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through an asset-light model , partnering with people who want a piece of Rosewood in their portfolio , maybe even more so for the prestige , rather than the returns . “ It ’ s not your typical institutional partner ,” Arora said .
Part of Arora ’ s remit is to strike and nurture these deals , to grow the Rosewood brand by working in tandem with partners to achieve the best results , which is why Arora keeps a frenzied travel schedule . Arora favors a tête-à-tête conversation over a Zoom call . In October 2023 , Town & Country published an article titled : “ Radha Arora Shares His Favorites for Being at Home or Away .” Expectedly , Bose QuietComfort Headphones were cited ; surprisingly , were Blackwing pencils , which he wears down to the nub : “ We ’ re in the aesthetics business ; I work with great designers and architects , and I ’ ve seen them use these pencils , so when I have one , I feel like I , too , can contribute in some way ,” he told Town & Country .
Arora has contributed in many ways , but it ’ s not just the contributions he ’ s made to propel the business , it ’ s the contributions he ’ s made to those around him . “ It ’ s being respectful of others ,” Arora said . “ Humanity is what our industry is all about . If you endorse the culture through the way you speak to somebody else , then everything else pales .”
Passionate is how Arora believes others see him . Passionate about the way he
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goes about his business and in his daily relationships . “ This is just who I am ,” he said . “ It ’ s about loyalty to our partners and to our teams . When you have this culture , where you create this sense of pride , at every level , that is impenetrable , and it propagates creativity .” It ’ s taken time to grow the Rosewood brand to be a powerhouse , standing shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Ritz-Carlton and Arora ’ s old outfit , Four Seasons . It wasn ’ t David slinging Goliath , but it wasn ’ t easy ; it took time and it took convincing .
“ There ’ s so many different luxury players ,” Arora said . Consider Hôtel de Crillon . It ’ s owned by a Saudi Arabian prince , but it took some time coaxing him that Rosewood was the right partner to operate the hotel . “ He ’ d ask us , ‘ Why Rosewood ? You have no properties in Europe . No infrastructure .’” The answer seems easy but
Rosewood Mayakoba in Mexico ’ s Riviera Maya .
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A marbled bathroom at Rosewood Hong Kong , which soars over Victoria Harbour .
it ’ s hard to execute on . What it really is , is a promise , an assurance of uniqueness and mystique , Arora said . His pitch : “ We are a well-known brand in the U . S . that will continue to evolve in Europe . You need to trust us with this passion and desire . We ’ ll work on it personally .”
It happened . “ Twelve years later , partners come to us ,” Arora said . “ We ’ re very fortunate to be in the position to have created this appealing brand .”
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He ’ s had a big hand in it , and Arora says that his job today is to preserve the brand and its culture .
Thirteen years in with Rosewood , Arora doesn ’ t have any plans to go anywhere soon . Besides , he said , his boss wouldn ’ t allow it . “‘ You ’ re not going anywhere ,’” Cheng has told him .
He ’ s also in no hurry to be anywhere else . “ Why would I want to ? Every day is a unique day .”
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