In focus: Jabal Omar Hyatt Regency

Q: Tell us a bit about Jabal Omar Hyatt Regency and what sets you apart from your competitors in the hospitality sector?

Fadi: Established in 2015, Jabal Omar Hyatt Regency Makkah is the ultimate destination for pilgrims and Umrah visitors. The hotel’s proximity to the Haram is the biggest advantage, giving our guests seamless access to Masjid al Haram. Our high level of customer service, attention to detail and our focus on care enables us to look after our guests and provide them with what matters most to them, making their experience personalized in the hotel. Our Food & Beverage offering is also considered to be the best in the area with our breakfast ranked as number one on digital platforms.

Q: Could you walk us through the customer journey from the moment a guest enters your hotel till they check out?

Fadi: The hotel’s strategy is built around creating additional value for guests when staying with us. From the moment guests arrive at the hotel, we ensure that we provide a high level of customer service and meet their most important needs. We ensure comfort and well-being of our guests during their stay at the hotel.

Q: Can you highlight some of the facilities and amenities that you provide which enhance the guest experience?

Fadi: Since the purpose of visit is purely connected to the Haram, we provide our guests with a variety of services and amenities to support this spiritual journey. Most of our rooms have Haram view which allows the guest to enjoy the majestic views of the Kabba while being in the room. Our guest rooms are fitted with a speaker directly connected to the Masjid al Haram which alerts our guests on prayers. We also provide our guests with an in-house prayer room for both men and women with a view at the Haram to support their journey. Our guests have access to a modern fitness center for men and women to support their well-being in addition to our superior breakfast buffet at the mezzanine level.

Q: Can you tell us about the dining facilities at the hotel?

Fadi: Our award-winning main dining restaurant Oasis is where the magic happens, providing our guests with the most important meal of the day “Breakfast”. This is something that we take pride in terms of quality. Our specialty Italian restaurant Alforno provides authentic Italian meals and homemade Italian pizza. Our third venue Al Tekkeya provides freshly brewed coffee, trendy quality pastries and light refreshment in a dine-in environment or ‘Grab and Go’ concept.

Q: Does the hotel offer any pick and drop service to guests?

Fadi: Like any international hotel, our property provides limousine service from and to the airport in addition to various attraction sites.

Q: Do you offer any loyalty programs or discount packages for your customers?

Fadi: World of Hyatt is the loyalty reward program that is operated by Hyatt Hotels International, providing our guests with an array of experience and opportunities to be rewarded and redeem points in more than 1,400 properties around the globe.

Q: What feedback mechanisms do you have in place and how do you deal with negative feedback from your guests?

Fadi: We continue to develop our services based on guest feedback and trend analysis. Our Hyatt survey gathers information from guests on a daily basis with specially designed questions that touch upon the most important aspects for our guests. This helps us better understand our guests so that we can serve them better.

Q: Do you offer online customer support on your digital platforms and is this support 24/7?

Fadi: Yes, we are constantly in contact with our guests and provide a tool to ensure that our guests have access to us 24/7.

Q: How are you incorporating the latest technology to make the customer experience better?

Fadi: Our hotel appreciates and understands the importance of technological advancement to ensure the delivery of great customer service on a daily basis. We utilize applications and automation in various areas such as online check-in and express check-out, mobile ordering solution in the restaurant and payment gateways. We also offer online concierge for special occasions and a lot more to ensure our guests have a smooth stay.

Q: Do you have any staff training programs in place and what key soft skills do you focus on?

Fadi: Our biggest advantage is our ability to grow and develop talent. Hyatt has been awarded for its best work environment across a number of platforms and publications. We have specific training programs that support skill development in addition to our partnership with some of the most renowned training institutes such as Harvard Learning Center and Cornell University.

Q: How do you plan on making the guest experience better in the future?

Fadi: In ensuring that care is at the center of everything we do and that we apply empathy at every interaction. We want to continue to add value to the guest journey. This will enable us to deliver a unique experience to guests whenever they stay at any Hyatt Hotel.

About Fadi Akeel

Fadi Akeel has more than 23 years of experience in the hospitality industry and started his career with Hyatt back in 1999 at Grand Hyatt Amman, Jordan. Since then, he has worked in Azerbaijan, Oman, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, holding key executive positions at different hotels.