Page 92 - Hospitality Horizon - February-March 2021

EDIT NOTE

Talking of Indian hospitality, the Not surprisingly, this is the
country has some great local preferred hotel for social events and
brands in the luxury space what, weddings. It’s the place to be seen.
according to you, is distinctive It’s the place party. I guess one of my
about a brand like The St. Regis? key responsibilities is to preserve
I think the thing that differentiates and celebrate the rituals like the art
The St. Regis brand from the others of champagne sabering, the
is the timelessness that it has. It has a signature ceremony of The St. Regis
huge amount of authenticity in the evening rituals series, or the
story behind it. It is a brand that has afternoon tea in the Drawing Room.
a story around it; the story of an
inventor and change maker, John THE COMPETITION
Jacob Astor IV, who founded The St. Now that another luxury
Regis New York as a place to pursue Marriott hotel (The Ritz-Carlton)
his passions. Now, more than a is soon opening next door, do you
century later, The St. Regis brand is see that as competition?
renowned for its tradition of Well, not really. We may well
innovation and commitment to complement each other. What we are
impeccable service. Also it is the going to have to do is focus on what
story of Caroline Astor. Many of our our USPs are; what our key
most cherished rituals are inspired differentiators are.
by her inventive mind. I see us potentially looking at a

92 FEBRUARY-MARCH 2021 hospitality horizon