A new month, the perfect opportunity to do things differently. At ONE&ONLY LE SAINT GERAN, Mauritius, GM Roman Goetsch and his colleagues realised the island nation has no luxury-level shopping malls – so the hotel brought the brands in-house. First, the hotel’s concept store, directly off the hotel lobby, was doubled in size. NEO, as it is called, is now a football-field-sized store. It is professionally designed, and so beautifully laid out you really want to buy, be it Tom Ford, Loro Piana or whatever brand you want. The result is that hotel guests’ purchases have soared, and luxury-seeking locals come in from all over the island. NEO is also a differentiator that might decide where people choose to stay.
Talking of where one stays, here’s a different idea – if you happen to be in Sydney. EMMA – THE SLEEP COMPANY HOTEL is a ten-roomer. Aarrive to a greeting from a snoreman, check in with rest-ception, have bespoke consultations with onsite snooze-ologists (this is latest venture from Frankfurt-based $733m Emma direct-to-consumer mattress-pillow company, founded 2013 by co-CEOs Manuel Mueller and Dr Dennis Schmoltzi).
Even customer service can be done differently. A couple from Houston TX arrived in Johannesburg last night on their first-ever trip to Africa. At THE SAXON, a Leading Hotel, a photo was taken and sent back to a dear friend in England to show that the couple had arrived. Thoughtfulness leads directly to loyalty.
Thinking differently makes sense.
