The fast-changing and competitive world of the ultra-luxe hotel sector

PACE interviews, Roland Fasel, Chief Operating Officer at Maybourne Hotel Group, about the fast-changing and competitive world of the ultra-luxe hotel sector.

In the fast-moving world of luxury hospitality keeping up with the latest developments and trends is essential. This latest series of articles from PACE Dimensions brings insights from industry experts – those at the sharp end of business intelligence who are helping to redefine how guests experience a luxury hospitality experience.

By way of some of the world’s most prestigious hotel brands including Four Seasons, Rosewood and Aman and London’s Dorchester hotel Roland Fasel, Chief Operating Officer at Maybourne Hotel Group, arrived at the Maybourne Hotel Group in 2023. The owner-operator’s ultra-luxury portfolio includes Claridge’s, The Berkeley, The Connaught, The Maybourne Beverley Hills and The Maybourne Riviera. Crown jewels of the hotel world, they were joined in June by The Emory – an all-suite property at the heart of London’s Belgravia and Maybourne’s first opening in the capital for 50 years. With 3,000 employees working across six prestigious hotels Fasel is the maestro of one of the grandest hotel orchestras in the world. Here, he offers some insight into his experience at the helm of this world-beating hotel brand.

What’s in the in-tray?
Fasel is based at Maybourne’s Knightsbridge headquarters, next to The Berkeley and overlooking a corner of Hyde Park. On a coffee table in the board room is a “desert rose” crystal – a subtle nod to the group’s Qatari ownership. As well as being responsible for the portfolio’s commercial success he will oversee a period of unprecedented growth for the group, which has significant expansion plans for its managed and owner-managed portfolio, over the next eight years. Brand new on the London hotel scene is The Emory, the fourth in the capital for Maybourne. Branding, marketing and the all important “numbers” also fall within his remit. In addition to three decades of gold-plated hospitality experience, Fasel brings to the table proven business agility, a strong set of personal values and an innate sense of how well a hotel is working. Having grown up in a family-run hotel in Switzerland Fasel was immersed in the hospitality world from a young age. He went on to complete an apprenticeship before graduating from the Patek Philippe of hotel schools, the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL Hospitality Business & Hotel Management School).

“Over the years you develop a certain sensibility,” he says. “When I step into a hotel I can feel its pace, rhythm, energy and morale among staff. At each of our six properties, I can generally feel what has happened a few hours prior.” With chains of command in three time zones and a worldwide team of colleagues, most of them at the executive level, it’s no surprise his diary is run with precision. Fasel carves out time in the morning to ‘look after himself’ before picking up the operational reins. He talks to ‘all the chiefs’ – a steering committee of CFOs, before beginning sessions with direct reports, including general managers. “It’s a proper information cascade,” he says.

Maybourne’s fourth London property Unlike its predecessors in the capital, all outstanding legacy hotels, The Emory is a new build and the creative vision of the late Richard Rogers. Its ‘sails’ structure peaks through the treetops of Hyde Park and guests arrive through a private cobbled entrance tucked between Belgravia and Knightsbridge. The aesthetic of each floor reflects the style of a different world-class designer and in a departure from convention The Emory's central steel staircase, visible from the hotel entrance, is painted a distinctive hue dubbed ‘Richard Rogers Pink.’ This tribute to the late architect infuses the building with personality and warmth. A Courtyard Junior Suite commands rates of £1,600 per night and at the upper end a Park View Suite tops £2,000 p/n. Rates include a raft of inclusions and guests arriving by private jet can take advantage of complimentary helicopter transfers to the London Heliport at Battersea. “It’s the first property in London to hit the £2,100 mark,” says Fasel. “It creates a different value proposition, even at the ultra-luxury end of the market, but a select few will always appreciate the inclusive value.”

Have it – and have it your way…
Guests who pay a premium demand zero compromise. Fasel nurtures a team who have mastered the art of anticipatory service and who can enrich and bring the brand to life. “We focus on hyper-personalised service,” says Fasel. “We foster an intuitive ‘yes, we can’ approach to every individual guest request.” In a highly competitive market, and with intense pressure at the ultra-luxury level, it helps to be working with a portfolio of storied hotels that ooze history and charm.

Ultra-high-net-worth individuals like experiences that put them in the know. He speaks of guests having an emotional connection and a feeling of belonging. That might manifest itself in a cocktail served ‘just so’ in the fabled Connaught Bar, perhaps a private art tour in Los Angeles, or a meeting with the horological concierge at The Emory’s rooftop Bar 33. Or it might simple be a particular board game being left in a guest’s room. The Maybourne Beverly Hills also has a real sense of where it belongs,” says Fasel. “These are seminal properties practised in the art of entertaining.”

It helps, says Fasel, that the brand is not “commoditised,” in the way that The Peninsula or Mandarin Oriental groups are. The brand’s provenance* also gives it an edge. “We’ve been in the innkeeping business for 200 years which gives me a real sense of the context in which I’m operating.” The ‘Maybourne mindset’ extends to 3,000 employees. “Ultimately, we are looking to create magic. We empower our staff and instil in them the confidence to act – however small or large the request.”

The war on talent
At a time when everyone, it seems, wants to build a luxury hotel in London, one of the biggest challenges faced by hoteliers is that of recruitment and retention. “With luxury supply coming thick and fast the war on talent here is particularly competitive,” says Fasel. “It’s keeping us on our toes.” He is also acutely aware of the need to look at how Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012 and often referred to as ‘zoomers’) and millennials (Gen Y) are shaping the future of travel. There is a clear shift of wealth, he says, a demographic transition that can’t be ignored. High net worth consumers are increasingly driven by different values, with technology, sustainability, lifestyle and travel habits all coming into play. “Changing behaviour extends beyond guests to our teams around the globe. You’ve got to be in tune with global geopolitics, then localise it and understand the micro- trends around the competition. In London, you must be on the pulse.” Everything is becoming less formal, he says. Discerning zoomers won’t accept rules that are there for the sake of it. “What they cherish above all is individuality. Hotels can no longer insist on overarching policies and procedures.” Seamless technology is a given. Behind the scenes, AI can be employed as an enabler, with business intelligence becoming the modern-day black book. Where does the human connection fit in? “The more we know about customer behaviour the more we can anticipate need and ultimately strengthen the emotional connection between host and guest.”

The importance of ESG
When it comes to sustainable travel and hospitality choices it is typically consumers who lead the charge. A study into Global Sustainable Hospitality by PACE Dimensions found that generational attitudes play a big part. According to research Gen Y are the most vociferous when it comes to expressing attitudes towards sustainability – a useful indication of how consumer behaviour will shift among the core hotel guest demographic over the next five to 10 years. Fasel is particularly vocal about sustainability. “We must be sustainably accountable in everything we do, and it is fundamental that I’m part of that conversation.” Maybourne has incorporated a series of short- mid- and long-term ESG goals into its 2030 business plan. “As we progress along this path there will be third-party agreements. We will add solar technology wherever we can and we’ve also done
new deals around carbon-free electricity.”

As luxury becomes more holistic, and longevity becomes more than a buzzword, wellness will become a key part of part of the service proposition. Guests at The Emory have access to Surrenne Knightsbridge – four floors of immersive health, fitness, and bespoke beauty services by the likes of Stella McCartney. In a neighbourhood synonymous with members clubs it’s not easy to turn heads. But Surrenne has partnered with tech pioneer Virtusan to create a next-level wellness offering underpinned by science. “The spa has its own scientific advisory board and we have enlisted top trainers, wellness experts and dieticians,” says Fasel. When one considers what Maybourne’s wealthy clients have access to at home, it is exactly the type of elevated, next-level offering guests are looking for when they travel.

On expansion
London, the French Riviera and Los Angeles – where next for the Maybourne Group? “Strategically our biggest challenge is to get into New York,” says Fasel. He adds that Maybourne is chasing a combination of assets and management contracts in key cities. “These have an impact. New York for example is a feeder market to both the US and the Caribbean. Londoners tend to go to New York and LA. Japan is a feeder market in Asia, and so on. “Ideally we’re looking for between 15 to 18 assets over the next seven to eight years which we will either manage or own.”

Stories of distinction are one thing; the cohesiveness of the brand is quite another. We leave Roland Fasel to pick up his baton.

To delve into trends across different sectors of the travel and hospitality industry, PACE interviews effective business leaders who share their insights and expertise on the opportunities and issues facing their sector and how to build competitive strategies in today’s environment. For further information on PACE Dimensions research capabilities please click here.