Crafting Opulent Hospitality - Vibha Sawhney - Defining Hospitality - Episode # 161

Joining the show this week is a hospitality professional who creates distinct projects that make emotional connections with guests. Please welcome to the show, Senior Director of Design & Construction Services at Kempinski, Vibha Sawhney.

Vibha joins Host Dan Ryan to discuss how she creates luxury projects that meet the needs of owners. Vibha also shares the importance of collaborative empathy, the value of meticulous attention to detail, and explores Kempinski's unique approach to luxury.

Takeaways: 

• Hospitality involves providing the highest level of service where the guest is considered supreme. For an architect, design and architecture are tools to craft unforgettable and comfortable memories for guests, emphasizing their supreme importance.
• To gain hands-on experience and a deeper understanding of materials, immerse yourself in working alongside skilled tradespeople like carpenters and metal workers. Understanding how they work allows you to better utilize a material in planning. 
• The key to success is selecting the right partners who will give proper attention to your projects and act with empathy toward the end-users. It is essential to work collaboratively to achieve the best results and support the owner's vision.
• A successful property requires exceptional service across all locations and maintaining high standards in essential areas like breakfast and room comfort. Consideration must be given to space constraints, ensuring comfortable environments in smaller spaces.
• While many brands have a clear and defined aesthetic that should be designed for, your job is ultimately to work with an owner to tie their vision together. Successful collaboration blends both brand design and owner desires. 
• Hotels are ultimately an ecosystem that requires collaboration between various functions and backgrounds to function properly. Collaboration can only happen if empathetic understanding is found between employees. 

Quote of the Show:

• “We are really open to understanding what the owner and the owner's team wants to do in a project.” - Vibha Sawhney

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vibha-sawhney/ 
• Website: https://www.kempinski.com/en

Shout Outs:

• 1:43 - Kristen Conry: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conry/ 
• 1:45 - Hyatt: https://www.hyatt.com/ 
• 13:25 - Samuel Creations
• 20:22 - Marina Residences Dubai: https://www.kempinski.com/en/development/upcoming-openings/kempinski-marina-residences-dubai 
• 20:27 - International Design Associates: https://www.ida-global.com/ 
• 25:24 - Marriott: www.marriott.com 
• 25:25 - Hilton: https://www.hilton.com/ 
• 30:13 - Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul: https://www.kempinski.com/en/ciragan-palace 
• 31:05 - Kempinski Palace Engelberg Titlis Swiss Alps: https://www.kempinski.com/en/kempinski-palace-engelberg 

Ways to Tune In: 

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Amazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419