Hugues Miranda from Luxury Hospitality Brand, Oetker Collection, Shares His Top Holiday Getaways

Sasha Huang

Dec 24, 2022

INTERVIEW

At the heart of travelling is the passion for rich historic heritages, appreciation for beautiful cultures and a love for not just the destination, but also the journey. This is no different for luxury hotel management company Oetker Collection's Vice President of Sales Europe, Russia, CIS & Asia Pacific- Hugues Miranda. With 11 magnificent hotels (and an upcoming 12th!) properties and more than 150 private villas and estates around the world, the Oetker Collection brings masterful architecture to life with its vibrant hospitalities. From France to the West Indies, the company ensures a luxuriously comfortable experience wherever you are going.

For Miranda, travelling and hospitality have always had a place in his heart. Here, he shares with us his journey, passion and some of his personal top vacation spots.

How did you get into hospitality?

I have always been passionate about the hotel industry. My preferred book has always been the Michelin guide. When I was younger, and travelling with my family, I always wanted to visit the iconic hotel in every town that we were going through and stop to dine there.

I did prep school in literature but I quickly realised that my real passion and heart was in the hotel world. I then decided to move to a Hotel Business School after my second year doing a Bachelor of Science and then a Master's.

Going into sales was a natural progression and the perfect fit for my personality – actually, both my parents were salespeople – so I decided to apply this career path to luxury hotels.

What does travel mean to you today?

Travel means a lot to me. It is part of my DNA and a huge part of my professional life is travelling to the wonderful Oetker Collection hotels around the world – one week I could be in Eden Rock -Saint Barths and the next at The Woodward in Geneva.

I love travel, this can be either physical travelling or through the medium of TV or books. When I fly, or take a train or a car to go somewhere, I am always excited to be embarking on a journey.

Describe your ideal luxury hotel break.

I like iconic and masterpiece hotels and, needless to say, all Oetker Collection hotels as they all have their unique DNA but share the same brand commonalities, such as the best location in town, fabulous architecture, incredible interior design, high quality material, generous sense of space, inspiring operational concepts and excellent service. This will be the same whether you’re visiting Le Bristol Paris or The Lanesborough in London.

For me, location is the key and I love to have everything within walking distance. I am travelling for hotels rather than for a destination. I always deeply analyse the hotel and then the destination, making sure to have the right restaurants and activities arranged.

What are your travel essentials?

I always travel with :

Panama Hat from Borsalino
Aviator Rayban Sunglasses
Officine Universelle Buly toothpaste – mint, coriander and cucumber is my favourite one
An empty suitcase to bring back local souvenirs

Where are your top five cities for the ultimate secluded holiday?

Langkawi in Malaysia
Chiang Mai in Thailand
Boracay in the Philippines
Hội An in Vietnam
Udaipur in India

What are some of your personal favourite vacation spots?

Every year I go to St Tropez, Cap Ferret & Marrakesh for weekend breaks and then I always spend three weeks in Asia during my annual leave. In 2023, my plan is to travel to Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and the Philippines. I cannot wait!

Can you share with us any exciting upcoming projects at Oetker Collection?

Yes, I’m delighted to share that we have just announced our upcoming 12th Masterpiece Hotel and our first-ever hotel in the United States, The Vineta Hotel! It is situated in the heart of Palm Beach and located just two blocks off Worth Avenue – renowned for its designer boutiques, art galleries and coveted restaurants – and mere minutes away from the beach.

The hotel was originally opened as the Lido-Venice during the real estate boom in 1926, shortly thereafter renamed The Vineta and remained so for the next fifty years. The landmark building will be reborn with a top-to-bottom renovation led by Paris-based interior designer Tino Zervudachi. We will also be introducing exciting new dining concepts and hopefully The Vineta Hotel will become a Palm Beach institution!

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All imagery is provided by the Oetker Collection.

Find your next vacation spot from the Oetker Collection HERE.