LEGEND
The hotel ’ s exterior
Joël Robuchon ’ s Yoshi
Fadi Boustany ( left ) with his father , Nabil , and brother , Magid , in the 1990s . “ He was quite extraordinary , this man ,” Boustany says of his father .
The hotel ’ s lobby
says Boustany , 50 , who is married with three young children .
“ In many ways Fadi considered what he was doing to be … the non-corporate approach to luxury ,” says Richey , managing director of Richey International and co-founder of Metis , which provides marketing and behavioral research . “ In that regard he was quite a bit ahead of his time .”
Despite distribution and marketing challenges , Boustany says he prefers the flexibility and personalization of independence . “ You have to create the club environment ,” he says . “ You have to feel part of the club — an exceptional club .”
French designer Jacques Garcia , behind New York ’ s NoMad , Paris ’ Hôtel Costes and others , signed on in 2001 . His prescient design cut the huge lobby area into more intimate gathering spaces . The hotel closed for a year and reopened in 2004 , but his father didn ’ t visit until it
was finished . “ He liked it ,” says Boustany , declining to discuss costs .
Chef Joël Robuchon joined to lead F & B , including room service , in 2003 , opening Joël Robuchon Monte-Carlo and eventually Yoshi , his only Japanese restaurant .
“
IT ’ S A VERY DISCREET FAMILY , EXTREMELY SMART , WISE , WITH A CLEAR VISION OF WHAT THEY WANT TO ACHIEVE .
— SERGE ETHUIN ”
“ We didn ’ t want to restrict ( Robuchon ) too much on what to do , just leave him free to think and do what he wanted ,” Boustany says .
Giving creativity free rein is part of Boustany ' s management style , with people at the center . “ It ’ s nice to have a nice hotel ,”
he says . “ If the service and the people are not there , it ’ s useless . Especially in the luxury business , most of what you give to clients is people ’ s interaction and service .”
He continues , “ Of course it ’ s very important to recruit the right people … but once you recruit them , you have to let them be .”
Karl Lagerfeld was an unlikely but inspired choice to redesign the Metropole ’ s pool area and restaurant , Odyssey , which opened in 2013 . Boustany hired Givenchy to manage the spa space redesigned by Didier Gomez , set to open in May .
At the time , Givenchy had a single spa — “ nothing wow ,” Boustany says . Why did he choose them ? “ They had the right approach when I met them ,” he says . “ They wanted to create a spa system that works , not only selling the perfumes and products , but also good treatments .”
But still , he tweaks : In-room dining , for instance , is not “ wow .” With Robuchon ' s
20 hotelsmag . com April 2018