Hospitality
WHY TRUE LUXURY IS FOUND IN CONNECTION: ANDREA ORRÚ ON ANANTARA, SALALAH AND SENSE OF PLACE

Exclusive interview with Andrea Orrú, General Manager, Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara
- Your journey has taken you from Sardinia to some of the world’s most celebrated luxury destinations. Looking back, what first inspired you to pursue hospitality, and what continues to excite you about the industry today?
What first drew me to hospitality was the human side of it. It is an industry built around people, stories and experiences, and no two days are ever quite the same. Since beginning my career in 1999, I have had the privilege of working in many different parts of the world, and that has given me a real sense of being a citizen of the world. Every destination, culture and team has shaped me in some way. What still excites me is seeing an idea come to life and witnessing the effect it has on a guest or a colleague. It could be a new experience, a thoughtful detail in the guest journey or an opportunity for someone in the team to grow.


Having worked across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Maldives, what has each region taught you about the true meaning of luxury hospitality?
Every region has shaped my understanding of luxury in a different way. Europe taught me to appreciate heritage, craftsmanship and the discipline behind consistently high standards. Asia showed me the beauty of intuitive service, where the smallest details are often noticed without the guest needing to ask. The Maldives reinforced the importance of privacy, personalisation and caring for a fragile natural environment. The Middle East has taught me a great deal about generosity, warmth and creating experiences that speak to couples, families and multigenerational travellers alike. Australia also holds a very special place in my heart. It was an important chapter both professionally and personally, as it is where I met my wife, Jana. Today, we have two beautiful children together, so my time there will always remain especially meaningful to me. What I have learnt across all of these destinations is that luxury is not necessarily about having more. It is about making every element feel considered. Guests remember how smoothly everything flowed, how well the team understood them and whether they felt a genuine connection to the place. The setting is important, of course, but the people bring it to life. That is where true luxury is found.


Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara has consistently strengthened its position as one of Oman’s leading luxury destinations. What has been the biggest contributor to that success?
Without question, it is our people. A beautiful resort gives you a strong foundation, but it is the team who create the experience guests remember. Our success has come from having a clear direction and a team that understands what we are trying to achieve together. We have continued to strengthen the resort around what makes both Anantara and Salalah special: a strong sense of place, meaningful wellness, memorable dining and a genuine commitment to sustainability. You can see this in many areas, from the personalised service offered by our villa hosts to our locally inspired wellness experiences and the annual culinary festival, which brings international chefs from Michelin-starred backgrounds alongside Omani talent.


Luxury hotels often tell their own stories. Al Baleed Resort seems to tell Salalah’s story instead. Was that always the vision?
Yes, absolutely. Anantara is at its best when the hotel becomes a gateway to the destination rather than a world separated from it. Al Baleed sits beside the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Land of Frankincense and is surrounded by an extraordinary combination of coastline, mountains and Dhofari culture, so it would be a missed opportunity for the resort to focus only on itself. We aim to showcase Salalah through the guest journey: locally inspired design, frankincense rituals, regional ingredients, Omani culinary experiences, cultural excursions with our Salalah Insider and collaborations that place local creativity alongside international expertise. Even contemporary concepts, such as the Anantara Khareef Chocolate, are developed with ingredients and stories rooted in Dhofar. Ideally, the resort should give visitors the confidence and curiosity to explore beyond its gates.
The frankincense tree-planting ceremony is a distinctive addition to your 25th anniversary experience. How does this initiative reflect Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara’s broader approach to sustainability and responsible tourism?
Frankincense is deeply woven into Dhofar’s identity, so the tree-planting experience felt like a meaningful way to mark Anantara’s 25th anniversary. It allows guests to contribute to the destination, rather than simply experience it from the outside. Each tree is marked with a bespoke engraved plaque, and guests receive a keepsake pouch of frankincense to take home. They also receive quarterly updates from our Farm Guru, so the connection continues long after their stay and they can follow the progress of the tree they planted. The experience reflects our wider approach to sustainability, which is not centred on one initiative alone, but on the choices we make every day. Our on-site farm supports farm-to-table dining and gives guests the opportunity to understand more about local cultivation. Our in-house water-bottling operation helps reduce reliance on single-use plastic, and we were the first resort in Dhofar to introduce electric-vehicle charging. We also support beach clean-ups and work with organisations including the Environment Society of Oman to help protect local wildlife. For us, responsible tourism should leave something positive behind. The frankincense tree is a lasting symbol of that commitment and gives guests a personal connection to the heritage and future of Dhofar.
Rapid Round
What is one hidden gem in Salalah that every first-time visitor should experience?
It’s difficult to choose just one. I would recommend the Sugar Dunes in Fushi, around two hours from Salalah, where powder-white dunes meet the coastline, as well as Al Hawta, with its dramatic waves, green landscapes and its seasonal waterfall. Al Hawta is especially beautiful during Khareef, when the microclimate brings the scenery to life, while the Sugar Dunes remain striking throughout the year.
Coming from Sardinia, is there anything that reminds you of home when you are in Salalah?
There are several similarities. Both Sardinia and Salalah have areas of unspoilt, almost untouched scenery, with dramatic coastlines, mountains and landscapes that still feel wonderfully undiscovered.
They also share a long history and a very strong sense of heritage. What perhaps reminds me most of home, however, is the warmth of the people. Much like Omanis, Sardinians are proud of where they come from and genuinely want visitors to experience the beauty, traditions and character of their land.
What hospitality trend do you think is currently overhyped?
I think the industry sometimes becomes too focused on adding more, more concepts, more technology and more touchpoints, when what guests often value most is simplicity. They want things to feel effortless, personal and well considered.
Luxury should not feel complicated or overproduced. The most memorable experiences are often the quietest ones: being recognised, having a preference remembered or receiving thoughtful service at exactly the right moment.
If guests leave Al Baleed remembering just one feeling rather than one facility, what would you want that feeling to be?
I would want them to feel that Al Baleed was not simply a place where they stayed, but a destination they came to experience.
That means feeling genuinely cared for, having the small details noticed and being encouraged to discover Salalah in a way that feels personal. Ideally, they leave with beautiful memories of the resort, but also with a deeper connection to Dhofar and a desire to return.
Hospitality
Keeta Drone Launches New Drone Delivery Route Serving Dubai Silicon Oasis Headquarters
Keeta Drone, the pioneering air delivery company, today announced the launch of a new drone delivery route serving the headquarters office complex at Dubai Silicon Oasis, the special economic zone for knowledge and innovation and a member of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ). The route brings on-demand aerial delivery to professionals working within the complex and expands the range of food and beverage brands that can be ordered through Keeta Drone.
The route was inaugurated at DSO headquarters, attended by representatives from Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), and Keeta Drone. The new route builds on Keeta Drone’s established presence in Dubai Silicon Oasis, where its operations already serve RIT– Dubai University and residential communities. Through extending the network to the DSO headquarters complex, the company is introducing aerial delivery services into a commercial workplace environment, expanding the range of locations and customer segments served by its operations.

Badr Buhannad, Director General of Dubai Silicon Oasis, said: “Keeta Drone’s expansion to the Dubai Silicon Oasis headquarters reflects the growing role of innovative technologies in shaping more connected and efficient urban environments. As the special economic zone for knowledge and innovation, Dubai Silicon Oasis continues to support Dubai’s ambition to build a knowledge-driven, innovation-led economy in line with the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.”
“This route creates a new scenario in which employees in an office complex experience air deliveries right within their own compound,” said Junwei Yang, General Manager, Keeta Drone. “Bringing the service to DSO HQ is a new feather in Keeta Drone’s cap, expanding access with a new location by adding new community segments to our portfolio.”
Enhancing Workplace Convenience Through Urban Air Mobility
More than 1,000 professionals working within the DSO headquarters commercial complex can now order from participating F&B brands, including Costa Coffee, Bazooka, Tortilla, We Asian, Shawarmary, Chicking, JJ Chicken, Starbucks, Raju Omlet, among others. Orders are delivered to a designated landing and collection point within the complex, allowing employees to access participating outlets without leaving the premises. The service operates daily from 09:00 AM to 9:00 PM, with operations approved by the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA).
Expanding Access to New Communities and Customer Segments
The new route builds on Keeta Drone’s established presence in the area, complementing its existing delivery points near the lockers located in DSO at RIT Dubai University Campus and the Emirates Airline residential towers, as well as service locations in Nad Al Sheba Grand Mosque and Dubai Land. Operating in the area for more than a year, Keeta Drone continues to expand its network across university, residential and neighbouring communities, extending the reach of its drone delivery services to new locations and customer segments. Keeta Drone has completed more than one million drone deliveries globally, reflecting the scale and reliability of its operations. The milestone highlights the company’s continued efforts to expand drone-enabled logistics services and introduce new delivery use cases across different environments and communities.
Hospitality
This UAE National Day, Put Local on the Menu: The Emirati Founder Reimagining Dates and Camel Milk


As the UAE prepares to celebrate its 55th National Day, it’s time to recognise not only the country’s heritage, but also the homegrown entrepreneurs finding new ways to carry it forward. For young Emirati entrepreneur Rashid Gargash, that means looking at familiar ingredients through a contemporary lens and exploring how they can become part of the way people eat today.
Rashid’s journey began with research into food security and sustainable nutrition in the Middle East. His work examined the region’s agricultural realities, including desalination, groundwater challenges and available food resources. Along the way, dates and camel milk stood out as ingredients with deep connections to the UAE’s food heritage and potential for new applications.
Working alongside food scientists and researchers, Rashid explored how these ingredients could be developed into a nutritious, convenient product suited to contemporary lifestyles. The process eventually led to Rashtions, a UAE-made snack brand that combines dates, camel milk and ghee across a range of protein-rich snacks.
The range includes Date Original, Date Truffle, Cocoa Truffle and Brazilian Coffee Truffle, with products providing up to 20 grams of protein per 80-gram serving. They are made without added sugar, preservatives or artificial sweeteners.
“Rashtions began with a broader question about food security and how we could better understand and utilise the resources available in our region,” said Rashid Gargash, Founder of Rashtions. “Dates and camel milk have long been part of the UAE’s food story, and I wanted to explore how familiar ingredients could be approached through research and innovation to create something relevant to the way people eat today.”
For Rashid, the journey has also reinforced a wider lesson about entrepreneurship: innovation does not always mean starting from scratch. It can begin by looking more closely at what already exists, questioning how it is used and finding new ways to make it relevant. In the food sector, that means considering not only nutritional value, but also taste, convenience and whether a product fits into people’s everyday lives.
As the 55th UAE National Day approaches, Rashid believes supporting homegrown businesses is one way consumers can contribute to the next chapter of the UAE’s entrepreneurial story. Choosing UAE-founded brands and products made in the country can help bring greater visibility to the people developing local ideas into businesses, while demonstrating that heritage and modern innovation can work together.
Rashtions is available through ADNOC and Emarat service stations, Deliveroo and Noon, as well as directly through the brand’s website, with delivery available across the UAE.
Hospitality
From the French Riviera to Abu Dhabi: La Môme Makes Its Grand Debut with an Exclusive Four-Day Race Weekend Takeover

This December, the French Riviera comes to Yas Marina as La Môme makes its Abu Dhabi debut, in partnership with Sunset Hospitality Group, with an exclusive four-day takeover during race weekend. From 3 to 6 December 2026, the celebrated Cannes-born restaurant brings its signature mix of exceptional Mediterranean cuisine, Riviera glamour, and lively entertainment to the capital, creating a sophisticated yet vibrant setting for race-weekend dining and celebrations, minutes from the circuit.
With an established presence at the Monaco Grand Prix, where La Môme Monte-Carlo hosts a rooftop dining and hospitality experience overlooking the famous race circuit, the brand has a longstanding connection to the glamour and excitement of international motor racing. Now, La Môme brings that same spirit to Abu Dhabi, offering a sophisticated setting for long lunches, elegant dinners, and lively evenings.
At the table, La Môme’s approach is generous, expressive, and unmistakably Mediterranean. The menu celebrates quality ingredients and balanced flavours, with starters such as Artichoke Salad and Wagyu Carpaccio with Black Truffle, alongside a refined selection of Oysters and Caviar. Signature pastas and main courses include Tagliolini with King Prawns, Rigatoni with Truffle, and Japanese A5 Wagyu Sirloin.



In the evenings, Sounds of Riviera, a roaming live band from the French Riviera, will move through the restaurant performing French and Italian classics alongside international favourites. Daily DJ sets will move from laid-back Dolce Vita sounds to late-night house music.
Guided by L’Art de Recevoir signé La Môme, the French art of hospitality, the team ensures thoughtful, personalised service, genuine warmth, and attention to detail. Guests are made to feel equally at ease whether enjoying a leisurely afternoon at the table or celebrating late into the evening.
Daily lunch is served from 12PM to 7PM, followed by dinner from 7PM onwards. While guests can dine à la carte on Thursday, 3 December, minimum spends apply from Friday, 4 December to Sunday, 6 December:
- Indoor Dining: AED 500 per person for lunch; AED 1,000 per person for dinner | Terrace Dining: AED 650 per person for lunch; AED 1,200 per person for dinner.
With its combination of refined dining, a vibrant atmosphere, and a prime Yas Marina location, the takeover promises to be a highlight on the city’s social calendar and an essential stop for race-weekend gatherings.
Full prepayment is required to confirm reservations. Cancellations made at least 48 hours in advance are eligible for a full refund, while cancellations within 48 hours are non-refundable. Walk-ins are welcome, subject to availability and the applicable minimum spend.
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