A fresh take on luxury and hospitality in Oman
How can we imagine the hospitality of tomorrow while honoring the spirit of a destination?
Luxury hospitality is evolving. Between shifting guest expectations, stronger local roots, and the search for ever more genuine experiences, General Managers must embody a vision, drive operational excellence, and create meaningful connections.
We met with Nicolas, General Manager of the one year old Mandarin Oriental Muscat, already seen as a reference in the Middle East. With over 20 years of international experience, Nicolas shares openly his vision of hospitality, his role as a leader, and the deeper mission a hotel can carry within its environment. In a deep and honest exchange, we touched on the pillars of his approach: human leadership, emotional luxury, local anchoring, and openness.
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1/ The role of the General Manager: conductor, mentor, ambassador
Nicolas shares with sincerity how he embodies the role of General Manager in an exceptional property: far from the office, close to the teams and the guests: “I see myself as a conductor.”
“There are musicians, soloists, different instruments… but for it all to sound harmonious, there must be a conductor. That’s my daily role: setting the tempo, ensuring flow, letting everyone shine.”
📢 Being where it truly happens
“I try to be present in the hotel, not locked away in an office. You need to see, feel, listen. That’s where you sense whether the energy is flowing right.”
📢 A multinational, committed team
“We’re more than 200 people, up to 280 in high season. What makes me proud is the diversity: 50 nationalities, a third Omani, and 30% women - when the national average is around 15%.”
📢 Teaching, transmitting, inspiring
“My role is also to show that hospitality is a great career. Through example, mentorship, support. Many of our young colleagues are proud to represent their country and culture.”
📢 The hotel as a platform for the country
“Mandarin Oriental Muscat isn’t just a hotel: it’s a meeting place, a showcase for Oman. We want to spark the desire to discover the country, not just to stay in a room.”
2/ His vision of luxury
With 20+ years of experience spanning three continents and brands like Four Seasons, Waldorf Astoria, and the Dorchester Collection, Nicolas offers a distinctive vision of luxury.
📢 “Luxury is not caviar, it’s the emotion you create.”
“Luxury is not about marble, or gold on the walls, or rigid uniforms, or champagne and caviar. Very early on I understood it wasn’t that. True luxury is about the experience. That unique moment you live, that cannot be repeated.”
📢 Creating unforgettable memories
“Luxury is about creating memories. A wine, a dish, a smile… can bring you back 20 years in an instant. That kind of emotion is magical. And that’s our craft.”
📢 Hospitality as a way of life
“Being a hotelier means bringing people together. Listening, connecting, offering what’s real. Today’s luxury is no longer about bling ; it’s about care, sincerity, authenticity.”
📢 A mission built on humility
“Still, I always tell my team: we don’t perform heart surgery, we’re not 10,000 meters high with 200 passengers. We create experiences. Experiences that can stay with someone for life.”
3/ Oman, land of authenticity and hospitality
For Nicolas, Oman is unlike any other destination. A land of contrasts, culture, and heartfelt hospitality. The Mandarin Oriental aims to be a bridge between travelers and this richness.
📢 “Oman is a surprise for many.”
“It’s not yet an overcrowded destination. Travelers don’t expect such natural beauty, such history, such understated refinement. Corniche, old souks, wadis, mountains, desert… Oman has it all.”
📢 Wonders just two hours away
“Within two hours’ drive from the hotel, you reach breathtaking landscapes: the Middle East’s Grand Canyon, the roses of Jabal Akhdar, wadis, forts… an exceptional cultural and natural density.”
📢 A fragrance found nowhere else
“We produced a short film with the BBC about the rose distillation ritual. It’s a deeply Omani tradition. These roses give off a unique fragrance sought by the greatest perfumers. An experience we can offer to our guests and you won’t find elsewhere.”
📢 A culture of welcome deeply rooted
“Omanis are proud, warm, profoundly welcoming. Our local staff are true ambassadors: a sincere desire to share their country, to do things well, to host with authenticity.”
4/ Mandarin Oriental Muscat: rooted, open, alive
📢 “We want to be a platform to discover Oman.”
“We don’t sell a room, we open doors. We offer immersion. We collaborate with local producers, craftsmen, artists… to create unique experiences here.”
📢 The hotel as a catalyst for encounters
“Very quickly, the lobby became a living space, not just for guests, but also for Omanis, residents, ambassadors. Real energy, people meeting, connecting, exchanging. Exactly what we wanted.”
📢 A cultural and diplomatic role
“It’s not unusual to see ministers, business leaders, artists there. Mandarin Oriental has become a place for exchange, visibility, representation. We’re proud it goes beyond classic hospitality.”
📢 Tailor-made experiences
“Each guest can live a different stay. Dining in a wadi, rose-picking at sunrise, wellness facing the Arabian Sea… True luxury is about the unique, the unforgettable.”
Through this conversation, one thing becomes clear: Mandarin Oriental Muscat is not just another 5-star hotel. It is a territorial project, a living showcase of Oman, a place that embodies a certain vision of luxury.
What stands out with Nicolas is first and foremost his role as an ambassador for the destination. He doesn’t just run a hotel: he tells the story of Oman, staging it with an impressive sense of storytelling. He surrounds himself with the right people, anchors the property in the local ecosystem, and weaves connections that make all the difference.
His strength lies in building bridges between worlds:
• operational excellence and emotion,
• international standards and local cultures,
• business and human values.
To go further into the Jungle...
🛏️ Zoom – A room designed as a tribute to Oman
“The rooms are very spacious, starting at 70 m² with a balcony. They pay homage to Oman: artistic nods to Omani culture are present in every detail.”
From the very room, the intention is clear: to make guests feel the soul of the country. Materials, objects, textures… everything tells a story.
🍴 Zoom – Restaurants and a lobby with meaning
“We have remarkable restaurants. The lobby is called Sawa, which means ‘being together’ in Arabic. It has become a gathering point.”
The name is no coincidence. Mandarin Oriental Muscat cultivates a spirit of togetherness, for travelers as well as residents.
🧭 Zoom – A hotel inspired by the Silk Road
“Oman and Muscat were on the Silk Road. They were not only Bedouins, but also sailors, merchants.”
This heritage as a maritime and cultural crossroads is a deep source of inspiration for the hotel team, even in the storytelling of experiences.
🎯 Zoom – A deliberate journey
“15 years ago, I already had this vision: I wanted to run a hotel.”
This role is no accident, it’s the outcome of a deliberate path, fueled by a true passion for the profession.
❤️ Zoom – Service, when it comes from the heart
“Here, service comes from the heart, from this ancestral culture of being there for others. Mandarin Oriental elevates it to an exceptional level.”
Omani hospitality meets MOHG standards here, delivering a rare and sincere sense of hospitality, far from rigid service delivery.
🧭 Zoom – Advice for the younger generation
“My advice: stay passionate, no matter what. That passion gives you incredible energy.”
For young professionals, the message is clear: passion is the most reliable engine of this craft.
🔁 Zoom – Challenging yourself, every day
“Every day, you have to question yourself.”
A simple, almost ordinary phrase… yet one that reveals clear-sighted and demanding leadership, a pillar of success in high-end hospitality.
Photo credits: Mandarin Oriental Muscat, Instagram @mo_muscat and personal archives.
Date Interview: 12-July-2025
Translated from French
Hotel Website: https://www.mandarinoriental.com/en/muscat
Group Website: https://www.mandarinoriental.com/
LinkedIn Nicolas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolas-dubort-1ab0041/
