by way of a unique experience. In fact these are usually storied hotels that embody the destination itself. The Fullerton Hotel Singapore and The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore, The Imperial New Delhi and The Siam Hotel in Bangkok are great examples.
In fact, a different take on luxury hospitality is offered by properties like Montage Hotels & Resorts and The Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts, for instance. Certainly, these are new build iconic luxury hotels that embrace a sense of destination to the fullest.
We also work with more than 230 of the finest spa and wellbeing properties, some of which are recognized as leaders in their field. For example: The Lodge and Spa at Brush Creek Ranch in Saratoga, Wyoming; Bungaraya Island Resort in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia; and Burg Vital Resort in Lech, Austria.
WHAT ARE HOTELS YOU ALWAYS GO BACK TO?
Some of my favorites include The Leela Palace Udaipur for its inspiring setting, uplifting décor, and stunning architecture; and The Siam Hotel in Bangkok for the art fusion of history with edgy modernity. Similarly, both properties are members of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts Legend Collection. Lastly, Soneva Fushi in the Maldives is soul stirring and the best place for recalibrating the mind and body.
WHAT IS THE MOST UNIQUE HOTEL YOU’VE STAYED IN?
The Upper House in Hong Kong, which is also a member of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts Legend Collection. In fact, everything is unique, from the sense of arrival to the room layout and design. Designed by Andre Fu, The Upper House’s inspiring spaces are nothing like what we normally see in hotels.
WHICH NEW HOTELS SHOULD TRAVELERS KNOW ABOUT?
We have exciting launches next year. For instance, Villa Copenhagen in Denmark, opens in late spring, while The Diaoyutai Mansion Frankfurt, will transform the city’s south side in March with a diverse range of fine dining outlets and entertainment facilities; there is also The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, which launched this October in the central business district.
WHAT IS ONE DESTINATION YOU GO BACK TO AGAIN AND AGAIN?
For the love of its earthy serenity and slowness of life, I love traveling to Maldives. Additionally, I experienced several of the destination’s most renowned properties including JA Manafaru, Coco Bodu Hithi, Six Senses Laamu, and Soneva Fushi.
In fact, my family and I went to the Maldives this Christmas and then back to Dubai soon after to soak up an action-packed week of bright lights and urban festive fervor.
HOW DOES PREFERRED HOTELS & RESORTS ASSIST INDEPENDENT HOTELS?
Our brand is a champion of independent, luxury properties and we provide global reach and credibility. Moreover, we also offer I Prefer Hotel Rewards, the world’s first points-based loyalty program for independent hotels. Certainly I Prefer Hotel Rewards empowers independent hotels to compete with the hotel chains. In addition, it offers points, elite status, special benefits, and room upgrades at more than 700 hotels.
Read more stories about independent luxury hotels in Travelife Magazine.
