Open to the world

DIRIYAH, THE CITY OF EARTH has become among the first Saudi giga projects to open to the public. Its group CEO, Jerry Inzerillo, is confident that the development in its entirety will be representative of the kingdom increasingly becoming a soft power

DID YOU KNOW?

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) is Saudi Arabia’s powerful sovereign wealth fund. It is among the largest in the world – with assets reportedly worth over US$600 billion – which makes it a formidable fund with vast resources. At the start of this year, the PIF formally designated D IRIYAH, THE CITY OF EARTH as a “giga project”. ere are only ve PIFbacked giga projects in the kingdom: Neom, Qiddiya, Roshn, Red Sea and Diriyah.

Being designated with the pre x “giga” allows each of these entities to have access to billions of dollars to fund their projects.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site of At-Turaif is home to one of the most important historical landmarks in Saudi Arabia. It was restored and opened to the public at the end of last year. It is the ancestral home of the House of Saud and was home to the ruler of the First Saudi State. A direct lineage can be traced from that family to the current-day ruler of Saudi Arabia, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

“As a PIF portfolio project, we are supported by one of the world’s fastestgrowing sovereign wealth funds and have an incredible US$63.2 billion investment pipeline that will deliver the Middle East’s premier cultural, lifestyle and hospitality destination. Diriyah is a key pillar of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy,” says Jerry Inzerillo, group CEO of Diriyah.

Diriyah is a mega mixed-use development, spread over 14 sq km, and built on the outskirts of Riyadh adjacent to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of At-Turaif that was home to the royal family that ruled the First Saudi State.

Giga projects such as Diriyah are crucial to the kingdom’s plans to diversify its economy away from oil –the fact notwithstanding that state-owned Saudi Aramco, recently reported a record pro t of US$161 billion which is the highest-ever annual pro t recorded by any oil and gas company. Although Saudi Arabia’s oil economy is thriving, it is now determined to diversify and open itself up to the world – especially tourists and visitors.

Since opening to global tourism back in 2019, Saudi has been recognised as among the world’s fastest-growing tourism destinations among G20 countries. Last year, it already witnessed an over 121 per cent increase from pre-pandemic international tourism levels, achieving 93.5 million visits in 2022. Last year, tourism spend in the kingdom was estimated at SAR185 billion – an increase of 93 per cent compared to 2021. Saudi has also committed US$550 billion to new destinations by 2030 – and Diriyah is now among the most high-pro le undertakings in the kingdom. “Vision 2030 is turbocharging the growth and diversi cation of the economy in Saudi Arabia. Each project contributes uniquely to this strategy, and each represents an opportunity to be a shining example of the kingdom’s ambitious development plans. All those involved in leading the realisation of these projects understand that as individuals they are indeed part of a much larger transformation,” observes Inzerillo.

Diriyah bene ts from the fact that it is located only 15 minutes away from the centre of Riyadh. Riyadh is a city with an ambitious development plan. Earlier this year, the PIF announced the master plan for a new six-runway King Salman International Airport that can potentially accommodate up to 120 million travellers by 2030. Also this year, the PIF launched the New Murabba Development Company which is tasked with building what is being positioned as “the world’s largest modern downtown in Riyadh.” Diriyah is in a unique position to capitalise on the hyper development of Saudi’s capital city.

“Riyadh is already a thriving metropolis of over eight million people, and that will grow to 15 million by 2030. Sixty per cent of the city’s population is aged 35 or below, and the Saudi to expat ratio is very di erent to other cities in the region, sitting at around 60:40. It is the 41st largest city economy in the world and Vision 2030 will propel it to the top 10 within the next seven years.

“For our part, Diriyah’s investment pipeline will provide Riyadh residents with a world-class cultural destination that tells the story of the birth of the nation and o ers them an immersive historical journey, on their doorstep,” says Inzerillo. Diriyah is expected to add US$7.2 billion to Saudi’s GDP annually by 2030.

EVERYONE’S WELCOME

Diriyah opened the rst phase of its development to the public towards the end of last year. In December, it began to welcome guests to its At Turaif World Heritage Site which was painstakingly restored. ere are a number of programmes taking place there such as Nuzul, which are immersive theatrical performances conducted on-site that illustrate the history and heritage of the location. ere are also Arabic calligraphy demonstrations, arts and cra s sessions for visiting families, mud-brick-making workshops (Diriyah is being built with the Najdi style of architecture, for which over 180 million bricks have already been made), and even a special Arabian Horse Gallery that traces the history of one of the world’s nest breed of horses. Furthermore, the At-Turiaf complex also features a military gallery and a museum with artefacts from and explanations of the First Saudi State.

Apart from At-Turaif, Diriyah also opened the 15,000 sqm luxury dining destination of Bujairi Terrace overlooking At-Turaif. “In December 2022, Bujairi Terrace launched. From its four Michelin-starred restaurants to the Saudi brands o ering incredible local cultural tastes including Maiz, which o ers an illustrious journey across the delights of Arabia, to international brands such as Angelina and Sarabeth’s, it houses one of the most expansive and varied curated culinary o erings in the world,” says Inzerillo. ere are more than 20 restaurants that have opened initially in Bujairi Terrace. e four restaurants whose international outposts have Michelin Stars and can now be found in Diriyah are Chez Bruno, Hakkasan, Long Chim and Tatel. Saudi homegrown brands, apart from Maiz, include Takya, Altopiano, Somewhere/Somewhere Dessert Bar, Sum + ings and Hi. International brands that have opened in Bujairi Terrace include names such as Cova, Flamingo Room, and Villa Mamas, among others. Café de L’Esplanade in Diriyah meanwhile is only the second outpost of the restaurant in the world outside of its home in Paris.

Alongside restaurants, a total of 38 hotels will be built in Diriyah and each will feature the Najdi style of mudbrick architecture. e rst of these is expected to open this year itself. Of the overall count, the brand names of 32 hotels have been announced, with the latest set of 16 hotels unveiled in December. e 16 hotel brands that were announced in December will be situated across two areas – Diriyah and the adjacent verdant Wadi Safar. In Diriyah, ai brand Anantara, Corinthia Hotels, Marriott International’s Edition Hotels, Taj Hotels, e Langham, Waldorf Astoria, 1 Hotels, Pendry Hotels and Resorts, Treehouse Hotel, Hyatt Place, Marriott International’s Moxy Hotels and Radisson Hotel Group’s Radisson RED will open. In Wadi Safar, Faena Hotel, Montage Hotels and Resorts, e Chedi by GHM Hotels and Well Health Retreat are scheduled to open over the next few years.

Previously announced hotel brands that will have a presence in Diriyah include Address Hotels and Resorts, Baccarat Hotels and Resorts, Armani Hotel, e RitzCarlton, Luxury Collection, Ra es, Orient Express, Rosewood and Four Seasons. “Hospitality is fundamental to Diriyah’s role as a gathering place and as a hub for cultural and societal collaboration. e 38 global brands blend world-renowned hotels with an interpretation of the local landscape and Najdi design themes, o ering visitors an immersive experience,” says Inzerillo.

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As far as infrastructure is concerned, the scale of Diriyah is enormous. Overground, it will be a pedestrian-only area and all of the development’s supporting infrastructure including its metro lines, roads, tunnels and parking bays are all built underground. An example of the scale of the infrastructure ambition is evident in the “Super Basement” car park which is currently under construction and is being built across three levels below Diriyah Square in the centre of the development. It will accommodate 10,000 cars. Eventually, Diriyah will have parking bays for 24,000 cars.

“To achieve this level of delivery in the context of a residential area like Diriyah, we have established a series of initiatives that minimise the impact on the local community, including park-and-ride strategies for workers, bridges, and tra c management plans. A great example of this is that in March 2022, we successfully li ed our rst bridge over the infrastructure and transportation tunnel networks which connected the east and west of the Diriyah construction site. is was the third operational bridge to be built to support the logistical movement of over 1,600 vehicles, further controlling the impact to the surrounding areas,” says Inzerillo. Over four billion dollars have already been allocated to only infrastructure development as an army of approximately 15,000 construction workers dig through eight million cubic metres of rock and install hundreds of kilometres of water, sewerage, electric, and breoptic lines to support the development of Diriyah which is being built as a smart city.

Outward Looking

While Saudi Arabia aims to receive 100 million annual visits by 2030, Inzerillo’s goal is to ensure that Diriyah receives 27 million annual visitors by that year. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, who is also the Prime Minister and chairman of PIF, has direct oversight of the Diriyah project. “I have had the pleasure to serve and contribute with His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for some years now. A lot of people say to me, ‘At this point in your career, what are you doing working all hours of the day and night in Saudi Arabia?’ Well, my answer is always the same – I have never seen someone work as hard or be as dedicated to their goals as His Royal Highness, and when your boss, the chairman of the board and Crown Prince is working 80 hours a week, you need to work 81 hours.

“When you are working to develop a city that formed the foundation for the First Saudi State and is the ancestral home of the House of Al Saud, only the best will do. e Crown Prince said to me as soon as I started: ‘Go and get the nest minds in the world. Culture, heritage, design, architecture. Get the best.’ So, we did, and we really have brought together the very best from the kingdom and across the world,” notes Inzerillo.

He says that by the end of this decade, Diriyah aims to have created a staggering 55,000 permanent jobs – prioritising local and national talent, especially in management roles. Of the current employee base, 36 per cent are women (16 per cent of whom are in management roles) and also 14 per cent of its current sta are from Diriyah itself. As Diriyah prepares to open its rst hotels this year, plans have already been revealed for art, tech and media districts as well as retail assets and even an opera house. Diriyah has also begun hosting high-pro le events in order to increase visibility among a global audience. In January, the Diriyah E-Prix, part of the ninth season of ABB FIA Formula E Championship, took place with music concerts over the race weekend headlined by the likes of John Legend and French Montana.

Also, the Diriyah Biennale Foundation was founded by Saudi’s Ministry of Culture in 2020 with the inaugural season held the following year. “Diriyah became a place of artistic expression and cultural exchange in the 18th century and as we develop the giga project today, we are already seeing Diriyah reclaim that position held during its past. To name but a few of the incredible events that have showcased Diriyah’s cultural o ering; Saudi Arabia’s rst Contemporary Art Biennale was held in Diriyah’s Jax district featuring works from over 60 international and 27 Saudi artists. e Jax district also hosted the Saudi Design Festival, a three-week event showcasing the talent of local Saudi designers through deep-dive discussions and design thinking workshops. Diriyah was also chosen in 2021 by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scienti c Organization (ALESCO) as the Capital of Arab Culture, demonstrating the cultural height Diriyah has already reached in the Arab world,” says Inzerillo. For this year’s edition of the biennale which began in January and will conclude this month, the Diriyah Biennale Foundation decided to step outside of Riyadh and debut its inaugural Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah, a city that serves as a gateway to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.

Ultimately, Inzerillo and his team are using At-Turaif – the ancestral home of the House of Saud that rules the kingdom to this day – as the template with which

Diriyah and its assets including Bujairi Terrace, its hotels and lifestyle and leisure assets are being built. It is what is guiding everything from the design inspiration to the Najdi architectural style and the nature of the businesses too that will have a presence in Diriyah. “ e e orts of the House of Saud have made Diriyah a renowned gathering place at the heart of the Arabian Peninsula. A city built from the earth, Diriyah will continue to proudly showcase Saudi Arabia’s three centuries of history to the world through an engaging and awe-inspiring set of heritage, cultural, education, retail and dining experiences for residents and visitors alike. We will continue to see deliveries of assets [over the coming years]. As Vision 2030 transforms it into a cultural destination with world-class hospitality, lifestyle, dining, and natural o erings, it is being restored to its former eminence.” If a country’s wealth fund is indicative of its economic standing among its worldwide contemporaries, it is the diversity and breadth of its cultural assets that in turn signal its ascension to the world stage as a so power.

Terrace

15,000 SQM

The area covered by the Bujairi Terrace dining district +20

The number of restaurants that have initially opened in Bujairi Terrace 4

The number of restaurants in Bujairi Terrace whose international outposts have Michelin Stars

Maud Bailly , CEO of Sofitel, Sofitel Legend, MGallery and Emblems, is rethinking how hospitality operates within a global context, but with a local connect

Maud Bailly isn’t a dyedin-the-wool hotelier. In fact, had it not been for a chance dinner, she would have probably been currently employed in the private banking industry. Bailly previously worked as the head of the economic and digital department at French Prime Minister

Manuel Valls’ office. Six years ago though, she found herself at a power dinner with the likes of Pascal Lamy, the former director-general of the World Trade Organization; Louis Gallois, the former CEO of SNCF, France’s state-owned railway company and none other than Sébastien Bazin, CEO of Accor Group. As the conversation that evening drew on from Brexit to other matters, at some point Bailly found herself engaging directly with Bazin. “I was considering a move to the private banking industry after having spent 10 years as a civil servant. We started discussing [the hospitality industry], and Sébastien said, ‘You should join Accor.’ ” Given that Bailly already, as she says, admired her potential boss’ commitment and dedication to the hospitality industry, she didn’t require much further convincing.

Bailly joined Accor in 2017 as its chief digital officer at a worldwide level in charge of diverse functions including the group’s IT, data, sales and guest experience programme. She previously worked as the director of Paris Montparnasse station and the deputy director of the TGV product, where she says that her experience in rethinking guest experiences in ecosystems such as stations and trains came in handy when doing the same with hotels.

But Bailly with an extensive career in finance, realised that her core competency was business and crunching numbers. “After three years at Accor, I went back to Sébastien and told him that I wanted to have a P&L once again, and have my own business. That’s when he gave me Southern Europe to run.”

The Southern Europe market for Accor comprises France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Malta and Israel. It represents the biggest P&L for the group and covers 1,900 hotels. Bailly was handed the baton when the global hospitality industry was suffering its worst catastrophe in several decades. She took charge of the Southern Europe market in October 2020 when most countries in the world were at their strictest levels of lockdowns. “We went through hell, but we survived…and we even got a bit stronger,” says Bailly of that time. “Even during Covid, we managed to open a hotel every four days.”

Digging Deep

Accor has some of the world’s most recognisable hotel brands within its portfolio and has grown from roughly 13 brands a decade ago to over 40 today. It includes the likes of Sofitel, Raffles, Orient Express, Fairmont, Banyan Tree and Emblems, among dozens more.

Recently released figures by Accor suggest that its pandemic strategy not to stall expansion was a prescient one. In 2022, the group’s revenue climbed 80 per cent year-on-year to €4.22 billion. Last year, Accor opened

299 hotels, corresponding to 43,000 rooms. It resulted in a 3.2 per cent net organic growth in its network. By the end of December 2022, the group had a global hotel portfolio of 5,445 hotels (802,269 rooms), with a pipeline of 1,247 hotels (216,000 rooms).

In October last year, Accor also announced a significant internal reorganisation to streamline performance among its different brands. There are two main divisions: ‘Economy, Midscale and Premium Division’ and ‘Luxury and Lifestyle Division’. The former includes ibis, Movenpick and other brands all the way up to its Pullman offering. The latter division comprises of Accor’s upmarket brands including Ennismore.

“The two divisions are not independent, but autonomous. The economy, midscale and premium division is organised around geographies. Our luxury and lifestyle division is organised around maisons. So you have one maison looking after Sofitel, Sofitel Legend, MGallery and Emblems based in Paris. One maison based in Dubai is in charge of Fairmont. One maison based in London is in charge of Ennismore brands – so Mama Shelter, Tribe and 21c. One maison, based in New York, is in charge of Orient Express and Raffles,” explains Bailly.

Bailly, at the time that the reorganisation took effect at the start of this year, was handed the global P&L for the maison based out of Paris and tasked to look after the worldwide portfolio of Sofitel, Sofitel Legend, MGallery and Emblems. She classifies Sofitel and Sofitel Legend as hard brands – those that have to follow strict brand guidelines. MGallery and Emblems are what she calls soft brands, which are more flexible in their approach and requirements.

She explains that there are 111 Sofitels around the world. We caught up with Bailly at the Sofitel Dubai

The Obelisk. The idea behind Sofitel, according to Bailly, is to introduce French flair, but without crushing the local culture. A recent example of a high-profile Sofitel opening is the

Sofitel Barcelona Skipper, while the global pipeline for the brand stands at approximately 24 hotels. Sofitel Legend, sits one level higher than Sofitel and there are only six in the world – Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Aswan in Egypt, Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam, Sofitel Legend Peoples Grand Hotel Xian in China, Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena in Columbia and the Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo in Panama.

“MGallery and Emblems follow a different rationale compared to Sofitel and Sofitel Legend. MGallery hotels are between four- and five-star properties and have a maximum average of 150 keys in each hotel. We have a network of 120 MGallery properties worldwide and a pipeline of 52,” says Bailly. MGallery hotels are built around what the brand calls ‘memorable moments’ attached to each property –you can take a boat ride from the hotel in Brittany to watch dolphins, lounge poolside in the Molitor property in Paris where the bikini was believed to have been invented and first showcased, or stay in the Cabourg hotel in a region where French writer Marcel Proust searched for the perfect madeleines.

“Emblems sits above MGallery and is five-star only. Emblems is all about fairytale places. It has to meet three very strong criteria: handpicked location, intimate feel with privacy, and charismatic allure. You have three further categories of Emblems: Heritage which are conversions of historical buildings; Signature which I think would be really interesting for [the Middle East] where you can have a famous architect or designer create an Emblems building; and the third category is Retreat with a focus on sustainability.”

Accor is yet to open its first Emblems property. Plans have already been unveiled though for two Emblems in China, one in Vietnam and another in the Philippines. The goal is to develop 60 Emblems around the world over the next 10 years. “I’m mostly saying no to many leads, because I’m launching this

Saudi Arabia is clearly the new El Dorado. We’ve just signed two hotels there – a Sofitel and an MGallery new brand and I want to ensure that we have a consistent and undiluted collection,” reveals Bailly.

The Middle East is a market that Bailly characterises as “booming”. Figures released by Accor for all its brands in the India, Middle East Africa, and Turkey (IMEAT) region showed that RevPAR there was 73 per cent higher in Q4 2022 compared to Q4 2019 which was the pre-pandemic period. While Bailly says that her team has identified the opportunity for a new Sofitel branded residences and Emblems project in the UAE –but were still to sign on the dotted line – she singled out Saudi Arabia as a major destination for expansion. The RevPAR for the full-year 2022 for all of Accor’s brands in Saudi was 47 per cent higher than in 2019.

“Saudi Arabia is clearly the new El Dorado. We’ve just signed two properties for Saudi Arabia – a Sofitel and an MGallery – and it’s only the beginning. People are telling me that Riyadh would be a perfect destination for Sofitel, and also for Sofitel branded residences, while Jeddah will be a paradise for MGallery and maybe even Emblems,” notes Bailly.

Casco Viejo in Panama City; The lobby at Elkonin Tel Aviv MGallery; Hotel Naru Seoul MGallery Ambassador; Elegant bathroom fittings at Hotel Naru Seoul MGallery Ambassador; One of the rooms at Elkonin Tel Aviv MGallery; The waterfront location of Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo

Looking Ahead

Bailly pulls no punches in her assessment of the perception of the hospitality industry’s sustainability standings in the eyes of some external observers. “Our industry is so far very much considered as a predatory one, and I think we need to prove that we can also give back,” she says. “Hospitality in 2030 will be more sustainable, and carbon neutral. [Our] hotels will be eco-certified – otherwise they will not have any MICE activity. They will need to be chosen during the RFP stage according to their [commitment to] being ecocertified. Hotels will also have to go one step further and bring a positive impact to their local environment i.e. regenerative hotels. CSR norms need to be embedded from scratch in the new projects. When you’re a company as big as Accor – 5,300 hotels worldwide – we have a major responsibility to contribute to the hospitality of tomorrow.” Geographically, Bailly’s maison is evenly spread across major markets.

Sofitel and MGallery are wellrepresented in Europe. Though Bailly points out that there is potential for Emblems and Sofitel Legend properties to open in Europe too. She adds that the Asia Pacific region is “on fire” and there are upcoming openings in Australia, Vietnam and Greater China. She says that there are 22 Sofitels in Greater China alone.

Over to the Americas, and Sofitel has several high-end properties including the Sofitel Mexico City Reforma and the Sofitel Legend hotels in Panama and Colombia. “The challenge though is still the US market,” admits Bailly. “We started working on the renovation of the network and increasing our awareness there. Every time I fly to the US, I feel like the challenger…which is a good humility lesson. If you look at the immensity of the US market, you can imagine the crazy potential for the development of Sofitel, Emblems and MGallery there. It’s going to be my homework for the coming years.”

Words Varun Godinho

Vladislav Doronin , the CEO of Aman Group, is set to debut an all-new hospitality brand and expand rapidly internationally over the next few years, with the Middle East very much in the mix e Aman concept began when its Indonesian founder, Adrian Zecha, was searching for a holiday home in Phuket in the mid-1980s. He came across a coconut plantation with breathtaking views – it ended up being the location of the rst Aman hotel, called Amanpuri, which was set up in 1988. Aman hotels, over the years, subsequently opened in the wider Asia Paci c region, before eventually expanding into Europe and the Americas.

As far as absolute exclusivity is concerned, the Aman Group which has hotels in exotic locations such as Bhutan and the Dominican Republic, to the more urban settings of Tokyo and New York City, ranks among the best. From Charles Saatchi and Kenzo Takada to Kate Moss and George Clooney, ying to an Aman property was a habit. In fact, such was the erce dedication of some of the world’s wealthiest to visit Aman properties, that there was an entirely new phrase coined to describe its tribe of loyalists: Amanjunkies.

Today, the Aman Group consists of 34 hotels and resorts worldwide spread across 20 countries. “We have announced a pipeline of nine future destinations in locations including Aman Nai Lert Bangkok (2024), Amanvari, Los Cabos (2024) – our rst property in Mexico – Aman Hegra (2025), Aman Miami Beach (2026), Aman Beverly Hills (2026) and Aman Niseko (2026) – our rst ski retreat in Japan. We also have a wider pipeline of forthcoming projects which have yet to be announced for new Aman and Janu locations,” Vladislav Doronin, owner, chairman and CEO of Aman Group tells Business Traveller

In 2020, the group introduced its second hospitality brand called Janu. But before understanding what Janu o ers, you must understand Aman. Aman was built around the concept of guests nding solace during their stay. ey are always set in stunning locations. In fact, over a dozen Aman properties are located within or close to UNESCO sites. Aman has previously reportedly had an employee-to-guest ratio of 6:1, and the sta were not trained from a standard operating procedures manual, but instead encouraged to develop a culture of engagement that most suited the local culture of the country where they were present. An anecdote from Aman’s property in Jiwo suggests that 95 per cent of its sta there were at one point employed from among Indonesian villages, and the hotel even hired a full-time English teacher to train them.

Recent openings from the Aman brand include Aman New York, which welcomed its rst guests in August last year and is located in Manhattan’s Crown Building. A jazz club, an Omakase bar, a cigar lounge, a three- oor spa and 83 suites can all be found in this property which was e Janu brand meanwhile sets out to be something that Aman isn’t. “Designed with a di erent pace and energy to Aman, Janu has been created to encourage greater social connections for guests and the design of the properties will still follow our loved formula which I call ‘Asian chic’ but with the central principles being about encouraging connection, rather than the privacy Aman is renowned for,” says Doronin.

Aman’s third opening in the US a er Amangani in Wyoming and Amangiri in Utah. In the US, while the Miami Beach property is slated to open next year, Aman Beverly Hills set within a botanical garden spread across eight acres, will open by 2026.

“We rst announced Janu in March 2020, as we had identi ed a gap in the market for a luxury hospitality brand which caters to a younger mindset seeking connection. It is a concept which we are con dent from our extensive research that will appeal, for example, to the rising generation of our Amanjunkies.”

Doronin says that the rst Janu hotel, Janu Tokyo, is being designed by Denniston – which was also behind some of Aman’s iconic properties including those in New York and Venice, and which has also designed other major hospitality projects including the Four Seasons Tokyo, Chedi Andermatt, and the One&Only Reethi Rah.

ABOVE: Vladislav Doronin, owner, chairman and CEO of Aman Group

LEFT: Aman’s sister brand Janu is set to open its first hotel, Janu Tokyo, this year

Janu Tokyo is scheduled to open in the autumn of this year in the city’s prime location of its Azabudai Hills development. In doing so, it will become the rst operational Janu property worldwide. “As our agship Janu destination, it will be a milestone moment in the development of the Aman sister brand, which means ‘soul’ in Sanskrit. In addition to Janu Tokyo, we have announced Janu Montenegro and Janu AlUla in Saudi Arabia. We have a robust pipeline of future destinations across both urban and resort settings for Aman and Janu which will bring [those] experiences to new corners of the globe,” notes Doronin.

A Grand Scale

In August last year, the Aman Group secured a US$900 million investment from two investors, namely Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), and real estate investment firm Cain International. Cain said that the investment valued Aman at US$3 billion. “Across the company, we employ 6,500 people globally both within our destinations and hotel teams, as well as corporate offices located all over the world. The investment received from our strategic partners is being used to accelerate our existing pipeline of future Aman and Janu destinations. In addition, the funds will be used to acquire additional sites, and invest in the ongoing maintenance and development of our existing collection of Aman destinations,” explains Doronin.

Aman’s expansion was previously focused on Asia, the Americas and Europe, but the Middle East has now cropped up on its radar. Already, the group has announced three confirmed openings for Saudi Arabia. “We have announced Aman Hotel and Branded Residences in Hegra, alongside the UNESCO Heritage Site of AlUla, as well as an Aman tented camp and a Janu hotel in Saudi Arabia.

We have announced three destinations in Saudi Arabia, and we have additional Aman and Janu locations [planned] across the Middle East

“Saudi Arabia is an exciting location for luxury hospitality, as the Crown Prince’s vision to open the kingdom is now a reality. I see the destination in the same way I view the United States or Japan for a travel experience. For example, in Japan, we have Aman hotels in Tokyo where you get the vibrant city experience, Kyoto where guests experience the ancient culture, and Amanemu in

Shima National Park which is totally immersed in nature. Soon we will have Aman Niseko offering guests the chance to ski in Japan as well. To me, these destinations enable us to offer guests a journey of different experiences in unrivalled locations. Saudi Arabia also delivers for us this breadth of experiences with city destinations like Riyadh, and cultural heritage in locations like AlUla, as well as the incredible nature and diving experiences in the Red Sea.

“Our guests travelling across Saudi Arabia [will] be able to experience first-hand the incredible diversity, culture and landscapes that the country offers,” says Doronin. Doronin defends the decision for Aman having not entered the Middle East earlier, saying that he is “very specific” about the location requirements for the Aman and Janu brands. “The Middle East has been a region we have been exploring for some time. We have announced three destinations in Saudi Arabia, and I am excited to say that we have additional Aman and Janu locations [planned] across the wider Middle East which we will share more details about in due course,” reveals Doronin without elaborating on where those properties will appear.

Apart from its two Aman and Janu brands, its Aman Branded Residences vertical is also a sought-after offering from the group. Aman has been offering its branded residences proposition since it launched with Amanpuri in 1988. More recently, Aman New York, for example, featured the first urban setting of Aman residences and comprises of 22 units.

“Over time, we have added further to our branded residences portfolio and we currently have 12 destinations which feature Aman Branded Residences, and the majority of our forthcoming projects will feature residences, including at Aman Nai Lert Bangkok, Aman Hegra, Amanvari, Aman Beverly Hills and Aman Miami Beach. Additionally, we are exploring the addition of a limited number of residences at several of our existing resort destinations, such as Amankila and Amandari.

“In the future, the brand will see us increase the number of branded residences across our portfolio, catering to the vast demand we have seen. All projects have pre-sold with the highest premiums to the market,” he says. In August last year, at the time of securing the investment from PIF and Cain, Aman said that it had generated US$2.4 billion in sales of its branded residences over the previous 12 months alone.

From land to the sea, Aman is set to branch into all-new territory with its Project Sama superyacht – a floating Aman hotel –that is being developed in partnership with Cruise Saudi and which Doronin says will be launched by 2026. The 600-foot vessel, equipped with 50 guest suites, is being designed by Sinot Yacht Architecture and Design, and recreates the full-service of amenities found in the group’s resort including a spa, club, and range of dining experiences.

As part of its brand-building exercise, the group’s lifestyle offering of Aman Essentials consists of Aman branded fragrances, a leather collection comprising of handbags, wallets and passport cases, and even a new skincare range – Aman Essential Skin –that is produced in Japan with Kose.

Doronoin adds that the group will also launch another division called Aman Interiors, the details of which he says will be revealed soon.

As Doronin continues to diversify and build the brand, sustainability he says is key to its existence. “Our sustainability efforts are tailored to each of our destinations and its respective needs. Our hotel teams around the world consider four pillars in their work around sustainability – local heritage, local culture, environmental protection and social responsibility. Each property then can determine the best way in which to support the needs of its local area,” he says, citing examples of Amanpulo in the Philippines which has developed a sea turtle sanctuary and monitoring programme to help support the long-term survival of this endangered species. Additionally, that property also invested in a desalinisation plant to convert seawater to freshwater.

Meanwhile, at Amankora in Bhutan, Doronin adds, the team has focused on reducing the food miles by sourcing produce from the immediate local regions, and supporting the local heritage by participating in programmes related to the restoration of the historic Bhutanese fort – Wangdue Phodrang Dzong – which was built in 1648.

While this year will see its Janu brand open its first property in Japan, and five other Amans planned to open worldwide by 2025 – Aman Residences, Tokyo, Amanvari in Mexico, Aman Nai Lert in Bangkok, and two destinations in Saudi Arabia – Doronin teases the idea of another all-new hospitality brand from the Aman Group. “I am working on the development of a third brand, which is focused on sustainability, bold design statements and storytelling on an epic scale,” says Doronin in a statement that is enough to pique the interest of every Amanjunkie.

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