Seeking uniqueness in places
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NAME/NATIONALITY: Andrew De Brito/Malaysia
Profession/title: General manager of Four Seasons Hotel Beijing
How often do you travel?
I travel three to four times a year.
Favorite traveling style?
In China, I will travel by train; if it is international traveling, I prefer by air.
Q: What do you always search for during a trip?
A: I always like to look for something unique about the destination, anything that represents the destination in books, stories, culture and history about places that don’t exist now but existed in the past. I collect old maps of the places I have visited. I love to buy books that feature stories of the bygone era. And of course pictures, I take a lot of pictures.
Q: What do you always pack?
A: Of course the basic necessities and most importantly I travel with mobile friends, iWatch, iPhone and iPad. Can’t leave home without them!
Q: What is your preferred airline?
A: It’s mostly with Star Alliance or One World depending on destination.
Q: Do you have any tips about seating on a flight?
A: I always like to sit on the emergency exit row, because it has larger leg room. If it’s a long-hour flight, then Business Class.
Q: How do you get over jet lag?
A: Quite fortunately, I don’t really get affected too much by it. But if I do travel with big time difference, I immediately get acclimated by going through my day normally in the new time zone.
Q: What are your favorite hotels? What makes these hotels so memorable?
A: Four Seasons Hotel. I always stay in a Four Seasons hotel if the destination has one. It’s always about the service, the level of genuine care, the seamlessness of the experience, the engagement and the personalization. And the beds, they are the best!
Four Seasons’ mobile app is amazing, it’s so convenient. One can check-in & out (yes … we don’t need to queue at the reception desk), pre-order room service, laundry service, restaurant booking, check out interesting things to do at the destination and all in the app. Very user-friendly.
Q: What hotels do you look forward to staying at in the future?
A: I actually would like to stay at Four Seasons in Bosporus, Turkey and Baku in Azerbaijan.
Q: Recommend one of your favorite destinations. Why is it so special?
A: I think it is Shangri-La in Yunnan Province. It’s so peaceful, serene and tranquil. People are very nice and friendly. You can have the peace and time for yourself. It’s a great place to reconnect with yourself and revive your energy, a great place to rejuvenate. I’ve been to Shangri-La once and I spent about one week there many years ago and till today those memories are fresh in my mind.
Q: What do you do upon arriving at the destination?
A: The first thing I do when I get to my room is unpack and get settled. And check my e-mail quickly just to be sure I didn’t miss anything urgent. And I get on doing my things. I don’t necessarily plan my trip too much in advance. I’d like to do most of the planning when I arrive there. I think the best information you get is when you are there, when you talk to the local people, they tell you what are the places to go.
Q: What do you always do after returning from a trip?
A: The first thing I like to do is to get settled, unpack and clear up all the mess from my trip, so I can feel like I’m back home and relaxed. And then of course I like to enjoy the peace and quiet of my home.
Q: Where are you planning to go next and why?
A: Zhangjiajie. I love mountains and scenery. The other one is Jiuzhaigou. I have heard the experience is heavenly.
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