Quality time is what it's all about

Deepak Ohri, CEO of Lebua Hotels&Resorts.

Profile | Deepak Ohri

"How much time do you really spend in the hotel when you are traveling around the world?", is the question Deepak Ohri asks reporters every time he is interviewed. The CEO of Lebua Hotels & Resorts says the answer is usually, "very little time, except when you come back to sleep".

That is why Ohri thinks the hotel experience should be about luxury.

His company has a collection of international luxury five-star hotels and fine restaurants in Thailand, New Zealand and India, and with an eye on the growing number of Chinese visitors, Ohri was in China recently for a first-hand look at the opportunities.

Among his five different resorts worldwide, Ohri says Lebua Bangkok attracts the most Chinese visitors as Thailand is one of the most popular destinations. Already, the Chinese account for about 2 percent of patronage in Lebua hotels all over the world.

Luxury hotels are attracting more and more visitors from China each year.

"Luxury is about the heart, not the mind. All luxurious experiences are emotional connections. Lebua tries to give a luxurious experience to every visitor," he says.

Ohri describes Lebua visitors as "young, aged from 25 to 40", frequent international travelers who understand quality, and appreciate the experiences.

He believes there are three ways to beat stress: exercise, food, and being with your loved ones. In Lebua Hotels and Resorts, visitors can find gym studios that are comparatively more spacious than those in other hotels because the company brands a luxurious lifestyle with healthcare and wellbeing.

At the same time, food and wine are also the largest attractions.

Ohri says the Mezzaluna restaurants in his resorts emphasize not just food but go deeper into ingredients and flavors, creativity and cooking skills. Even coffee at Mezzaluna is not machine-made but carefully roasted and ground by hand.

He has much to say about creativity, too, and attention to detail such as the amount of ice to add to cocktails so the original taste does not become too diluted as the ice melts.

Having worked in Kempinski and Taj hotels, Ohri has many years of experience in the international hospitality industry. He compares a luxury hotel to a beautiful girl.

"When you look at her, you feel very happy; but when you talk to her, you feel her hospitality, kindness and tenderness, and you will feel special."

At the moment, Ohri is exploring expansion of the company's global market, especially in China, India and Indonesia. He says Beijing, Shanghai or Sanya will likely be the city where the next Lebua beauty may find a home.