INTERVIEW - NICOLAS DUBORT, GENERAL MANAGER, MANDARIN ORIENTAL, MUSCAT: "EVERY DAY, WE MUST PROVE OURSELVES WORTHY OF OUR COLLEAGUES" (Oman)
The newly appointed General Manager of Mandarin Oriental Muscat shares his vision for creating meaningful experiences in Oman's capital, where traditional hospitality meets contemporary luxury.
INTERVIEW - NICOLAS DUBORT, GENERAL MANAGER, MANDARIN ORIENTAL, MUSCAT: "EVERY DAY, WE MUST PROVE OURSELVES WORTHY OF OUR COLLEAGUES" (Oman)
The newly appointed General Manager of Mandarin Oriental Muscat shares his vision for creating meaningful experiences in Oman's capital, where traditional hospitality meets contemporary luxury.
Speaking with Nicolas Dubort is like catching up with an old friend who happens to be passionate about hospitality. During our video call, his energy is infectious as he discusses the newly opened Mandarin Oriental Muscat with genuine enthusiasm and warmth. His easygoing nature and articulate responses make the conversation flow naturally as he shares insights about the property and his vision for luxury hospitality in Oman.
With an extensive international career in luxury hospitality, Dubort brings a wealth of experience to his role as General Manager of Mandarin Oriental Muscat. His approach to hospitality is deeply rooted in creating meaningful connections and authentic experiences, which aligns perfectly with Oman's renowned hospitality tradition.
The Mandarin Oriental Muscat, which opened in June 2024, represents a new chapter in the brand's expansion in the Middle East. With 150 rooms, including one-third of suites, the property stands out for its intimate size compared to competitors. Located in the diplomatic district of Shati Al Qurum, the hotel benefits from a prime beachfront location with emotional significance for locals. For generations, it has been a gathering spot for families.
Under Dubort's leadership, the property is already making waves with innovative offerings, including a partnership with the Royal Opera House and the House of Amouage, which created an exclusive scent for the hotel. The property's commitment to cultural authenticity is evident in everything from its design details to its experiential offerings. More developments are on the horizon, including a highly anticipated alfresco seaside lounge set to open next year.
Journal des Palaces: Having worked in luxury hospitality across different regions, what has surprised you most about the hospitality landscape in Oman, and how has it shaped your management approach?
Nicolas Dubort: I was new to the GCC when I first arrived. What strikes me most is how Oman shatters regional stereotypes. The landscape is incredibly diverse—there are mountains, sea, desert, and wadis, offering amazing outdoor activities. But what's truly remarkable is the genuine hospitality of the Omani people. Caring for others and hosting people is intrinsically part of their way of life.
This natural hospitality creates a perfect bridge between our Oriental roots and the Omani way of life. We've leveraged this by having our Omani colleagues serve as national ambassadors, helping transform our international team members into destination ambassadors as well. We've created the most diverse hotel team in Muscat, with 54 different nationalities and 30% female colleague — nearly double the industry average.
This diversity reflects Oman's rich history as a nation of travellers and traders. Understanding that this exchange of cultures is one of the key aspects of this destination shapes how you build and manage your team. We want every guest to feel represented and understood, which is why having such a diverse team is crucial to our success.
Throughout your career with Mandarin Oriental and other luxury brands, what has been your most valuable lesson about understanding and meeting guest expectations in different cultural contexts?
The most important lesson I've learned is to remain open-minded while remaining true to yourself. At Mandarin Oriental, we describe ourselves as masters of craft and shapers of culture, and the key is understanding how this translates to each destination. In Muscat, this means becoming ambassadors of the destination and creating a greater purpose for our colleagues.
Our vision at Mandarin Oriental is to be fans of the exceptional every day, everywhere. We must adapt that to Oman's context. It's about getting the team excited and embracing a common purpose – ensuring that everyone who walks through our Omani doors becomes a fan. Giving the team this sense of purpose and sharing that vision with them becomes transformative.
Success in luxury hospitality comes from understanding the local culture first, then showing your team how they belong within it, and finally giving them an exciting mission to push forward collectively. It's about creating an environment where both guests and colleagues feel they're part of something special.
Given Oman's focus on sustainable tourism development, how do you follow that mission?
Sustainability isn't just about good PR – it's about doing what's right for the future. When I first arrived in Muscat and visited all the major hotels, I was struck by their universal use of plastic water bottles. Instead of importing water from Europe like others, we partnered with Tanuf, an excellent local water source, convincing them to bottle their water in glass rather than plastic. This initiative has made us 99.9% single-use plastic-free.
Oman's Vision 2030 emphasises renewable energy and sustainable tourism development. The country is rapidly becoming a leading producer of green hydrogen, and the government is expected to announce specific environmental targets soon. The mayor, who has become a close friend, has ambitious plans for Muscat's sustainable development.
We're working on implementing renewable energy solutions, optimising water and electricity usage, and expanding our recycling programs. We've already started with beach cleaning initiatives involving our colleagues, demonstrating our commitment to actively participating in community environmental efforts. It's about creating a model that respects both the environment and the local culture.
What unique challenges and opportunities have you encountered in recruiting and training local Omani talent for the hotel?
Oman faces unique circumstances, with only three hospitality schools nationwide, two of which are dedicated exclusively to the industry. This limited infrastructure creates technical skill gaps, but we've discovered something more valuable – the tremendous heart of the Omani people. One-third of our total workforce is Omani, and we're actively working to develop local talent.
We've forged a strong partnership with NHI (National Hospitality Institute), creating internship opportunities for young Omanis passionate about hospitality. Upon completing their internships, we aim to integrate them into our team. We've also invested significantly in colleague accommodations and created an environment where they can grow professionally.
Every day, we must prove ourselves worthy of our colleagues choosing to work with us. About 10% of our leadership team came from within Mandarin Oriental, bringing their expertise and passion for the brand. This core group helps communicate our values and excitement to new team members, creating a culture of excellence and continuous learning.
Could you share your strategy for positioning Mandarin Oriental Muscat in the luxury market, particularly given the growing regional competition from other high-end hospitality brands?
Our location truly sets us apart – we're in Shati Al Qurum, which carries deep emotional significance for the local community. Unlike our competitors who typically operate with 250+ rooms, we maintain an intimate atmosphere with just 150 rooms, of which one-third are suites. Each room features a generous balcony – our smallest is 15 square meters, while our Royal Suite boasts an 80-square-meter outdoor space.
We're essentially a resort within the city, offering a unique proposition for those seeking both luxury and authenticity. The more hotels open in Oman, the better it is for the destination – attracting tourists and increasing visibility. However, our approach is different. While others focus mainly on groups and MICE business, we're also targeting travellers interested in slow tourism, those who want to unwind and truly discover the culture.
Most importantly, we wanted to create a resort that makes our Omani ownership and community proud. Seeing the local community use our lobby as their living room every evening tells us we've achieved that goal. It's about being meaningful to the destination, and while we may not have long tenure like some other Mandarin Oriental properties, we've quickly captured the community's affection.
What distinctive local experiences or cultural programs have you developed to help guests connect authentically with Omani culture and traditions?
Everything we create has deep roots in the destination. We've developed partnerships with key cultural institutions like the Royal Opera House, where we have an exclusive private balcony in the Royal Circle – we're the first hotel to have such a privilege. Our partnership with the House of Amouage has resulted in an exclusive hotel scent that captures Oman's essence through frankincense and rose.
We've created unique experiences that allow guests to travel through time. In Muttrah, the old city of Muscat just 15 minutes away, visitors can immerse themselves in the traditional lifestyle. For those wanting to explore further, we arrange trips to Niswa, where a 400-year-old fortress awaits. We enhance these experiences with either a Mandarin Oriental picnic basket or arrange authentic Omani meals where guests can dine traditionally.
We've also partnered with Alia, one of Oman's most prominent artists, who displays her work in the hotel and engages with our guests, sharing insights about Oman's cultural heritage through her artistic perspective. Recently, we hosted a sensorial dinner combining Amouage fragrances with our cuisine and beverages, creating a multi-sensory experience that bridges our identity with Omani culture.
How have you adapted Mandarin Oriental's renowned service standards to align with local Omani hospitality traditions and guest expectations?
Mandarin Oriental excels at understanding and adapting to different cultures while maintaining its core service philosophy. In Muscat, we've found that the genuine warmth of Omani hospitality aligns perfectly with our own service standards. We believe a hotel is successful when its local community embraces it, and we've worked to create an environment where both international travellers and locals feel at home.
We've just launched our club lounge, which redefines the club experience in Muscat by combining our service standards with local hospitality traditions. It's a space with a beautiful open kitchen where guests feel at home, with dedicated colleagues available to fulfil any request. The terrace offers breathtaking views over the Gulf of Oman, creating an extraordinary setting for our guests to enjoy personalised service.
Our approach to service is about offering the finest experiences while having fun and ensuring personalised attention. When you're a host – which is what we are – it's very gratifying to see guests returning. It's like welcoming friends home or having neighbours drop by. While a hotel has different touch points, all employees need to be aligned on the same vision. The nobility of it all is the choice to welcome someone, and we need to keep it a place of choice for them.
A lover of human interactions, Sonia started her journalism career in various media outlets before moving to London and shifting to the digital industry. Listening to her calling, she's picking up her pen to share the passion and ambitions of luxury hospitality.
