Having stepped into the role of General Manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Baku in September this year, Nilesh Singh brings his passion for hospitality to Azerbaijan for the first time. A fervent traveller, he began his career on the F&B side honing his skills in India for 12 years, before moving into his first GM role in 2021 in the Maldives. His work has also taken him to Bali, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and now Baku, allowing him to bring a strong sense of multi-cultural leadership to the table.
Firstly, congratulations on your new appointment as General Manager at The Ritz-Carlton Baku! You bring over 20 years’ experience to the role, travelling to myriad countries. What drew you to the hospitality industry initially?
I was passionate about travel and I always wanted to discover the world and meet the diverse diaspora of people globally.
And what drew you to the role and Baku in particular?
Baku seemed to me a very interesting destination where the hospitality scene is growing and is quite promising. Our ladies and gentlemen are very dedicated, and they naturally have this genuine care that characterize the brand. Azerbaijanis are very hospitable, and I have felt very welcome into the city and a country where I don’t even speak the local language. And Azeri always make an effort to understand and fulfil your needs.
In your role of GM for The Ritz-Carlton Baku, what is your vision for the hotel?
The hotel will, very soon, become a landmark in the city. The hotel was designed by Pierre Baillargeon – a Canadian architect – and represents a sailing boat. However, it is not only about the outside… Kristina Zanic has redecorated the interior of the hotel bringing with it contemporary artwork, which gives a new image compared to the brand’s iconic hotels, such as The Ritz-Carlton, Central Park, for example. We are the newest hotel in the city, and we will definitely become a destination wedding hotel, an incentive group destination and a wellbeing destination for individual travellers. The hotel has a large variety of rooms and meeting spaces to offer to our guests, for either corporate or individuals.
If you were trying to sell Baku as a destination for people who have yet to visit the city, what would be your pitch?
Baku is a very safe city with beautiful architectural contrasts, savoury local gastronomy and plenty of unique touristic places to visit, such as Gobustan, Ateshgah fire temple, Yanardag et cetera…
Assume hotel guests have a day to explore the city – what three ‘must-sees’ would you recommend?
They must have a walk at the Boulevard, visit the old city including the Shirvanshahs Palace and Maiden Tower, discover the Fountains Square, and enjoy a coffee at any of the cafés at Nizami street.
Intuitive service is, in my mind, what separates one five-star hotel from the next. Talk us through the quality and level of service at your hotel…
The Ritz-Carlton hotels are well-known for their service, the anticipation of needs and personalised service. It is only at the pre-arrival stage that we ask our guests about their preferences, but we try to read them and take note of their behaviour. If a guest orders twice a cappuccino with almond milk for breakfast, we will bring it to his table before even he asks for it. Or if it is his birthday and his family is not travelling with him, we might place some of his family pictures in the room along with an amenity to make him feel at home. We are able to wow them with small touches. Making people happy is our pleasure.
How are you innovating to go beyond the more traditional ‘hotel’ experience?
At The Ritz-Carlton, Baku we are very conscious about the environmental footprint therefore, we try to source most of our products locally. At Tribeca restaurant, we have few a promotions using local ingredients, such as the truffles from Qakh. Moreover, at our eight-treatment room spa, we use ESPA products (99 per cent of the ingredients are natural) and, our signature treatment is done with naftalan oil, which is locally sourced with plenty of benefits for the body.
What trends are you witnessing in terms of what your guests are looking for from your hotel and from a Baku holiday in general?
Our guests are looking for experiences and to discover the destination. We are working closely with the Tourism Board of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev Centre, and other entities to create unique memories for our guests.
Lastly, tell us what’s on the horizon for the hotel…
A large variety or activations will happen in the upcoming months like the Festive Season where brunches, tree lighting ceremony and Community Footprints activities will take place (CSR).
