While this will always be a softly-spoken brand, Olivier Jolivet admits he would like to see Como at least whisper a bit louder.
“It’s not our philosophy to make a big noise,” he says. “But yes, I have been trying to amplify awareness a little more since I joined.”
Often seen as a leader in understated luxury and respected for its focus on wellness – a journey the brand has been on for many years, not just as a modern fad – Como has just 15 hotels, but they are spread from the Maldives to Miami.
Aman, the company where Jolivet previously worked for eight years is known for its “Amanjunkies” – affluent, dedicated guests who sashay elegantly to any of its resorts around the world – and while he doesn’t say it himself, I’d posit that with a repeat factor of 40% worldwide, maybe there is also a breed of Comojunkies too? “We don’t sell rooms, we sell experiences,” he says.
Having just spent a couple of days myself at the most recent addition to the fold, Como Castello del Nero in Tuscany, it’s easy to see why people would fall in love with the group’s hotels. And having been fortunate to notch up visits to six of the other hotels personally across the years, I’m happy to admit my own addiction; not least to Como’s own-brand Invigorate amenities, an uplifting blend of eucalyptus, peppermint, lavender and geranium.
But having incredible aromas in your hotel is one thing; Jolivet is set on service as the core reason people return to Como’s hotels.
“I think people come to us because they like discreet hotels and ones focused on wellness, cuisine and service: the difference between ‘good and great’ comes down to service, and that’s what we focus on, not on being an overly modern brand for the sake of it,” he tells me as we sit in the lobby of Como Metropolitan in London. “Guests return to us because of the care they receive from our people. When you are so trusted, you have to be consistent.”
He also believes in the power of sustainability as a brand standard for the hotels. “We have such a long-term philosophy, and again while many people talk about it [sustainability] now, it’s always been a key part of our make-up, we just don’t feel the need to shout about it,” he says.
“However, it is something I know people appreciate, especially young people – both in terms of those we attract to work for us and in younger guests. We live in a very transparent world today, so people can see how you are behaving as a business. They also want to know who you are, and what they will learn from you. How will you go beyond the normal for them?”
