Renderings of the Paramount Hotel Dubai (top left and bottom) and of the Paramount Resort Boao in China (top right and far right), the first two properties to be signed by Paramount Hotels and Resorts.
The First Hotel
As with all new brands, it’s vital that the first hotel — located close to the iconic Burj Khalifa — features all the signature elements of the Paramount brand. Theatrical and cinematographic elements will be of huge significance, including the stylish use of transformational applications like media mapping. The aim is to enable the operator the flexibility to effectively change set.
“One of the key elements is transformational elements, which means the use of media mapping, digital signage, moveable walls, a change in the lighting — anything that can change the ambience and look and feel of a certain area over time. You could have a restaurant that has media mapping on its walls and the ambience at breakfast, lunch and dinner is different because you change the media mapping,” says Van Vliet.
Obviously, access to the library of 3000 films is a given, but it won’t be through in-room channels — which would be “impossible to manage” on such a scale anyway —but via different themes each month.
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“It could be that one month the theme is drama, so we select x amount of films from the Paramount library and people will get access to those movies. The next month is Western, Valentine’s Day month you have films about love or romance.
It could be on the iPad in the limousine when they drive from the airport to the hotel, it could be in the guestroom, it could be on the screen in the makeup area of the public restrooms — we are going to make it more elaborate, more glamorous. It could be on a screen on a treadmill in the fitness centre,” explains Van Vliet.
Again, the inspiration is a creative interpretation of the film industry, the films Paramount has produced and the actors and actresses that have starred in them.
“It’s not about a photo of Marlon Brando but it could be an artist’s interpretation of Marlon Brando’s face. Andy Warhol has spent his whole life done nothing but that,” hints Van Vliet.
“We will work with local and international artists like we will work with local designers and international designers, people who are extremely creative and will create the look and feel of this hotel.
“But we will try to find ways of doing that that’s out of the ordinary and our surprise mystery is one of our values, so we need to bring all these values into our hotels.”
casting the net.
With the first hotel planned for Dubai and the company based here, it’s little wonder most of the attention on Paramount Hotels and Resorts is focused on the emirate. But Van Vliet is quick to explain that he has plans to take the brand outside of the UAE, and without delay.
“We are definitely a global brand. The fact that the first hotel was signed in Dubai is probably related to the fact that the company is established in Dubai, registered in Dubai and our first contacts were made with the business community in Dubai ... but by no means are we a Dubai company or a UAE-only company or a Middle Eastern company; we are an international hotel company and I am sure within the next three months the people that would question that will have an answer through us signing deals for hotels outside the Gulf area,” he asserts.
Van Vliet adds that he expects yet more deals to be signed with DAMAC, the developer of the first Paramount Hotel in Dubai.
“We are very happy with our relationship with DAMAC, we understand each other and we work very closely together. I am convinced and we know that we are going to work together outside of the Gulf.”
He reveals there are several deals on the cards with various partners in “China, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, in India, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, the UK, Dominican Republic and Brazil”.
“I have to say the interest in the brand and the company is enormous. It proves again I think that having a brand behind you like Paramount Pictures Corporation assists a lot because I think the developers and the owners believe that the brand can really create something that really differentiates itself,” observes Van Vliet.
Still, he is aware of the challenges a new operator faces when it comes to distribution and for this reason, has already partnered with Preferred Hotels, which will provide the reservation booking engine and sales and marketing platform for all the properties.
The stage it seems is set for Paramount Hotels and Resorts, with Van Vliet’s next steps to involve recruiting his cast and preparing for action. His sole ambition is the successful release of the first Paramount Hotel.
“I can’t have a more important ambition than that and we all are very much looking forward at that moment. I think the team is geared up for that and it will be an amazing moment. I am sure we will be able to show the hotel industry that it is not only words; it is reality.”
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