When it comes to luxury hotels, travellers are increasingly spoilt for choice, but what makes one hotel stand out especially from another? For Fairmont Hotels, it’s all about that special factor.
Having just launched their new global brand campaign #makespecialhappen, which is all about bringing that special sauce to the stay experience, we spoke to Loay Nour, Vice President, Brand & Marketing Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, about the campaign, his favourite places to travel in the world, and what “special” really means to him.
See Fairmont’s #makespecialhappen campaign here:
What makes a hotel special for you?
“Special” has a different meaning for everyone. As someone who’s been in the luxury hospitality industry for over 20 years, it’s about going a step beyond personalisation.
The days of recognising you by your name or preferences have almost become a given in luxury – it’s now about understanding how to establish an emotional connection with the guest and knowing their needs. For me, “special” is when I feel that there is no pre-scripted experience [at the hotel], and when I feel that there is something tailor-made for me.
What’s the first thing you look for when you enter a hotel room?
It really depends on the purpose of my visit. If I’m travelling solo for business, a comfortable bed and desk for me to work from are basic, alongside technology, connectivity and being able to really plug in.
When I’m traveling with my family, I always like to notice their reactions when we walk into a room. We’ve been lucky to be able to stay at many Fairmont hotels around the world, and even though the Fairmont brand is deeply rooted in North American hospitality, it’s great to see that combined with the local flavour of the destination, whether it’s through the amenities or other small touches in the room.
[Special is…] going a step beyond personalisation.
Loay Nour
What was your last trip?
For me, it was a work trip to Toronto to the Fairmont Royal York where we shot the campaign, and it was amazing to see how both our guests and colleagues came together to #makespecialhappen. The campaign was shot around seven different locations with more than 100 people walking around as a group – in a very busy hotel, no less.
We were even shooting the party scene in the middle of the lobby and it just worked like clockwork. It was a true representation of how our colleagues go above and beyond to #makespecialhappen.
Where are you headed next?
Most likely to London for The Savoy, which is another great hotel. Before that, I might actually go to Tokyo because we just opened Fairmont Tokyo. I’m really excited about that because it’s the first one in Japan for us.
In fact, this year marks many firsts for us – the first in Prague (Fairmont Golden Prague), the first in Spain (Fairmont La Hacienda Costa del Sol), and now, the first one in Tokyo.
What’s on your bucket list?
I did a pretty extensive tour in Canada through the Rocky Mountains and visited the Quebec region, but didn’t finish my tour into Château Frontenac. They just celebrated their 125th anniversary, so it’s still on my bucket list.
I’d also like to spend more time visiting more of our hotels in Asia. There are a few in India I’d like to visit, and Tokyo, of course, is still on my bucket list. I’d also like to take my family to Kenya to witness The Great Migration.
What’s your top travel tip?
Don’t miss out on the trip planning. A big part of discovery actually happens when you do your own planning, so I’d say, don’t miss the joy and excitement of doing the planning yourself, which includes the hotel and the destination.
Your ultimate favourite city in the world?
London is one that I keep going back to. I also love Toronto because it has such a cosmopolitan spirit. Then in Asia, there are just so many I love – from Thailand to Singapore – each city is just really unique. We are very fortunate to work in hospitality because we get to travel for business and leisure, and have the opportunity to explore.
What’s next after Fairmont’s #makespecialhappen campaign?
We’ve launched something in collaboration with our hotels called Special Happens, which takes guests beyond our hotels for exclusive, one-off type of experiences. This could be a spa treatment under the stars, around the table for unique dining experiences, or under the spotlight for musical and art performances in unexpected places.
#makespecialhappen is going to create a shift of who we are and how we position ourselves, but also how our guests experience Fairmont. We’ve launched around 20 of those experiences so far with more coming up, and the hotels will keep adding to those experiences.
What is the ultimate goal for Fairmont Hotels?
We want to make sure that the moments that you spend with us are turned into special memories when you leave. That’s what Fairmont has been doing since 1907 – celebrating and creating moments. We invite you to come through to #makespecialhappen and we are sure that you will leave with special memories. That’s the formula for us.
Learn more about Fairmont’s #makespecialhappen campaign and new properties to visit!
