05/05/2011

Olivier Louis: General Manager of One&Only Royal Mirage and One&Only The Palm, in Dubai

A tremendous destination, Dubai is unlike any other city. Very cosmopolitan, worth the detour, it is a place of the wildest wagers where the modern-day equivalents of the pyramids are being built.
One of these impressive projects is called the Palm Jumeirah. A short distance from the pulse of the city centre, on an island in the form of a palm tree, has been planted the One&Only group’s latest baby, The Palm.



At the age of 55, Olivier Louis General Manager of One&Only Royal Mirage and One&Only The Palm, Dubai – is a happy man. Happy to have successfully carried out the 15 November opening of the One&Only The Palm, the latest boutique hotel in the Emirates. A self-made man who began working at the age of 15 at the Tour d’Argent in Paris, he clearly knows this business by heart and has expertise and lengthy experience in the hotel world. Thirty years of hotel management to be precise! He speaks fluent English, and got his start at the legendary Parisian restaurant where he began learning the arts of the table. Two years later, in 1972, he moved on to open the kitchens at the first Méridien at Porte Maillot in Paris. Six years of hard work and high standards. Then he went on to dining room and reception management, and climbed the ranks for 24 years within the Méridien group, which lead him to open several hotels in New York, Houston, Newport Beach, London, Phuket (Thailand), etc. He thus became the “opening” man. He was the general manager of the Méridien in the Bahamas when Sol Kerzner, CEO of Kerzner International, bought Paradise Island. The two men met. Sol was looking for people with hands-on experience for the openings of his two hotels on Mauritius. Olivier Louis spent two years there, and, on the way, oversaw in 1998 the opening of the One&Only Royal Mirage, and its extension in 2002 with the Arabian Court and Residence&Spa which enjoyed an immediate success.

He is a man of taste, fascinated by Dubai. “What better place to combine trade and tourism?” he asks us. “With the Royal Mirage we were elegant and sophisticated, with The Palm we are bringing refinement and the French touch.” Set at one end of Palm Jumeirah, facing the city’s spectacular skyline, this is an oasis of luxury and tranquillity in Hispano-Moorish architecture. A gem of 90 rooms and four sumptuous private villas opening directly onto 450 m of white sand beach on the sea. Unique in Dubai! Rooms and suites are found within the tri-level Manor House, six low-rise Mansions and four private Beach Villas in an exceptional residential environment. The interiors are very chic and contemporary, prioritising space (at least 65 m²). Rich fabrics in shades of blue and indigo, or beige and ochre, arabesques and helices climb the walls, the rugs, sculpted wood – everything is refined, with a modern touch. Designed by two British women, the décor is fresh, relaxing and cosy all at once, with a real identity.

The lobby, enlivened by a burbling fountain, opens onto a gorgeous 850 m² pool and gardens planted with lemon and mandarin trees. On your right, the bar and its comfortable lounges, intimate spots where you can enjoy a drink, meet other guests, partake in conversation. The three restaurants boast the culinary guidance of Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alléno. “Zest” first of all, with the ambiance of a winter garden, very inviting, with immense floor to ceiling windows, where Asian, North African and Continental influences come together. Two open kitchens allow you to watch the show of your dish being prepared and the choice of ingredients. At the end of the pier, “101” on stilts, overlooking the marina, is the chic and trendy al fresco eating spot covered by a tent canvas. In a seaside lounge ambiance, the menu suggests healthy Mediterranean cuisine. A champagne bar serves all day long and late into the night. “We emphasise the music. This is a very jet-set place, like the One&Only Reethi Rah. Here we offer the very first nautical experience in Dubai with a regular shuttle between the Palace and The Palm which picks up guests by boat. We are targeting a clientele that feels young,” Olivier tells us. Then there is “Stay” which is the signature restaurant of Mr Alléno. The décor is rich, distinguished, with baroque chandeliers, black crystal, red, bronze and silver tones. A sophisticated setting for brilliant, master cooking. With a truly unique feature, the pastry “library” where you can directly watch your dessert being whipped up by the chef.

Obligatory for every luxury hotel, after going through interior courtyards, gardens, pool and fountains, 2,400 m² of spa await, with nine spacious salons each opening onto a very intimate private garden. Under the aegis of the brand Espa, famous for its products honed for relaxation and body treatments, exclusive cures are proposed after personal consultation. Here, the staff takes the time to listen to you and advise you. Mani/Pedi by Bastien Gonzales and an Alexandre Zouary hair salon in the Beauty Salon, next to the fitness centre with the latest equipment.

“The marvellous thing about Sol Kerzner, is that we are simultaneously designers, developers and operators, which makes us unique in the hotel business. This means we can offer a very expressive luxury, where we emphasise space, and where discretion and attention are the key themes,” says Olivier Louis.

With its private marina, its villas on the waterfront, and its impeccable service, One&Only The Palm is a very promising intimate Eden, a one-of-a-kind resort in Dubai, with that little something extra that can only be described as the “French Touch”. Escape by boat for an adventure in the desert, some shopping in one of the upscale malls, a stroll through the city and its famous spice and gold markets, or take to the heights, at 828 m of altitude in Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world!

By Isabelle Lallement


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