Turnaround Specialist.

During his student life his dream was to be a part of Indian Hotels Company Limited group. With his remarkable team leading and strategy making skill he achieved his dream. Vincent Ramos is currently a part of IHCL family as a Area Director – ICHL, Goa & General Manager - Taj Exotica Resort &Spa, Goa. Ramos joined IHCL in 1999 as part of the pre-opening team in the Food and Beverage sector.

Under his leadership and guidance legendary Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur has received ‘Best Hotel of the World Award’ in 2016. He is known as a turnaround specialist he has vast experience of revitalizing the loss-making hotels.
Grasp and learn mantras of being perfectionist from his conversation with our team.

Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Goa is among the ‘Top 5 Best Resort Hotels in India’at Travel + Leisure’s annual World’s Best Awards 2018 in addition to being voted among the ‘Top 100 Hotels in the World’. The resort has also ranked amongst the ‘25 Best Hotels in India’ as rated by TripAdvisor. You have taken this property to a new height with your majestic leadership. What is your success mantra?

Taj Exotica Resort & Spa Goa is one of the promising luxury resorts situated on the south-west coastline of Goa, overlooking the Arabian Sea. We are all about care and services and we always strive to be better than the best in terms of superior hospitality. The Indian Hotels

Company Limited believes in Tajness, which promises to offer sincere care. It is this Tajness mantra that exemplifies nobility, sincere care, homage to the local culture, pioneering spirit, authenticity and creating sensorial journeys which have helped me take this hotel to greater heights. A good leader is one also who re-imagines, restructures and re-engineers every circumstance to break the monotony and create the extraordinary.

HospiBuz:- You joined IHCL in 1999 as part of the pre-opening team in the Food and Beverage sector, How is the responsibility of a management team different during the pre-opening of any new department and when in a well-established department?

Mr. Vincent Ramos:- A pre-opening of any department is quite a huge challenge and at the same time a great learning experience. It’s like being welcomed into a new family. There is a greater level of engagement and interaction with the associates and thus, learning happens much quicker on the job. One learns to be flexible and picks up skills and experience beyond the current job scope. The manager is not only able to establish a network with his/her peers but also has the management’s support when he/she wishes to move to another department in the future. There is also a great sense of achievement and pride having contributed to the opening of a new property. A pre-opening team is the very foundation which defines the performance and benchmark of a product. When you are a part of an established organization, your focus revolves around testing your abilities and pushing your limits to enhance the quality of service that makes your product stand out and raise the benchmark defining excellence.

HospiBuz:- You are well known to turnaround ‘loss-making hotels’. What are the fundamental elements one should always keep in mind in the time of crisis and when the business is going low?

Mr. Vincent Ramos:- In my opinion, there are three fundamental elements in times of crisis. First entails being honest and open about the situation despite the severity, second is having robust counter plans in place with well-defined objectives and third is being an effective communicator to all stakeholders with timely and regular updates. A crisis that is not managed well can wipe out decades of hard work and company value in a matter of hours. A well-managed crisis confirms that your company has the processes and procedures in place to address almost any issue that may develop. What is most important is that you create the crisis management plan when everything is running smoothly and everyone involved can think clearly. By planning in advance, all the parties will have time to seriously think about the ideal ways to manage different types of crises.

HospiBuz:- Under your leadership, the legendary Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur had won the prestigious ‘Best Hotel of the World Award’ in 2016. The hospitality industry is a huge industry where everyone is serving hospitality. What is the major difference between hospitality and remarkable hospitality?

Mr. Vincent Ramos:- Remarkable Hospitality is all about outstanding service. A truly remarkable hospitality experience involves service which should feel good to the eye, soul and must be welcoming and comfortable; otherwise, it is not hospitality. The dictionary definition of hospitality, after all, is ‘the act of being friendly and welcoming to guests and visitors’. Remarkable Hospitality, therefore, means embracing a lot more, such as an afternoon tea, a walk in the park at noon, time with friends and family, a musical show, meditation in the morning. What consumers are searching for from the best hospitality experience is often determined by how they feel their time will be best spent. This is the main difference between hospitality and remarkable hospitality.

HospiBuz:- ICHL Group/TATA Group is known for its ethics and values. How it helped you to grow personally as an individual?

Mr. Vincent Ramos:- As part of IHCL, I had the opportunity to grow and lead many hotels and came back a full circle to lead the IHCL hotels in Goa as the Area Director – IHCL, Goa and General Manager - Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Goa, whilst my last assignment was at the coveted Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur. I think what helped me to grow personally as an individual was the significant role of fundamental learning (education). Being successful in the Hospitality industry is having the knowledge, as it is of utmost importance and it is one’s passion for the industry and subject that determines success. My passion for knowledge was an offshoot of the IHCL value of attaining ‘excellence’ in all my endeavors. Passion for excellence made me hungry for knowledge and knowledge is what gives you power and skill that makes you desired.

Both knowledge and skill must be owned and continuously worked on to stay ahead of the dynamic world of hospitality we face today.

HospiBuz:- Goa is known as the “Party City” of India and it witnesses heavy tourist traffic throughout the calendar. What uniqueness does your property provide to be in the lead?

Mr. Vincent Ramos:- The location, people, services, food and the resort sets it apart because I think we offer the best of everything. Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Goa is one of the promising luxury resorts situated on the south-west coastline of Goa, overlooking the Arabian Sea. We are all about care and service and always strive to be better than the best in our superior hospitality. Our resort sprawls over 56 acres of lush greenery, with 9-hole executive golf green and putting greens, cycling track, tennis court, pool tables as well as a cricket ground. 24-hour concierge butler service, guest services as well as an all-day diner and 24-hour in-room dining to cater to every request, we pride ourselves on truly customizing every stay to each guest. We provide a picturesque backdrop coupled with timeless elegance and luxury service to create endless memories.

HospiBuz:- Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Goa has a special section for kids to make their stay remarkable. Can you please share more about Kid@Taj.

Mr. Vincent Ramos:- ‘Kids@Taj’ is specially designed for the guests of tomorrow. It is all about pampering our young guests with tailor-made experiences. At Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Goa, we provide a range of specially curated activities that encourage the creativity of young minds and enhance their holiday experience.

Kids@Taj is a colorful indoor and outdoor kid’s friendly play area which is artistically designed for kids of all ages. The kids are kept engaged in various fun activities comprising of best out of waste, nature walks, board games, video games on the PlayStation console, foosball table, carom, fish feeding, dance classes, movie shows and many more. There is also a toddler area designed specifically for the infants and a huge outdoor sand-pit area which has a playhouse, slides, swings and a tree-house. The entire area is under completely trained supervision during all operational hours and kids below the age of three years are mandated to be accompanied by their guardians. Having such a huge plethora of entertainment for the kids, makes them fall in love with the resort and have them constantly craving for more.

HospiBuz:- The Spa industry in Indian hotel has seen phenomenal growth in recent years. What various treatments, massages and therapies Jiva Spa at Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, Goa give to their guests? Any unique or exclusive therapy provided by your hotel which is not available at any other spa.

Mr. Vincent Ramos:- IHCL’s award-winning Indian and all-natural Spa is a blend of the age-old Indian healing techniques with the finest natural ingredients. Inspired by our heritage of healing traditions, Ayurveda, Yoga and meaningful rituals, our offerings of signature experiences deliver holistic wellness.

At Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Goa, we have a healthy mix of Aromatherapy and Ayurveda treatments comprising of signature couple experiences for guests of all ages. The therapies that are exclusive at our resort are ‘Ventoz’ which is an Indian cupping treatment for back ailments while ‘Dinacharya’ is an exclusive Ayurvedic treatment which detoxifies all the sense organs in the body.

HospiBuz:- Awarded the unsung hero of the hospitality industry and the most admired General Manager of the decade, Any incident, which made you feel proud to be a part of the Hospitality Industry.

Mr. Vincent Ramos:- It is a proud moment, I believe, it is a great responsibility to be a flag bearer of the Indian Hospitality and a matter of great pride to serve under the umbrella of Tata Group and IHCL. Every moment spent creating unforgettable, unique and memorable experiences for our guests and to see the joy and amazement in their eyes and smiles is a moment that makes me feel proud to be part of the hospitality industry.

HospiBuz:- Unique & itself means something appealing and remarkable. So what unique is there in your Unique dining to make the evening of the diner more alluring and memorable.

Mr. Vincent Ramos:- Our unique dining experiences comprise of the Chef’s specially curated offerings, personalized to each guest. The exclusive dining experience is private only to the dinner showcasing the best of our services in a picturesque backdrop specially created for a memorable evening. We pride in customizing the experiences for our guests. We are after all in the business of creating wonderful, unforgettable memories of a lifetime.

Thank you so much for your prestigious time!!

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