LAGNIAPPE
Tamir Kobrin
RETURNING TO KING DAVID was meant to be ,
says Tamir Kobrin
By KATHAKALI NANDI
In early 2020 , Tamir Kobrin was on his way back to India from Israel when a “ chance meeting ” with the Dan Hotels Federmann family , owners of the iconic King David Hotel in Jerusalem , convinced him to return to his native city . For Kobrin , taking up the role of general manager at the hotel was a homecoming after having worked as the front office manager there in 1998 .
“ It was and still is an opportunity for me to contribute to the Israeli hospitality industry with my vast experience of managing luxury hotels and brands around the world and , moreover , to showcase that you can provide excellence and service in luxury in an Israeli hotel , being the iconic King David ,” Kobrin says with pride .
Kobrin , the international hotelier who has worked with brands like Mandarin Oriental , Raffles and Ritz- Carlton , and has opened several luxury properties across Asia , talked to HOTELS about his homecoming to Israel , his plans for King David and the challenges he faces today .
HOTELS : After having worked at King David Hotel as a front desk manager two decades ago , your current post at the King David is a homecoming of sorts . What made you return to Israel after so many years ? How much has the hotel changed ? What practice or idea were you anxious to implement ? Tamir Kobrin : My return to Israel and King David was a ‘ meant to be ’ of sorts . My wife and I were on the way back to India , COVID-19 happened and my chance meeting with the owners , the Federmann family , through our then CEO Ronen Nissenbaum , made it happen . It was and still is an opportunity for me to
94 hotelsmag . com Nov / Dec 2022