Gulf Insider speaks with the Senior VP of Marriott International Luxury Brands during his visit to Bahrain Bob Kharazmi is the Senior Vice President of Luxury Brands at Marriott International and The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. We had an opportunity to talk to him about The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain, his mission for the hotel in the Kingdom and staying true to the Gold Standards of hospitality. What brings you on this visit to the Ritz–Carlton Bahrain? The Ritz-Carlton is one of Marriott International’s luxury brands. When visiting the hotel, my role is to enable our team, the Ladies and Gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton, to uphold the gold standards of service. I primarily focus on employee interests, understanding what they need so that the entire hotel works as a single efficient unit. I also look into the quality of the property, the service, the cleanliness, and the ambience. While here, I work closely with leaders in supervisory roles, refreshing and driving our core beliefs with them. What do you believe sets The Ritz-Carlton apart from other hotels? Back in 1983, when we were developing the idea of a luxury hotel, we started with a few simple questions – what brings our guests to the hotel? Are they travelling on business, vacationing, or maybe celebrating an occasion? Perhaps they just wanted to enjoy a getaway. We began designing our service thereafter to suit our guests’ purpose of visit. Each guest experiences a unique stay because we try to learn everything we can about them from the moment they make a booking. We have an unwavering belief system that sets us apart and we go to great lengths to preserve that belief system. Our staff knows who we are and what we aim to achieve. The 99% of them who choose to stay with us share these values. It is an indication of why other brands seek to employ staff from The Ritz-Carlton. How do you gauge success at the Ritz-Carlton? Success is in staying true to our Gold Standards, which is our belief system. From greeting the guests, addressing them by name, to anticipating what they need and delivering on our promise, we are successful when our culture is upheld before our guests. Our Gold Standards are the foundation of our hotel. It includes the values and philosophy driving our operations. Our success also lies in our staff finding the autonomy to fulfil their own aspirations. Our Ladies and Gentlemen here in Bahrain represent 37 nationalities and this diversity plays a big role in the culture of our hotel. We want them to connect with the culture of the organization. We achieve this through repeated recitals of our Gold Standards every single day before a shift begins until we breathe and live it. What do you believe is important for Ritz-Carlton to stay relevant in the future? We have come a long way. However, there is still a long road ahead. Success has no finish line. Our effort to create a unique experience for our guests is an ongoing and evolving process. Today, we serve guests across four generations, each with its own requirements and aspirations. Technology has become an integral part of life and to stay relevant, we have to consider the changing needs of our guests while delivering quality service to them.