Stay sharp: LUX* CEO Paul Jones

The CEO of The Lux Collective talks to Brummell about LUX* Grand Baie, the first new-build resort in Mauritius in a decade, the group’s commitment to sustainability and staying innovative

People 11 Feb 2022

The pool at LUX* Grand Baie
The grand entrance of LUX* Grand Baie
A bathroom at LUX* Grand Baie shows the striking design-led aesthetic of the resort
The terrace of a Junior Suite at LUX* Grand Baie

LUX* Grand Baie has just opened in Mauritius, what can travellers expect from the resort?

As the first full new-build in Mauritius in over a decade, the team that came together to bring the project to life are among the best I’ve worked with in my 50-year career. Guests can expect a striking new resort with never-before-seen architecture inspired by sailboats that dot the Grand Baie skyline, conceptualised by Mauritian architect, Jean-François Adam; and interiors by multiple award-winner Kelly Hoppen CBE, who has also worked on LUX* Grand Gaube and LUX* Belle Mare, bringing her inimitable magic of blending nature with neutral palettes and clean, sleek lines.

I wanted to create a tropical jungle where our guests feel immediately relaxed and cocooned the moment they step through the expansive lobby which opens up to blue skies and the ocean ahead. With the help of the youngest Chelsea Flower Show winner, Stephen Woodhams, we have created a wonderful garden within a garden concept throughout the entire resort, enhanced by amazing mood lighting that really brings up the ambience with lighting designer Rob Cliffe.

LUX* CEO Paul Jones
LUX* CEO Paul Jones

It must be a challenge making each resort unique while retaining the same levels of quality. How do you manage this as a group?

We are always guided by our purpose, which is “We make each moment matter. We are about what matters.” Not just for our guests but also team members. Our group is also guided by Ron Kaufman’s Care-ology philosophy that inspires our team members to improve performance and delight customers. Kaufman is one of the world’s leading educators and motivational speakers in customer excellence and service culture as well as a New York Times bestselling author and has been working with us for over a decade guiding our team members on employing his unique take on service, which he describes as “taking action to create value for someone else you care about”. We took the downtime to continue and to refresh our education, from the senior management to our rank-and-file team, for a series of highly successful webinars with Ron for over three months.

LUX* is a very innovative hotel group, how do you keep coming up with new ideas to surprise and delight your guests?

We just celebrated 10 years of continual innovation and are very lucky to have a team of very passionate hoteliers who are constantly evolving to the current situation and are not afraid to set hospitality trends that shake our very foundations.

Sustainability and the environment are increasingly important to travellers – can you describe some of the ways LUX* Grand Baie has been designed to be sustainable and eco-friendly?

To keep the property efficient in energy use, the entire site is LED lit. Our rooms carry a Smart Switching Energy Management System to seamlessly uplift guest comfort while optimising AC and energy use. The property is situated in a lush garden, and Maison LUX* is adorned with a living-plants wall.

We’ve been careful and caring in our selection of products for the boutique, such as locally made Alicia Swim which uses Econyl fabrics, brands such as Robb & Lulu and Nuala clothing using certified organic cotton and fabrics from recycled plastic. We have a selection of jewellery designed and made locally, whose sales support the conservation of the endemic nature of Mauritius and humanitarian causes. We, of course, carry only reef-friendly sunscreen.

The striking lobby at LUX* Grand Baie
The striking lobby at LUX* Grand Baie

Our spa at LUX* Grand Baie is designed around connection to the four elements. Treatments use nourishing oils sourced from Madagascar, therefore having a very low footprint. Besides being of excellent quality, they are also eco-certified and support fair remuneration of the cultivators. The spa also proposes a wonderful selection of organic oils. Treatment beds are all made of FSC wood and were produced in facilities run with clean energy.

We continue to offer carbon-neutral stays for a small contribution towards UNFCCC-registered projects in Africa or Asia. Our guests are also invited to visit the endemic forests and protected areas of Mauritius with our trusted ecologist partners, such as Île aux Aigrettes, Ebony Forest and Blue Bay Marine Park, three projects we are very fond of. The resort also financially supports a project for children to have access to quality education and will develop workshops for the children at the resort.

LUX* Grand Baie is gearing up to achieve a 5 Earths rating by EarthCheck in the coming weeks. We want travellers to be sure they can trust us in this mission to make luxury travel net positive.

The Lux Collective is a participant of the United Nations Global Compact and since 2019 has been committed to setting a science-based target for net-zero emissions.

The past couple of years have been very challenging for the travel industry, what have they taught you?

Never to take anything for granted. I suppose that like anything in life, there is a cycle of ups and downs. Prior to the pandemic, travel and tourism were riding on a high crest but everything came crashing down overnight. Hotels that survive will be the ones to show the greatest adaptability and diversification. I believe that businesses with a strong focus on sustainability, that contribute to a circular economy, will be viewed more favourably and will reap the rewards in future.

A suite at LUX* Grand Baie
A suite at LUX* Grand Baie

Your podcast The Spirit of Lux launched in 2021. Who would be your dream guest on the podcast?

All invited guests on the podcast are my dream guests – all of them have worked with me or have built some connection with The Lux Collective for many years, some of whom I’ve worked with for decades. They are all the best in their fields and have helped shape our resorts all over the world

What do you think the travel trends for 2022 might be?

People will be travelling with a purpose, whether that purpose is for leisure, business, discovery, culture, nature, wellness – and they will be more conscious of their impact on social, economic and environment.

What’s next for LUX* Resorts & Hotels?

We have two resorts in Sharjah, UAE coming in 2022 and 2023, which we announced at the end of last year.  LUX* Phu Quoc is projected to open in 2023 and we are expanding our LUX* Tea Horse Road China presence with another three more properties in Shangri-La, Pu’er and Emei, bringing the total to 10. We feel optimistic for the year ahead.

Rooms at LUX* Grand Baie start from £285 per room, per night, based on two guests in a Junior Suite on a room-only basis; luxresorts.com