Today we meet Samir Messaoudi, GM at JW Marriott Hotel Muscat, who has worked in luxury hospitality for over two decades. In this interview he shares his leadership philosophy, what it takes to keep guests happy, insights into the luxury travel sector and how Oman continues to deliver as a world-class tourist destination. Read on to discover more.
Please tell us a little bit about yourself and why you decided to pursue a career in the luxury hospitality sector.
I am an extrovert, and I like engaging with guests and associates. I genuinely enjoy the presence of others, interacting with them, sharing experiences with them and learning from them. I believe that I am built for the hospitality industry and this is a field I truly enjoy, back from my days in F&B operations, until today in my leadership role. Throughout different stages of my career, I have always enjoyed making guests happy, working together with the team to curate unique experiences that become unforgettable memories.
You began your journey with Marriott International in 2006 at The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay in California and moved to the Middle East in 2009 where you’ve held leadership positions at various hotels across different Emirates – what are the key cultural and market differences you had to adapt to in these diverse luxury markets?
I have learned to be flexible in my approach as I gained a better understanding of how each country has its own culture, with different values. What is applicable on one part of the world may not be as easily applicable on another. I have also seen how emotional intelligence plays an important role, being able to quickly adapt to various kinds of people coming from various cultures is an important skill to possess, both in leading the team, taking care of the guests, as well as in making business decisions.
To be efficient in leading in a certain country, it is important to understand the values of that culture, their practices, traditions, and even their language. I have learned the importance of seeing things from their eyes—my associates’ and our guests’ perspective—so that I can make decisions, curate offers, and make changes that are applicable for them.
And in seeing the beauty of the diversity of cultures, I have also seen the common ground from which hospitality is built, making the guests happy.
Regardless of what country we are in, being a leader in hospitality has a common goal to give the guest the best experience, making them remember their stay in your property through the different thoughtful gestures you do for them, by personalising their experience, and through the warm hospitality that you give them from their arrival to their departure.
We are different, yes, but at one point, we are also the same. Hospitality is our common ground. Everyone wants to feel welcomed, with warmth and sincerity.
Now, as General Manager of JW Marriott Hotel Muscat, please describe a typical day for you – if such a thing exists!
I am always on the floor, engaging with guests. If I am not in meetings with my team, I would certainly be in the lobby, interacting with guests, or in the restaurants, making sure our dining guests are satisfied and delighted in their experience. I also make sure to constantly check in with my associates to see how I can support them. In between, I take time to strategise with my leadership team to design new offers and experiences based on the evolving expectations of guests. But in every single day, one thing is important for me—to make every guest of JW Marriott Hotel Muscat happy, from their arrival to departure.
JW Marriott Hotel Muscat is a luxury urban resort with 304 guest rooms and suites, what makes the hotel distinct from other high-end properties in Muscat and the wider region?
Some properties are business hotels focusing on corporate guests and groups, holding meetings, conferences and events. Other properties are family-friendly resorts focusing on leisure guests. We are both.
Our direct connection to the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC), the spacious ballrooms and meeting rooms and the expertise of our events team make us an ideal property to book for your business needs. Our business guests who book the suites enjoy access to our Executive Lounge, the biggest one in the city.
On the other hand, we are also a family-friendly hotel, with a spacious Family by JW Kids Camp, offering daily kids’ activities and seasonal kids’ camp. Our dining venues offer special kids’ menu perfect for the little ones, and our kid’s pool, gardens and multipurpose courts are ideal for recreational activities for the little ones.
We are a mixture of both, and we are flexible to adapt to different kinds of guests, of various nationalities, ages, and culture. The diversity, flexibility, experience and expertise of our team allows them to adapt to different kinds of guests.
And what sets us apart is the kind of genuine hospitality and warm service that our team provides. I have spoken to several guests who come to the hotel and one factor is prominent—they love the warm hospitality of our associates. And this is something I take pride in, that I have genuinely kind associates who are genuinely willing to take the extra mile to make every guest not just satisfied but delighted, exceeding expectations.
How do you innovate your offering and respond to the changing demand of high-end guests? What might surprise a returning guest?
I believe in being one step ahead. In all our programs and offers, we always think in advance and see things from the guests’ perspective. We understand that our guests are evolving, so are their preferences and needs. And as a team, we are also evolving and are flexible to adapt to the changing guest expectations.
Since we reopened, we have introduced new offers in the market—from the Summer Camp we launched in Family by JW, the unique dining offers in our restaurants, as well as the one-of-a-kind events that we activate. We always think of something new to bring to the table.
By constantly reading guests’ feedback, consistently engaging with them to hear more of their preferences and expectations, we are able to adapt, curate and tailor experiences that match their needs. And looking forward, you can expect that we will continue to surprise and delight our guests with our line-up of new experiences.
The JW Marriott Hotel Muscat has strong sustainability credentials, including Green Key and LEED alignment. What guiding philosophy drives these initiatives and how is this integrated into the guest experience?
Sustainability is at the core of our brand values. At JW Marriott, we deeply understand our impact on the world and those around us. We are also inspired by the simple beauty of the natural world. We understand that we are connected to the world and the world is connected to us, and every step we take has an impact to our surrounding, and to the future generation.
That is why our practices and policies have sustainability at the centre of the way we run our daily operations, and even in the programs that we design and activate.
As the first Marriott hotel to receive Green Key certification, JW Marriott Hotel Muscat is known for our commitment to sustainability, following a thorough assessment of the hotel’s sustainability initiatives, which include energy efficiency, environmental practices, guest room recycling, waste management, community involvement, and employee education.
In the beginning of the year, we have launched our fully automated water bottling plant, and we are the first hotel to have this kind. Through this initiative, we are able to eliminate approximately 730,000 plastic bottles annually, preventing an estimated 19,700 kilograms of plastic waste and reduces CO₂ emissions by 49,250 kilograms per year.
Apart from this, we also have our own JW Garden and we grow our own vegetables and fruits which we incorporate in the dishes prepared by our chefs. Our dining venues also prioritise locally sourced ingredients and sustainable food options.
These are just some of the examples of the sustainable practices that are being implemented in the hotel.
Oman has built a reputation as a world-class tourist destination – what are visitors most drawn to today? And in your role as Chairperson of the Marriott Business Council Oman and Chair of the Tourism Committee at the Oman-American Business Council opinion, what are you focusing on to withhold this reputation and continue to develop tourism growth?
I have met international visitors who are pleasantly surprised to see how beautiful Oman is. As soon as they arrive, they are amazed by the nature, the stunning views, as Oman looks very different compared to other GCC countries. It is a hidden treasure in the Middle East. The country boasts of its preserved natural beauty, serene surroundings, peaceful and quiet atmosphere, warm Omani hospitality, and this is what makes it attractive to regional and international visitors who desire to escape the fast-paced movements in their cities.
In my role as the Chairperson of the Marriott Business Council Oman and Chair of the Tourism Committee at the Oman-American Business Council, I focus on constant communication among fellow hospitality and tourism leaders for partnerships, collaboration and meaningful discussions, gathering feedback and brainstorming on what innovations we can do for our properties and for the growth of the industry in the city. We also leverage on our collaboration with sister Marriott hotels to increase our purchasing power, making our transactions more economical and practical.
The strong partnership and common goal of positioning Oman as a perfect tourism destination in the Middle East is what binds us together and through the activations and programs we design, the policies we implement, the collaborations we work together in, we are able to communicate the beauty of Oman to the rest of the world.
What major trends are you observing in luxury hospitality? Which do you see as here to stay? And which do you think are still evolving rapidly?
Guests nowadays are looking for adventurous activities, and they want to see something different, unique, something they cannot experience from other countries. And for many of the millennial and Gen-Z guests, they always look for something Instagram-worthy, something that they can share on social media. The guests of today are not the same guests from previous generations. The older generation looks for experiences that they can enjoy in private. But the guests of today look for experiences that they can enjoy in private and share in public through their social media platforms. And I believe that with the technology we are in, with the trend that we see in social media, guests will continue to look for interesting experiences and the hospitality and tourism industry must focus on offering unique and authentic experiences to travellers who explore the world.
Luxury is highly subjective – what does it mean to you personally?
“Luxury Service is Personalised Service”—This is what we always say at JW Marriott.
I am very hands on when it comes to guest experience. I personally meet our guests, take the time to get to know them. This helps me better understand how we can serve the guests better.
And this is the same mind-set that our team carries. We take the time to truly get to know our guests. We pay careful attention to their preferences and do our best to make them feel genuinely at home whenever they stay with us. I empower my team to take the extra mile to make our guests’ experience not just comfortable but also memorable.
One example is our Recreation Associate, Nadeeka. Apart from working in the pool area, he is also a talented artist who creates beautiful paintings and gives them as a complimentary gift to our guests as a remembrance of their stay in the hotel. We also have our talented F&B and Culinary team who provide special amenities to guests upon arrival and departure. Our Housekeeping Team also makes hand-painted bookmarks which they leave in the rooms for the guests to take away as a gift.
Our team takes note of individual preferences, guests’ birthday, special occasions, their likes and dislikes, and we do our best to ensure that these are taken into account as we serve them.
This level of personalised service and thoughtful gestures is what makes a difference in the memory of the guests. This is what makes JW Marriott Hotel Muscat their second home—a familiarity that is warm, heartfelt, and genuine. This is luxury service.
Lastly, what is your life motto if you have one?
As a leader in hospitality, I believe in this motto: “Lead by example”
In order to be a truly effective as a leader, your team should see it first in you. I believe in setting an example, which inspires the team to work hard and be dedicated in every task at hand. I teach passion by being passionate in what I do. I teach personalised service by setting an example on how to take personal attention to the guests. If they see it in me, it will be easier for the team to follow.
