FOR THE
PROFILE
ADRIAN ZECHA
Adrian Zecha at Hotel Azerai Luang Prabang , Laos
FOR THE
ADRIAN ZECHA IS UP TO HIS OLD TRICKS : FOLLOWING THE BACKPACKERS , BUT THIS TIME WITH A 3-STAR-PLUS BRAND .
By JEFF WEINSTEIN , EDITOR IN CHIEF
At age 84 , the one-time high priest of ultraluxury , Adrian Zecha , is back with a new 3-star-plus brand that he believes will cater to his former Aman “ junkies ” because the new hotels will be located in untested areas where the backpackers go first . “ The moment I hear there is a rising crescendo of praise for a new destination , first it would come from the backpackers . They continue to lead me ,” says Zecha , who in February soft-opened his first Azerai , a name that blends Zecha ’ s initials and caravanserai , the Persian word for a courtyard for travelers at rest .
“ They are still out there ,” says Zecha from his
Singapore base . “ But I am being very careful not to compete for Aman guests who still love their ‘ homes .’ My market is the adventurer , the younger crowd , and this time they don ’ t have to worry if they can afford it .”
Zecha says the initial plan is to develop two more within the year in Asia .
At a rate starting around US $ 250 a night , which Zecha expects to creep up above US $ 300 , the first Azerai is in the township of Luang Prebang , a UNESCO heritage site in north Laos , 388 miles from the capital of Vientiane . The town is home to 30 active Theravada Buddhist temples .
The 53-room hotel , with three room sizes , fea-
34 hotelsmag . com April 2017