Sanjiv Ramdanee has been the CEO of Maradiva Villas Resort and Spa in the island nation of Mauritius for the past 15 years. In 2023, he took the bold decision of closing his villa only luxury boutique hotel for nearly a full year when the country was one of the most sought-after destinations in the Indian Ocean post Covid-19.
And he has no regrets, despite having lost a full year of revenue and investing €25 million in a substantial renovation of this family-owned property, which he considers as his second child.
Sanjiv and his sister Kobita, who is the chairperson, pride themselves in being the owners of one of the only five-star deluxe resorts of the island which is not part of a group. Even though they have been a member of The Leading Hotels of the World for many years, they still have a very hands-on approach when managing this luxurious property.
We sat down with Sanjiv to find out a little more about his career to date, the improvements to the resort and what he thinks the future of the industry will look like.
When we look at your early career, nothing shows that you were predestined to the world of hospitality. How did this U-turn happen?
It started in the year 2000, the owning company had already identified a partner for the management of the Sands Suites Resort and Spa. This included the construction project and subsequently the management of the resort. However, we had to part with said partner and I was asked to ensure the completion of the construction and the opening of the resort. This was my first involvement in the hotel industry some 24 years ago. It was a sharp learning curve and this being in a dynamic environment, I am still learning today.
Your father, Sir Kailash Ramdanee, was the one who started developing the hospitality segment of your family company many years ago. What motivated him to do so?
He was a man of vision and he used to travel a lot for the pharmaceutical business. He was an epicurean and he enjoyed staying at nice hotels. As far as travel and hospitality are concerned, he opened one of the first IATA travel agencies in Mauritius in the mid 60s and he opened the first Mauritian restaurant, La Bonne Marmite, in the early 70s. The next natural step would be opening a hotel.
Your other property, Sands Suites Resort and Spa, was always managed by the family but Maradiva Villas Resort and Spa started as a Taj property. It must have been quite a challenge to stand on your own feet after having such a big international name managing the resort for quite a few years.
Indeed, it was a challenge being a new brand and not forming part of any hotel chain. However, we kept our membership at the Leading Hotels of the World, this helped us along with some major tour operators who decided to support us.
Mauritius seems to have had an influx of big brands in the last 10 years, with One and Only, Shangri La, Four Seasons and a few other big names being well established on the destination. How can a family run resort compete with such big names?
It is a good thing to have big names in Mauritius, these five-star deluxe hotels give a positive image of the island. Regarding the family-run aspect, quite a few guests actually enjoyed reading about the family history. However, more importantly; it is the relationship with partners which matters and we have enjoyed a very good relationship with them for over 20 years now.
The destination has been doing well, especially post Covid-19, and this is where you took the decision of closing Maradiva Villas Resort and Spa for a substantial and costly refurbishment. Can we consider it to be bold, or rather risky?
Both. But it was a calculated risk based on trends and forecasts.
One can see that you are what could be described as an epicurean in your day-to-day life, with a love for the world of cars, fashion, cigars, fine beverages, and glamour to mention a few. Is this linked to your role as CEO of a luxury resort or more of a private lifestyle choice?
For those who know me, my personal life is far from extravagant and I am quite simple with my taste. However, to show and promote Maradiva luxury lifestyle, one must experience or be involved all that you mentioned above.
Tell us a bit more about the new Maradiva Villas Resort and Spa since the reopening. What are the changes and your reasons for having done such changes to the resort?
The renovation was long overdue since the opening in November 2004. There were refurbished villas in 2016 and given the great results that we saw post Covid-19, we could see that there was a positive shift in our clientele, hence the decision to do the complete renovation. The main ideas were as follows: complete review of all services, to brighten up the place, to create various interesting destinations in the resort – the cigar humidor, the largest of its kind in Mauritius, being one of them. More importantly, we are now upgrading all the back of house facilities pertaining to the staff facilities. All these aspects will ensure guest satisfaction at all levels.
You are also working on a new project next to the Maradiva Villas Resort and Spa; apartments and villas, which will be part and parcel of the hotel. Can you tell us more about this new project?
We have come to an agreement with a property developer and all the villas and residences, that will be sold to private clients, will be part of the hotel rental pool, thereby extending Maradiva’s offering. The villas hold four bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, living/dining areas, fully fitted kitchens, a private pool and garage for cars. The residences are three-bedroom units with ensuite bathroom and with similar facilities as with the villas, except for the pool. Only the penthouses will have private pools.
Essentially, we are not the owners of the properties but they will be managed by us.
From a hotelier’s point of view, how do you see the evolution of luxury tourism in the next ten years?
There is a smorgasbord of luxury hotels in the world right now. The ultra-luxury sector will only increase this trend with the ultra-rich looking for a wide variety of bespoke and unique experiences.
Do you think that Mauritius will stay on this wave of popularity, and are they on the right track to face the challenges that the tourism industry will face in the next 10 to 15 years?
There are many aspects to look into for this question. The current issue with manpower will mean that we will have to adapt, we will also have to ensure that the ambitious environmental protection programme, as set out by the government, will be implemented by all parties concerned. There is also the threat of rising costs due to external shocks. Otherwise, I am confident that Mauritius will be able to maintain a successful course with regard to its tourism industry.
Finally, let us talk about sustainability which is a very fashionable topic in your industry. What are your views on the matter? Are your hotels ready to adapt to the ever-increasing demand from various stakeholders, including clients who seem to wish to keep their lifestyle but spend money on destinations and hotels that go the extra mile to reduce their carbon imprint?
Sustainability seems to be fashionable at this point in time, but it is also a vast subject that is difficult to master. Of course, we are trying to do our best in terms of offsetting our carbon footprint (Sands Suites Resort and Spa is a green globe certified resort) but we will take our time to study these various aspects of sustainability before going for full implementation.
I believe in reshaping the business while developing various strategies concerning the environment and this will have an impact on our society as a whole. We believe that environmental projects should be for the long term and should not be rushed into just to receive accolades.
Factbox
Address: Wolmar, Coastal Rd, Flic en Flac, Mauritius
Phone: +230 403 1500
Website: maradiva.com
