LA VIE EN ROSEWOOD

President of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts Radha Arora shares the key to expanding while remaining authentic, and which new property he considers to be "a beauty and a beast all in one"

- By Coco Marett

Radha Arora and I meet in Tokyo during his first trip to the city in two years. There's a spark in his eyes as he tells me about the places he had visited over the previous few days: bakeries, artisanal fragrance stores, and local neighbourhoods for leisurely walks.

“In Japan, everything is art,” he says in a semi-hushed tone. “Just walking down the street, you see so many cool people, cool concepts ... Japan is one of those countries that really allows you the freedom to master your craft.”

Arora is in Tokyo to host an event celebrating Rosewood’s entry to Japan, ahead of the opening of Rosewood Miyakojima—a resort located on a tropical island one hour's flight from Okinawa Main Island. The intimate gathering was hosted under the orange glow of the iconic Tokyo Tower, with celebrities like fashion designer and founder of Ambush, Yoon Ahn in attendance. The event put Rosewood’s knack for excellent taste and experiences on full display—dinner was prepared by Natsuko Shoji, chef-owner of one of Tokyo’s most celebrated restaurants, Été, and there was a pop-up bar by Twelv, Tokyo’ first sake bar to focus on biodynamic and organic expressions. “It’s brilliant,’ says Arora of the invite-only bar, which, as its name suggests, seats just a dozen guests at a time.

“Creating a sense of place is our mantra—from Hotel de Crillon in Paris to Hong Kong, to St Barths ... we always talk about creating a sense of place, and how we can cultivate local artists” says Arora.