Your group seems to be moving towards new horizons?
Frédéric Flageat-Simon - Exactly. The first Alila opened its doors in 2001 in Jakarta and today we have eight hotels under management, two in India and six in Indonesia, in addition to a luxury cruise ship. These hotels are doing well and Alila is now a recognised name in Asia and Europe, particularly in Germany and France. In fact, celebrities from France and the United States frequent our establishments. On the strength of this brand image, we are in a phase of expansion, with 23 projects signed and expected over the next four years. Four hotels will be inaugurated this year, notably in Seminyak, on the island of Bali, and in Jaipur, in a seventeenth-century fort.
You are also preparing to take your first steps in the Middle East, in Oman...
F. F.-S. - The resort will be spectacular, set in the midst of a rocky landscape near Niswa, on a plateau at an altitude of 2,000 metres, with a sheer drop of 400 metres. The resort will be designed as a mountain hotel, using mainly local materials. The Middle East, Cambodia, Malaysia - and I hope Myanmar too - are among the destinations where I would like to see our brand established. In China, we will be opening a resort near Hangzhou this year. Based on this model, we intend to develop hotels within one or two hours' drive of major cities, in sublime locations, of which there are many in China. I also believe that there is a market for hotels with a strong personality in business cities. This exists in Europe, but the trend has not yet fully spread to Asia, where the big chains are omnipresent. We will be opening a second hotel in Jakarta in June 2015, ideally located opposite the Stock Exchange, and then in Kuala Lumpur.
What best describes the Alila spirit?
F. F.-S. - A certain idea of elegance, expressed through luxury integrated with nature and the environment. This emotional approach can be found both in our Lifestyle collection, with establishments between 200 and 300$ per night, and in our more sophisticated hotels - 'crafted luxury' - with their pool villas. This philosophy is expressed in the seminars we organise for groups of up to forty people. These tailor-made events, from welcome at the airport to departure, allow you to truly immerse yourself in the local culture through cuisine that celebrates real flavours - and not the stale versions we often see - and exceptional cultural moments.
