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
TWG Tea Unveils the TWG Tea Gallery, Its Largest Flagship and First-Ever TWG Tea Museum at Singapore Changi Airport
TWG Tea, the finest luxury tea brand in the world, unveils its largest global flagship, TWG Tea Gallery, at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3, marking a significant milestone in the brand’s international growth. Welcoming travellers around the clock, the TWG Tea Gallery is strategically located within one of the world’s leading aviation hubs, underscoring TWG Tea’s continued investment in travel retail as a key pillar of its global expansion strategy. Spanning 2,700 square feet beneath a soaring 23-foot-high ceiling, the new flagship represents the brand’s most ambitious retail expression to date, setting a new benchmark for luxury tea in the global travel retail landscape.

Envisioned as an immersive expression of TWG Tea’s craftsmanship and savoir-faire, this destination invites discerning travellers into a luminous world where rare harvests, exquisite blends and timeless rituals converge. Its landmark TWG Tea Museum showcases more than 170 antique tea wares and over 50 antique Russian samovars from the 17th to 20th centuries, personally curated by the brand over the past 15 years from around the world. TWG Tea Gallery also introduces a selection of exclusive creations, including the Grand Voyage Tea from the Grand Mode Tea Collection, the Singapore Surprise Gift Set, and specially created tea-infused macarons, ice cream and sorbet.
Bringing together the Tea Boutique, curated tea accessories, bespoke gifting and a Takeaway experience, this flagship also introduces Singapore’s only Tea-Infused Ice Cream & Sorbet concept, designed for travellers on the go. An impressive tea wall displaying more than 1,200 tea tins anchors the space, transforming the space into a compelling new expression of TWG Tea for today’s global traveller.
“The TWG Tea Gallery represents the most definitive expression of TWG Tea to date. More than a Tea Boutique, the flagship brings the past, present and future of tea into one immersive experience, celebrating the stories, traditions and artistry that have shaped tea over the centuries, brought to life through its landmark TWG Tea Museum. Singapore has remained central to TWG Tea since its founding, and we are honoured to present our largest global flagship at Changi Airport, an icon of aviation excellence and an extraordinary platform to bring the world of TWG Tea to travellers from around the world.”
—Taha Bouqdib, President & CEO of V3 Gourmet and Co-Founder of TWG Tea
“Changi Airport is proud to be home to TWG Tea’s largest flagship store in the world and its first-ever TWG Tea Museum. As one of Singapore’s most recognised brands, TWG Tea offers travellers a uniquely Singapore experience. Together with TWG Tea, we are delighted to introduce a collection of exclusives created specially for Changi Airport, including Singapore’s only tea-infused ice cream and sorbet concept. This new flagship transforms a retail visit into an immersive journey through the heritage, artistry and culture of tea, reflecting the innovation and hospitality that define both TWG Tea and Changi.”
— Hung Jean, Managing Director of Airside Concessions at Changi Airport Group
A Voyage Through Design
This location within Changi Airport was chosen to house TWG Tea Museum to form a defining part of the flagship experience, showcasing more than 170 antique tea wares and decorative objects spanning cultures and eras. The collection offers a compelling window into the artistry and cultures that have shaped tea over the centuries, adding a rich traditional dimension to the contemporary travel retail experience.
Among its highlights are Yixing clay teapots, traditionally marked by their makers and prized for their craftsmanship and provenance, alongside Chinese and Western tea wares tracing evolving traditions of form and decoration from the 18th century to the present day. Blue-and-white ceramics shaped by Chinese-Islamic artistic exchange sit alongside porcelain once prized in Europe as “white gold,” revealing the movement of ideas and aesthetics across cultures through the rituals of tea.
The collection also includes more than 50 antique samovars from Russia, with notable 19th- and early-20th-century examples from the celebrated workshops of Tula and beyond. Works by makers such as the Batashev and Shemarin brothers bear distinctive hallmarks attesting to their provenance and craftsmanship, offering a further perspective on the decorative traditions surrounding tea.
This dialogue between cultures continues in the flagship’s design, crowned by a hand-painted ceiling depicting a luminous world tea map. As its defining architectural feature, the composition traces the global journey of tea through intricate motifs and rich colour, extending the museum’s narrative of cultural exchange into the contemporary setting of Changi Airport Terminal 3.
Hospitality
MI AMOR: ORILLA INTRODUCES A NEW WEEKLY LADIES’ NIGHT IN JVT
Orilla is turning Wednesday nights into an occasion with the launch of Mi Amor, a new weekly ladies’ night bringing together free-flowing drinks, live entertainment and an elevated late-night atmosphere at the restaurant’s rooftop setting in Jumeirah Village Triangle.
Launching on Wednesday, 7 October from 7:00pm onwards, Mi Amor invites ladies to dress up, gather their favorite people and settle into an evening designed around good energy, flowing drinks and memorable moments.
Set on the 27th floor of Hotel Local, Orilla provides the backdrop for the new weekly ritual, combining panoramic surroundings with the restaurant’s lively Latin-inspired atmosphere. For the launch evening, guests can expect free-flowing drinks for ladies, sensational entertainment throughout the night and a room dressed for the occasion.

More than simply a midweek drinks offer, Mi Amor is designed as an opportunity to make Wednesday feel like the start of the weekend. From the first cocktail to the final song, the evening brings together music, entertainment and an upbeat social atmosphere for groups of friends looking to make the most of their night.
The launch will set the tone for what guests can expect from Mi Amor as it becomes a regular fixture at Orilla — a night built around celebration, connection and a little indulgence.
Mi Amor Ladies’ Night launches on Wednesday, 7 October, from 7:00pm onwards, with free-flowing drinks available for ladies and entertainment throughout the evening.
Event Details
- What: Mi Amor Ladies’ Night | When: Every Wednesday, launching 7 October 2026 | Time: From 7:00pm onwards | Where: Orilla, 27th Floor, Hotel Local, Jumeirah Village Triangle, Dubai | Ladies’ Offer: Free-flowing drinks | Entertainment: Throughout the evening | Reservations: +971 4 575 2986 / +971 55 104 7521 | Email: reservation@orillarestaurant.com
- Limited tables are available. Guests are encouraged to reserve in advance and join Orilla for the first taste of Mi Amor.
Hospitality
From AMAYA to MYA: Dubai Mall Dining Destination Refines Its Global Identity
AMAYA is now MYA. As the brand expands its regional and international presence, a unified name gives every location one voice and every guest one clear promise. MYA supports consistency across its growing portfolio of destinations while preserving the energy, hospitality and attention to detail established in Dubai.


The Dubai-born dining and lifestyle brand has refined its name as part of its continued growth: one concise name that can be recognized, remembered and expressed with equal confidence in every market. MYA is shorter by design, creating greater clarity across destinations, partnerships, communications and digital platforms.
The refinement is precise. MYA carries forward the same founder and leadership, the same team, the same concept, the same culinary direction, the same standards and the same distinctive guest experience. Everything that earned the trust of AMAYA’s guests remains at the heart of MYA.

“Strong brands grow through clarity, consistency and trust. MYA gives the name we have built a sharper global expression. Our people, standards and guest experience remain exactly the same. One name. One vision. One uncompromising standard, built in Dubai and continuing forward as MYA.”
– Murat Tutuncu and Moe Ezzat | Founders & CEO, MYA
MYA’s purpose is clear – to give the established Dubai-born hospitality brand a shorter and more consistent name as it grows across destinations. The shorter name increases recognition, the unified name strengthens consistency, and the same standards give the brand the foundation to grow confidently across cultures and geographies.
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