Page 41 - Special Issue QTM 2021

Gary Redmond (General Manager – The Adria):

“ We want to showcase The Adria, a real luxury Bou-
tique Hotel with a different & unique experience ”

Gary Redmond, General Manager of The Adria, London is an experi-
enced Hotel Manager with a demonstrated history within the hospital-
ity industry. He is skilled in Food & Beverage, Health & Safety, Human
Resources, Revenue and Financial Analysis and owns a strong operational
background with employee & guest relations. In a Q & A with Al Bayan
Magazine on the sidelines of the Qatar Travel Mart in its first edition, Gary
Redmond gave us an idea about their 5-star boutique hotel combining the
finist British style & Arab Hospitality. Redmond evaluated the tourism sec-
tor in UK during 2021. He further talked about the importance of being
under the umbrella of Katara Hospitality and shed lights on their strategy
for 2022. Following is an extract from the interview.

* Can you give us an idea about The Adria Hotel? badly but we now see strong booking numbers from
The hotel is an elegant, restored 19th century Europe and signs of some long haul regions (e.g.
Victorian townhouse located in the South Kensington. North America) recovering well. Other regions may
A short stroll to many of London’s best cultural, shop- take a little longer.
ping and dining experiences, the house itself natural-
ly fuses the charm and grace of a private English res- * What is the importance of being under the
idence. The 24 bedrooms are named rather then umbrella of Katara?
been numbered with each having a different stylistic - The exposure greatly assists us. As Katara
theme, though all are gorgeous with marble bath- Hospitality own and operate some of the most Iconic
rooms and rainfall showerheads. Butler service properties in the world, we have great support mech-
allows the hotel to offer a personalized experience anisms in place in addition to a network of connec-
that feels truly decadent by London standards. A
spa with sauna, tailored fine dining menus, tions across the globe. They are truly changing
and a series of intimate lounges on the the world of hospitality through investment
ground floor are all available to and innovation and aim to leave an
guests. outstanding legacy for future gener-
ations. To be a part of this journey,
* How do you evaluate the is fantastic.
tourism sector in UK during
2020/2021? * What is your strategy for
- 2020/21 was a year we’ll 2022?
never forget! International - The hotel is currently under
tourism was reduced to zero refurbishment, and we will open
due to the ongoing pandemic in January 2022. We have been
around the world. For a city closed ever since March 2020
that attracts over 20 million a when the outbreak was first
year, this was a big blow for the acknowledged. Therefore, our
industry. As domestic restrictions strategy will be to connect with the
lifted, the market started to recover neighborhood and our loyal guests;
well with the demand focusing on the developing our team members and
coastal regions of the country rather most importantly delivering exceptional
than the big cities. London, suffered quite experiences to all visitors of the hotel.

41 AL BAYAN ECONOMIC MAG - ISSUE 603 - FEBRUARY 2022