John Dopere
The CEO of Samujana, known for its luxury private villas, talks to us about business after Covid, true five-star service, and why looking after your staff is at the heart of good hospitality.
When John Dopere joined Samujana as CEO, his plan was this: to deliver five-star service in each and every villa. “I was determined to offer all the services of a hotel, but with the independence of a private villa,” he says. He admits helping people to understand Samujana was a challenge at first. “People say, ‘But in a hotel I can do X, or Y. And we’re not a hotel… but I wanted to find for the perfect balance.”
With a career that includes stints on luxury trains, private members’ clubs and even royalty, the former hotelier was better positioned than most to offer this unique experience. “I’ve worked on the Orient-Express Hotels group, and for Six Senses in Thailand. I worked for the Constance Group in Seychelles, and before that I worked on the golf course of the King of Bahrain under a management company. But Samujana is a completely different approach,” he says.
Samujana comprises 23 private luxury villas on the stunning island of Koh Samui, Thailand. The villas – each architecturally stunning in its own way – offer up to seven bedrooms; some have private cinemas, spas, pools and gyms, and one even has a nightclub. All have a butler included. “As soon as you book with us, my guest experience team will contact you. we have everything you want – it’s completely up to the guest. It's a blank canvas when you book with us,” he says.
This bespoke concierge system, he believes, is why repeat business is so strong. “We make them feel at home, with a real sense of independence.” Even Hollywood royalty have enjoyed the Samujana experience. “Actor Idris Elba is a friend of one of the owners and came here to train for his movie!” he says.
A sense of independence has become more important than ever post-pandemic. “After COVID, we saw a trend emerging where that people no longer wanted to mix at breakfast or mingle with other people at reception. They want to have their own private villa,” he says. “People query why we don't have a restaurant. But we don't need a restaurant because when guests are paying $5,000 a night, they want to stay in their rooms. Our staff will cook them the very best Thai food on a schedule that works for them.”
The more family-friendly nature of Samujana and its surroundings of Koh Samui also makes it appealing to guests who aren’t looking for “Phuket-style craziness”. He takes a very personal approach to catering for certain guests. “Many of our clients come from the Middle East, and require privacy for the women in their parties,” he says. “As soon as I see a booking coming from the Middle East, I contact them personally and ask what they want. For example, the Emiratis sometimes want female Muslim staff only, so I and other male staff won’t go into the villas at all.”
The ‘five-star service’ John espouses goes beyond wow-factor facilities, however. The foundation for excellent hospitality is, John believes, investing in the staff. “When I started, the plan was to put Samujana on the map… but for me, that was secondary,” he says. “My priority was to put proper management in place and really empower the team. That was key to ensuring we deliver a five-star level service to every single villa.”
John believes in treating his staff like family – something that became crucial during Covid. “We never closed, and we didn't fire anyone,” he says. Staff were welcome to use the resort canteen, bringing their kids and families. “We basically used that time to really bring the whole team together, and to really make the people feel like part of the family.”
During lockdown, Samujana supported the local community too. “For about a year, we provided 700 lunches three times a week, to the local village,” he says. “We worked with the chief of the village to make sure that the food was going to people in need.”
Business has changed after Covid, he admits. “Before COVID, people would book a year in advance, but now I think they’re afraid to,” he says. This lack of a ‘longer-term view’ can make it a bit more difficult to forecast financially, but hearteningly, “The weddings are still coming for next year.”
For John, his staff are the most important part of his job, and he works hard to retain them. When one of the resort gardeners had a heart attack and could no longer do his work, John was quick to think of an alternative. “I didn't want him to be out of work, so we gave him a role in security, at the entrance of the resort.” The former gardener has now been in that position for three years. “His wife is starting to work with us next month,” he says. “That's true ‘family’.”
His leadership advice for other CEOs and hoteliers is simple: “Treat your staff the way you wanted to be treated. Take the time to talk with them,” he says. “And don't just train them - give them a career plan, an opportunity to grow.”