The goal at the luxurious and newly refurbished Centara Reserve Samui is to provide complete client satisfaction, personalization and to meet all the needs and desires of their guests. This is why Centara Reserve Samui is this year’s winner of Luxury Lifestyle Awards in the category of Best New Luxury Resort in Samui, Thailand, 2021. We spoke with Patrick Moukarzel, General Manager at Centara Reserve Samui about the newly refurbished resort and the successes that have allowed them to be recognized as one of the most exciting resorts to open in 2021.

Luxury Lifestyle Awards: Tell us more about yourself, Patrick. What was your position before you took on the GM role at Centara Reserve Samui?

Patrick Moukarzel: About 22 years ago, I left France and decided to travel to many countries to experience different cultures, it has always been of interest to me. I opened the Chedi in the UAE, a luxury resort which I absolutely loved. Since then, I have opened eight more hotels, and six of those as a general manager. I am happy to say that I have found my calling and I hope to continue opening hotels in the luxury industry.

 LLA: Tell us about your journey at Centara Reserve Samui. What made the team decide to refurbish the resort?

PM: The resort was 23 years old when I came in, and it was in dire need of a complete refurbishment as it was just not up to the luxury standard anymore. It was a perfect time to renovate it and integrate it into the first luxury brand of Centara Reserve. I am proud I was there for such a milestone.

LLA: How did COVID affect the renovation process and did this push your launch date back further on your intended launch date?

PM: This answer will most likely surprise you, but it did not affect us as much because our dedicated team of renovators, staff and suppliers were always available on site, and it was the perfect timing to renovate because no guests could travel to the resort anyway. I suppose you could say the timing was perfect, even though the pandemic was a terrible experience for everyone, and I do sympathies immensely with those who struggled and are still struggling from the repercussions of it.

LLA: How would you describe the hotel and resort industry in Thailand now that borders have re-opened?

PM: I believe it is the end of this awful pandemic and we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We hope that things in the hotel industry will go back to “normal” within the next few months and that there will be a positive re-set. We have to remain optimistic that thigs will slowly get better.

LLA: Please tell us how you conceptualize Centara Reserve Samui?

PM: When I joined initially, I was in charge of elaborating the brand standard for the luxury tier, however, I was not alone of course. The decision came from the corporate office to have the first luxury resort within the group. Once the rest of the team joined (the managers of each department) we had many brainstorming sessions and came up with excellent ideas that we implemented. We focused on small, personal touches that make us different to our competitors. In luxury terms, details made the difference, and I was fortunate enough to have the entire team three months prior to the grand hotel opening. We managed 450 hours of training per host. That makes a massive difference in the first-class service that the team will be delivering and in the confidence of each host.

LLA: Who or what is the inspiration behind the aesthetic of the resort?

PM: Avroko is a designer and well-known in the design industry, and of course, the brief from the corporate office was to keep the original “colonial” style with Thai touches. They certainly delivered on the brief and the resort looks wonderful.

LLA: What are you most excited about for your guests in terms of the launch date? Accommodation, gastronomy, or activity aspects?

PM: We are confident that the guests will absolutely love the gastronomy on offer with world-class chefs cooking up a delightful, unique storm in the kitchens. Apart from that, the small luxury amenities that we have put effort into will definitely put a smile on even the most discerning client’s face. We are confident that the guests will love the resort and its entirety.

LLA: Are you already fully booked for December?

PM: We are almost at full capacity (70% occupancy so far) however we do not want to be fully booked as the team needs to deliver a luxurious service to our guests. We know that it is beneficial if we do a bit less and keep the standard high. This will allow the team to settle and be ready for a full house in the near future.

LLA: What projections do you see for the company’s development, and do you have any exciting plans set out for the future?

PM: If the opening is successful (I am confident it will be) we have some future plans to open more Centara Reserves and we believe we should have more resorts in each popular destination in Thailand to start with. We first need to prove that we have the recipe right here, and then we will consider expanding abroad.

LLA: Lastly, how do you feel about winning a 2021 Luxury Lifestyle Award in the category of Best Luxury New Luxury Resort in Samui, Thailand?

PM: We are truly excited and honored as a team to be recognized for this. The hotel market is tough these days and to win this award means that the team did a fantastic job. I am so grateful to them and to the team of Luxury Lifestyle Awards. Let’s see what the future holds!