Hospitality
Shifting the focus from brick-and-mortar to service-driven hospitality
Anand’s journey from a seasoned hotelier within the corporate world to the founder and CEO of LEVA Hotels is a testament to determination, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of excellence in hospitality. With over two decades of experience working for some of the world’s largest hotel chains, Anand gained invaluable insights into the industry’s intricacies and the evolving needs of travelers.
After spending more than two decades immersed in the hospitality industry, Anand began to notice a significant gap between the offerings of traditional hotel chains and the changing desires of modern travelers. Guests were no longer satisfied with cookie-cutter experiences; they craved authenticity, personalized service, and a deeper connection to the destinations they visited. Recognizing this shift in consumer behavior, Anand saw an opportunity to create a new kind of hotel experience—one that would prioritize meaningful interactions, local immersion, and genuine hospitality.
Thus, the idea for LEVA Hotels was born. Anand envisioned a brand that would cater to the needs of discerning travelers who sought more than just a place to stay—they wanted a personalised experience that would leave a lasting impression. LEVA positioned itself within the 3 and 4-star segment, offering a unique blend of comfort, style, and affordability. Unlike traditional hotel chains that focused solely on standardization and consistency, LEVA aimed to create properties that felt distinct, authentic, and welcoming.
But building a brand from scratch in a fiercely competitive market was akin to navigating a maze with blindfolds with securing funding, the lifeblood of any startup venture, proved to be one of the most daunting challenges. Anand found himself knocking on countless doors, pitching his vision to skeptical investors who were hesitant to bet on an unknown entrepreneur in an unfamiliar market.
Despite facing multiple rejections, Anand refused to succumb to despair. His unwavering belief in his vision and his relentless determination propelled him forward, driving him to explore every possible avenue to bring his dream to life. When traditional sources of funding dried up, Anand made the difficult decision to tap into his personal savings, a move that underscored his commitment to the cause.
With an initial investment of AED 10,000 and a strategic partnership with Ahmed Khalaf Ahmed Khalaf Al Otaiba from Siraj Holdings, along with the involvement of Co-Founder, Noni, Anand was able to kickstart operations and lay the groundwork for future growth. This modest funding, while meager in comparison to the monumental task at hand, served as a lifeline for LEVA Hotels in its infancy, providing the necessary resources to overcome initial hurdles and establish a foothold in the competitive hospitality market.
LEVA underwent a comprehensive branding exercise to refine its identity and positioning in the market. Collaborating with a renowned branding firm, Anand and his team worked tirelessly to craft a brand story that would resonate with their target audience. The result was a brand that stood out for its emphasis on art, design, technology, and human capital—a brand that promised a fresh perspective on hospitality and travel.
While starting the brand may have been a success, maintaining its momentum required a team of dedicated individuals committed to excellence. Central to LEVA’s success is its “People First, World Focused” philosophy, spearheaded by Anand himself. Recognizing that exceptional guest experiences are rooted in a motivated and skilled workforce, Anand prioritized employee well-being and career development. Through training programs, mentorship opportunities, and pathways for advancement, he cultivated a culture of excellence and innovation at LEVA, where every team member felt valued and empowered.
Looking ahead, Anand’s vision for LEVA Hotels is one of continued growth and expansion. In just five years, LEVA has grown to 10 hotels in key cities across the globe, including Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, and Ethiopia. Anticipating further growth, Anand has set his sights on entering new markets across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. By staying true to its core values of authenticity, innovation, and guest-centricity, LEVA is poised to redefine the hospitality landscape and set new standards for excellence in the industry.
Anand’s journey from a corporate hotelier to an entrepreneurial trailblazer is a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and a commitment to putting people first. By daring to dream big and refusing to settle for the status quo, Anand has not only built a successful business but has also created a brand that is redefining the future of hospitality—one unforgettable experience at a time.
Hospitality
VAPIANO INTRODUCES BREAKFAST FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ITS HISTORY ACROSS UAE OUTLETS
Vapiano is set to introduce breakfast for the first time in its history across its UAE outlets, marking an exciting new chapter for the international dining brand. The new Vapiano Breakfast Menu has been created to bring a fresh, social, and relaxed international lifestyle experience to the morning dining scene, offering guests a new way to begin their day with freshly prepared dishes, premium ingredients, and world-class Illy coffee.
Owned and operated in the UAE by Al Ahlia Group, Al Ahlia General Trading Company PVT LTD, which was conceived and established in 1979 by a group of prominent UAE Nationals, Vapiano continues to strengthen its presence in the country’s evolving food and beverage landscape.
Known for its fresh ingredients, casual dining atmosphere, and made-to-order culinary experience, Vapiano is now extending its offering into breakfast with a menu designed to appeal to today’s evolving dining preferences. The new breakfast selection has been created to bring together comfort, freshness, convenience, and flavour, giving guests the opportunity to enjoy a relaxed breakfast experience whether they are starting their workday, meeting friends, taking a slow morning break, or enjoying a weekend gathering.
The launch is especially significant as it represents the first Vapiano Breakfast Menu to be introduced anywhere in the world, with the UAE selected as the pioneering market for this new chapter in the brand’s journey. This global first reflects the UAE’s dynamic dining culture, its appetite for fresh culinary experiences, and its position as a leading market for innovation in the food and beverage sector.
The new breakfast menu features a wide variety of dishes created for different tastes and morning moods. Guests can enjoy wholesome bowls, warm croissant-based favourites, egg dishes, sourdough options, fresh juices, smoothies, coffee, and tea.
The menu also includes comforting favourites such as Classic Omelette and Shakshuka, served on Vapiano’s baked sourdough pizza base. For guests looking for lighter and refreshing options, the menu offers the House Granola Acai Bowl, Mango Chia Pot, and Feel-Good Bowl, alongside freshly squeezed juices and a selection of coffee and tea options.
With the introduction of breakfast, Vapiano aims to become a new morning destination for guests seeking quality, freshness, and a warm social setting. The menu has been designed not only as a food offering, but as a complete morning experience – one that encourages guests to gather, connect, share, and enjoy a different side of Vapiano.
“Breakfast is one of the most important moments of the day, and we are excited to bring the Vapiano experience into this occasion for the very first time,” said Ilenia Alba, Head of Operation. “Launching the first Vapiano Breakfast Menu worldwide in the UAE is a proud milestone for us. This market has always embraced fresh ideas and new dining experiences, making it the perfect place to introduce our breakfast concept. We look forward to welcoming guests to enjoy good mornings, fresh flavours, and memorable moments at Vapiano.”
The introduction of Vapiano Breakfast also responds to a growing demand for morning dining experiences that are casual, social, and high quality. With more guests looking for places that offer both convenience and atmosphere, Vapiano’s breakfast menu creates a new opportunity for people to enjoy the brand earlier in the day.
The Vapiano Breakfast Menu will be available from May 20 across Vapiano UAE outlets at Abu Dhabi Mall, Marina Mall Abu Dhabi, Yas Mall, Bawadi Mall Al Ain, Palm Jumeirah Mall, City Centre Al Zahia, City Centre Deira, and Al Jimi Mall.
For more information, guests can follow @VapianoUAE on social media.
About Vapiano
Vapiano is an international restaurant brand known for its relaxed atmosphere, fresh ingredients, and made-to-order dining experience. With a menu inspired by Italian flavours and a casual social setting, Vapiano brings people together over fresh food, warm hospitality, and memorable dining moments.
In the UAE, Vapiano is owned and operated by Al Ahlia Group, Al Ahlia General Trading Company PVT LTD, which was conceived and established in 1979 by a group of prominent UAE Nationals.
Hospitality
REDEFINING AFFORDABLE LIFESTYLE HOSPITALITY IN DUBAI
Exclusive interview with Thomas Kurian, General Manager, LEVA Hotels
- LEVA operates in a space where lifestyle, affordability, and design intersect, what is the brand really trying to solve for modern travellers?
LEVA is fundamentally focused on addressing the growing gap between affordability and quality-driven hospitality experiences. Today’s travellers are increasingly looking for hotels that offer thoughtful design, comfort, flexibility, and strong locations without the premium pricing typically associated with lifestyle hospitality.


The objective is not simply to provide accommodation, but to create spaces that feel practical, contemporary, and experience-oriented for both short and extended stays. This includes offering functional living spaces, flexible stay formats, and an environment that balances convenience with a more relaxed, lifestyle-led atmosphere suited to the evolving expectations of modern travellers.
- As the General Manager of LEVA Hotels, what does success look like for LEVA beyond occupancy and revenue metrics?
Beyond occupancy and revenue, success for LEVA is measured by consistency in guest experience, operational adaptability, and long-term brand relevance within a highly competitive hospitality market.

Guest retention, positive sentiment, and the ability to create a seamless experience across different traveller segments are equally important indicators of performance. Internally, success also means maintaining operational efficiency while building a culture that allows teams to remain agile, service-oriented, and aligned with the brand’s long-term growth strategy.
- You often speak about transforming business complexity into structured growth, what does that look like inside a real hotel operation?
In a hotel environment, structured growth comes from creating operational clarity across multiple moving parts, from revenue management and staffing to guest services and procurement. Hospitality operations are inherently dynamic, particularly in a market like Dubai where demand patterns can shift quickly between corporate, leisure, and event-driven travel.
Transforming complexity into growth means building systems that allow teams to respond efficiently to these fluctuations while maintaining consistency in service delivery. It also involves using data more effectively to guide pricing, resource allocation, and operational planning, ensuring that growth remains sustainable rather than reactive.
- When guests choose LEVA over other Dubai hotels, what “specific experience promise” are they actually buying into?
Guests choosing LEVA are typically buying into a hospitality experience that combines accessibility, comfort, and lifestyle-driven design in a way that feels both practical and contemporary.
The promise is centred around delivering well-located, thoughtfully designed spaces that offer flexibility and ease without unnecessary complexity. Whether travelling for business, leisure, or extended stays, guests are looking for an experience that feels efficient, comfortable, and approachable while still maintaining the quality and atmosphere associated with lifestyle hospitality.

- How has Dubai’s shift toward experience-driven tourism impacted LEVA’s business model?
Dubai’s shift toward experience-driven tourism has reinforced the importance of flexibility and lifestyle positioning within the hospitality sector. Travellers are increasingly placing greater value on convenience, personalised experiences, and hotels that integrate seamlessly into their broader travel plans rather than functioning purely as accommodation providers.
For LEVA, this has strengthened the focus on curated stay experiences, flexible offerings, and value-added services that support both short leisure stays and longer-term guests. It has also increased the importance of location, design, and operational agility in meeting evolving traveller expectations across different demand segments.
- What is the biggest operational challenge in running a lifestyle hotel brand like LEVA in Dubai?
One of the biggest operational challenges is balancing guest expectations for premium, lifestyle-led experiences while maintaining efficiency and accessibility within a highly competitive market. Dubai’s hospitality sector moves at a very fast pace, with constant shifts in traveller behaviour, pricing dynamics, and service expectations.
For lifestyle hotel brands, this requires maintaining consistency in design, service quality, and guest engagement while also remaining operationally agile enough to adapt to changing market conditions. Managing this balance effectively is critical to sustaining both guest satisfaction and long-term operational performance.
Hospitality
THE WORLD CUP TAKES OVER THE COTERIE THIS SUMMER WITH STADIUM-STYLE FAN FESTIVAL

This summer, football fever takes over Dubai as The Coterie Ibn Battuta partners with African + Eastern to launch Festiball at The Coterie Clubhouse by Stella Artois. Running from June 11 to July 19, the high-energy World Cup fan festival promises giant screens, stadium-style energy and unforgettable match-day moments from first kick to the Final.
Designed to capture the energy and unpredictability that makes football so special, Festiball will transform The Coterie into a stadium-style fan destination packed with live entertainment, immersive activations, crowd energy and non-stop tournament action throughout the summer.
Fans can also expect dedicated match-day food and drinks menus including stacked burgers, pies, pastries and loaded chip cones alongside The Coterie’s signature à la carte menu.
Selected headline fixtures will turn up the energy with CO2 cannons, ultras-style flags, live DJs, drums and MC hosts creating an electric stadium atmosphere right in the heart of Dubai.
Throughout the tournament, fans can expect all-day hops offers, score prediction competitions, match-day prizes and surprise fan moments across every major fixture – with AED 500 vouchers up for grabs during activated games. Ladies can also kick-start selected match days with complimentary drinks before kick-off, while returning fans will unlock exclusive rewards and tournament-long experiences throughout the summer.
Speaking about the launch, Heinrich Spies, General Manager, said:“Festiball is all about bringing people together and recreating the energy, excitement and unpredictability that makes football so special. We wanted to create more than just a place to watch the games – this is a full football festival experience with incredible atmosphere, entertainment and fan moments from start to finish.”
With football fans expected to gather across the city this summer, Festiball at The Coterie Clubhouse by Stella Artois is set to become one of Dubai’s go-to destinations for every goal, chant, celebration and unforgettable match-day moment.
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