In terms of business development, Darwin reveals: “Only 10% of the ideas that have made [Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar] successful have come from management; 90% came from the team. Some of those ideas are big, but a lot of them don’t cost a penny. The housekeepers in particular are amazing [at coming up with ideas].”
Darwin holds regular quality meetings, and says that he allows the vast majority of staff suggestions to proceed. “The Activity Wall was a team member idea, and that is huge now.” Phase two was recently completed with new bridges and zip lines.
“The original guest reviews hinted that there wasn’t enough to do at the resort, so now we have 40-plus activities — including stargazing, a sundance ceremony, yoga, village walks etc.
“We set the themes of culture and adventure and simply say to the guests: ‘Do as little or as much as you like.’”
Darwin says that the key to guest satisfaction at Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar is not ‘over-pampering’ them. “You can feel if and when people want to engage. So the biggest thing with the team is emotional intelligence, engaging on a personal level and knowing when to stop.”
The approach seems to be working. At the time of writing, the hotel was averaging scores of 9.4 on Booking.com and 5 (with 82% excellent) on Tripadvisor. It also made the top 10 in the Conde Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards 2017 for the Middle East. It has featured on the BBC’s Top Gear with former TV show Friends heart-throb Matt LeBlanc. And it is soon to appear in the BBC’s Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby series alongside other iconic properties like Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands.
“Half the marketing job is done with the location — the hardware, if you like,” admits Darwin. “The rest is software.” So, just over a year after opening the doors of the Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar to paying guests, how does Darwin rate his progress?
“The business model is not easy,” he says. “It’s a weekend destination, though we are getting busier through the week. But I am so pleased that I took on this challenge — the team has done an amazing job.”
He continues: “When I arrived here, all I saw were scaffolding and grey blocks, but the vision for this place — in line with the Sultan’s 2020 vision — was extraordinary.
“And when I retire, of all the hotels I have managed, this will always be the one I remember,” he concludes.
Darwin’s career has reached new heights, literally and metaphorically, with his achievements at Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar, said the Hotelier Awards judges, who unanimously named him GM of the Year 2017.
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