Luxury Magazine ‘House &Hotel’at Lebua in Bangkok:
We met Deepak Ohri (CEO Lebua Hotels & Resorts) in Bangkok
What is a day for you?
A new day is for me every day. The only typical thing is that the sun rises every day.
Tell us about some of the challenges you faced:
The biggest challenge is to make people believe that we are going to achieve it, and the day we can make people believe in you then every feat is a small feat.
Why is the award-winning F&B offering at The Dome at lebua internationally so popular?
To create a different ambience and a different product is very easy, because we have created The “World’s First Vertical Destination” and the reason why we are so successful in creating this is that we knew from day one who we are catering for.
We knew who our customers are and focused on what they like and dislike and we just followed which made things easier after that.
Lebua is the only hotel in Thailand to have two Michelin starred restaurants under one roof (Awarded To Chef’s Table And Mezzaluna)
What does this mean to you?
It means to us that we are delivering the highest standard to all our customers and we are very proud of that and that it is reciprocated by our customers when they dine with us.
Please Tell Us More About What A Guest Can Expect From The lebua Experience.
What guests can experience at lebua hotels & resorts can only be experienced by lebua that’s why the number of repeat customers is very high.
With a collection of 5-star hotels + fine restaurants in Thailand, New Zealand & India.
Are there plans to expand lebua Brand globally.
The whole expansion started when the first customer walked in, in December 2003 when we first opened Sirocco. That was the beginning of the journey. This whole expansion by adding the restaurants and hotel is just forming part of our customers’ journey.
How is lebua as a brand dealing with Covid-19 and the challenges?
Before COVID, the hospitality industry knew that we are what we are because of our people, but when the pandemic struck, the most unfortunate thing that the hospitality industry did is to let the very same people, who are the foundation of their business, go. At lebua, we did not let a single employee go. The pandemic has shown how strong our foundation is, and the credit goes to the owners and all employees, I’m very grateful to them.
We ensure our guest and employees safety by making sure everyone cleans their hands regularly with the alcohol-based hand sanitiser placed in various sections, temperature checks, maintaining social distancing, wearing masks among many others measures too.
Many changes are taking place, and many have taken place. Some are temporary – travelling, corporate, MICE – these are temporary because business will come back. Some people are saying fine dining will disappear, but that’s not true. When people have money, they will want the time and experiences to enjoy it. The permanent change you’ll see is a new breed of asset management. The customers moving forward will be Millennials and the Gen-Z generation, and that’s why I want to be the first one in the world to create a hospitality brand for the post-COVID period for those generations.
What is your top tip for a first-time visitor to Bangkok?
There is a saying if you visit Rome you can skip visiting Vatican, but if you visit Bangkok and you skip visiting lebua it is a sin.
Luxury means different things to Different People – What does it mean to you?
Luxury to me is a feeling and experience that you can cherish forever.
What is you life motto?
I follow Mark Twain “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”
Lebua & Deepak Ohri is a name that has become synonymous across the globe with the ‘luxury experience’.
By drawing on his unique vision of hospitality, which taps into a deeper level of exchange with guests to create a lasting emotional connection, Mr. Ohri has made lebua Hotels and Resorts a global luxury brand in just 18 years. In this Q&A with the hugely successful entrepreneur we discover more about the lebua offering and insights into the future of luxury travel
lebua.com/hotels/tower-club-at-lebua/
