An Insightful Journey: In Conversation with Cluster General Manager Mr. Darren Darwin with FACT Magazine

Dive into an exclusive interview where our Cluster General Manager, Mr. Darren Darwin, shares his passion for hospitality and decades of experience in luxury hotels.

From managing multiple properties with ease to navigating an unexpected VIP request, Mr. Darren reflects on his journey with humor and insight. He also reveals his favorite part of the job—building connections with diverse teams—and how Bahrain’s warmth and community spirit have already left a lasting impression.

A visionary leader with a wealth of experience in the luxury hotel industry, the Cluster General Manager of Swiss-Belhotel Seef Bahrain and Swiss-Belsuites Admiral Juffair, shares a memorable story, his passion and his favourite perk of the job!

When managing multiple hotel properties simultaneously, how do you maintain brand consistency and seamless flow of service?
I think whether it’s one hotel or 10, it’s all about good communication and empowerment. I don’t like to micro-manage. The team members are responsible for their own departments. I’m there to advise, support and encourage. I really believe that you can’t manage a business without knowledge so everybody knows what they’re doing, whether it’s market dynamics in commercial or SOPs in the operation. And then just making sure that the message is consistently discussed and updated. For me, the biggest thing is communication. I think that’s most important, when you have more than one property, making sure that everyone’s on the same page and we have conformity. The two hotels have their own identities, yes; different business models, yes, but conformity with a lot of things, in terms of leadership, in terms of culture, is the same.

Having worked for several premium hotel complexes throughout your career, how has your leadership style evolved over the years?
My passion’s still there. I’ve always said, the day my passion goes away, I’ll retire. My energy is still there; I’m quite amazed, I’ve got more energy now than when I was younger. I think my leadership style has evolved because I’ve got more experience. I’ve got more knowledge. I always say to the guys, part of success is failing. So, I’ve learned, through some of the difficult times I’ve had, how to manage people in a better way. I think culture is also very important. Different cultures manage in different ways and you also need to get to know your team, because each person needs managing differently. I think over the years, I would say I’ve adapted because I’ve learned more myself and, as I’ve learned more, I’ve been able to pass that on to my managers and
their teams.

Can you share a particularly amusing or memorable incident in your time managing international luxury resorts?
When I was in Oman, I looked after this beautiful resort on the mountain and we had a distinguished VIP staying with us for three nights. On the last night, his manager called me at 11pm and said, Darren, can you do me a favour? I said, yes, of course. He said His Highness would like 2,000 pomegranates for the morning to take back. I thought, where am I going to get 2,000 pomegranates at this time of night? I was running around, calling my team and, thankfully, they all answered and we all helped. My security manager, who was ex Omani military, must have gone around five or six farms with a truck finding these pomegranates. We finally got them and, in the morning, the manager said that His Highness would like to say goodbye and give me a gift. So, I’m running down thinking, Rolex. Rolex, Rolex. But I got there and the gift was two goats – well they were actually oryxes. Apparently, they were very well-bred and expensive, but, well, you can’t put one on your wrist.

What’s your favourite perk or benefit of working in the luxury hotel industry?
Oh, that’s simple, the team, the people. There are many reasons I went into hospitality – to travel, to experience different cultures. I always believe you don’t really experience a culture on vacation. But for me, it’s the different teams I’ve met around the world.

What aspect of Bahraini culture or lifestyle has caught your interest so far?
Well, I’ve only been here two weeks but I’ve been very impressed with the friendliness and warmth of the Bahraini people and also the expats I’ve met here. I was in Oman for six years and I’ve been to Dubai hundreds of times. Bahrain reminds me of Oman a little
bit, with the values of family, community and environment, whereas Dubai is very fast paced and competitive. Don’t get me wrong, it’s competitive here, but I think in a humbler way. So that’s what’s really, really stuck in my mind.

Read the interview on Fact Magazine here

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