His associations with some of the ace luxury hotels worldwide and his dedication to curating the best possible experience for his guests have made him climb the success ladder to a position where he leads one of the best luxury hotels in the country, today. Undisputedly, one of the top hoteliers in the country, Rajiv Kapoor, General Manager, Hotel Fairmont Jaipur has set milestones through his exemplary ideas and exquisite services in the luxury hotel sector. And Fairmont Jaipur has scaled several notches higher under his leadership of repute staying true to the brand promise of turning moments into memories.
Hailing from a defence background, his cognisance with diverse people and cultures of the world during his formative years is what he credits for his in-depth knowledge of this field. His innate quality to connect easily with people made the hospitality industry as his obvious career choice.
His love for hospitality is evident from the fact that he not only observes his guests but also his colleagues, and tries to imbibe that insight to good use—serve people better. His belief that no two guests are the same and so goes with the people serving them, displays his astounding love for details. As he rightly puts it, “The uniqueness of this industry lies in the humane touch, for it cannot be replicated.”
Kapoor is also largely fascinated by the vibrant and expansive Indian culture, of considering ‘guests as Gods’. He is particularly inspired by the local traditions of Rajasthan, influences of which he shares can be seen during welcoming the guests at his hotel. Possessing illustrious experience of more than two decades in the industry in different countries, Kapoor has been involved with various aspects of hotel operations. He is one active hotelier who constantly tries to evolve the business by combining his global market experience, local references, and active personal observations made regularly.
“My vision for Fairmont Jaipur in the ensuing days encompasses communicating innovative products along with refining the services in sync with the growing need for personal well-being. Also an authentic and sustainable luxury experience for the varied traveller profiles with prominence on families and couples coming to the palace hotel,” he says.
According to him artificial intelligence, sustainable tourism, and gastronomy in exquisite cuisines are the trends in the industry to look forward to. He also believes that one of the foundational elements that constitute a great hospitality team is the attitude layered with empathy towards the guest. One must imbibe the hospitality attitude for being able to curate a bespoke experience for the guest. In our nation, we believe that the guest is equivalent to our God and so we treat them with utmost respect and empathy and strive the extra mile to meet their expectations.
As a hotel manager at The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa and also LICC, to host 26th ASEAN Summit in April 2015, Kapoor had to plan and re-plan to the last details almost a year ahead to ensure flawless execution, absolute security and impeccable services. The event execution facilitated his professional as well as his personal growth and honed his skills to make him the hotelier that he is today.
“One of the experiences that I will forever hold close to my heart from my decades of being a hotelier is the two years of Gourmet Chef Festival that we had hosted in my previous position as the General Manager of The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa. While in the initial year we had the chef entering the venue like a true star in a Harley Davidson amidst thunderous applause, the consequent year we planned an equally regal entrance for the chef in a helicopter in the middle of the arena for all to see and exclaim!” he shares with us on being asked about his favourite experiences.
