A hotelier by profession and a gourmet by passion, Jean-Luc Naret has had over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, allowing him to travel the world and visit some incredible destinations.
Having recently joined The Set Collection as executive director, Jean-Luc has an expectational understanding and knowledge of operating and strategically leading hotels and resorts for luxury hotel brands worldwide.
We sat down with Jean-Luc to find out a little more.
How did The Set Collection start?
During Covid-19, it became apparent how outdated and limited some traditional hotel representation companies are. The Set Collection started with three highly experienced hospitality professionals with decades of experience across the luxury hospitality sector looking to change this. We recognised that hoteliers are looking for flexible agreements specifically tailored to their individual needs and scaled up or down depending on market conditions. This then gave way to the launch of The Set Collection.
What makes The Set Collection different to other luxury hotel groups?
The Set Collection is a new luxury brand representation company of like-minded independent hotels, run by hoteliers for hoteliers. It has been designed for owners, investors and management teams seeking an alternative to the traditional representation and distribution service.
With an agile and flexible business model, The Set Collection provides a tailored solution to supply only the services that hoteliers need, designed to adapt quickly to continually evolving markets conditions and business needs of its member hotels whilst providing a competitive fee structure. Under The Set Collection, owners and management teams retain their hotel brand and identity alongside the day-to-day running of their property whilst taking advantage of tailored services available to support their operations and existing team members.
By becoming a part of The Set Collection, our partners benefit from such services as our unrivalled distribution tools, 24/7 online and phone reservations systems, access to worldwide travel partners, marketing solutions, industry relations, customer loyalty programmes and concierge services. In return, our partners support the growth and development of our industry-leading brand whilst we expand our footprint across the world.
What future trends/patterns do you predict in the luxury hotel market?
As a result of Covid-19, it’s clear that the hospitality industry has been considerably affected. However, looking ahead, it’s an exciting and encouraging time, especially for us with this launch of The Set Collection. As we know, the demand for travel is now stronger than ever; this, coupled with the demand for luxury, has seen guests’ expectations develop constantly. Something that delights guests on their first stay will be expected on their next. Hotels must manage these expectations and be reactive and deliver creative and innovative ideas to keep guests excited and returning to their favourite destinations.
It’s also notable that the travel industry has become more environmentally conscious than it ever has been, and this shift must be reflected and honoured at every touchpoint possible for a guest. It’s no longer a novelty but an expectation to have sustainable credentials and be aware of what guests want. Of course, you are staying in a hotel and expect your bed linen to be changed frequently. Still, now you can see that more and more guests choose not to have their room made up. It’s not because of the cost, but because people are more conscious of the environmental impact and realise the effects of climate change – especially in places like the Maldives.
Tell us about The House Collective and why you chose to partner with this brand specifically?
The House Collective are four beautiful properties located in the best destinations in Asia, including The Opposite House in Beijing, The Upper House in Hong Kong, The Temple House in Chengdu and The Middle House in Shanghai.
I cannot think of a better group of hotels to be our first new members than The House Collective. Like our founding members in Europe and Israel, The House Collective’s properties have impacted the luxury traveller’s collective consciousness far greater than their relatively small footprint would suggest. It is a privilege to work with these expert hoteliers to offer them the myriad benefits that being a part of The Set Collection offers and to learn and grow together in new and exciting markets during these unique times.
What plans and aspirations do you have for The Set Collection?
We always have high aspirations and many plans for The Set Collection, and 2022 is an exciting year. We are currently working on a great loyalty scheme for our guests. This will link to one of the most extensive loyalty programmes explicitly designed for The Set Collection. The plans don’t just stop there, so stay tuned and wait and see them play out.
What would be your dream hotel or hotel group to partner with The Set Collection?
The next one! I have too many friends in this industry to single out just one, there are so many amazing properties in the world to choose from!
What is the next big thing for The Set Collection?
It has to be growing and expanding our portfolio. We have a big target to achieve, with the initial goal of 20-30 new members by the end of the year.
What are your travel predictions for 2022?
For many years, guests were looking for similarities in travel, wanting comfort security, and would often turn to familiar brands such as Hilton, Four Seasons etc., to offer this comfort worldwide. However, in 2022, the pattern and trends have shifted, influenced by travellers looking for unique properties anchored to their location, where guests can experience the local culture.
All imagery used in this article has been supplied by The Set Collection
