There isn’t much difference between medicine and hospitality. One is a profession that guides to be well and the other is about staying so! Small wonder then that after qualifying in medicine, Pavithran Nambiar, the General Manager of JW Marriott Mumbai, chose to shift to handing out smiles in hotels. With over 17 years of experience, Pavithran has worked with renowned brands across the world such as Accor and Marriott Group Hotels.

After studying medicine from Sydney University, Pavithran switched across to hospitality and started his career by working in high-end standalone restaurants and bars before joining Accor as a Food and Beverage Manager in 2001. He moved to India in 2005 as the Hotel Manager to open the Hyderabad Hotel and Convention Centre and was promoted to General Manager in August 2007.

Tell us something about your background.

I grew up in a small town in South Australia, completed my high school graduation in Canberra and moved to Sydney to study medicine at the Sydney University.  Having completed four years of medical school, I decided to move on and discover what I wanted to pursue as a profession in life. With time on my hands, I dabbled in Hospitality, working at various pubs and restaurants and soon grew to really enjoy every aspect of it. It had been 8 years within the industry when I realized Hospitality was what I was destined to do and to this date it stands as one of the best decisions I’ve taken.

From medicine to hospitality, why the switch?

The decision to move to Hospitality was not a conscious one, but happened to evolve from a stop-gap measure to a career over a period of years and I have never regretted the decision.

What kind of travellers are you targeting?

JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu is blessed to have a very diverse clientele.  We do a lot of corporate and MICE business.  We also have a high leisure component in our market mix, which means that traditionally quiet periods such as the Christmas and New Year period are actually very busy for us.  We do a large number of wedding-related events in a year along with many other banquet events.

“JW Marriott Mumbai hosts diverse clientele.”

There  are  so  many  mid-market,  boutique  hotels  and  resorts  that  now offer unique experiences in India, how are your properties different? Tell us more about the experiences on offer? 

It is very exciting to be part of the evolution of the hospitality industry in India right now.  Different products are opening across the country to service different clientele in different ways.  There is still huge scope for future growth in all market segments. Every business needs to find its USPs and we are no different.  Our guests choose us for our spectacular location and views. To get the tranquillity of the sunset over the Arabian Sea while only 20 to 25 minutes from the airports and central to several of Mumbai’s business hubs is something they love.  We are also close to many options for dining, shopping and entertainment.  At the hotel itself we offer 6 restaurants with varying cuisines, the award-winning Quan Spa and perhaps Mumbai’s best poolside experience, with three pools set amongst extensive gardens.

What are the USPs of brand Marriott?

The USP’s of brand JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu are its fabulous location by the iconic Juhu Beach, because of which the views from all of our sea facing rooms is exquisite. In a city like Mumbai, this serves as a great positive, as it portrays a resort feel to a city hotel and is a draw for guests looking a getaway from the hustle and bustle.

Tell us something about your plans for the brand.

Brand JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu is fortunately, iconic to the city of Mumbai and has over the years built a legacy with a loyal client base. The three key focus areas that we as a brand would like to build upon in the future are – Culinary, as food is an aspect that in a city like Mumbai, holds great importance and we strive to keep providing our patrons with consistent quality and something new to look forward to every time. The second focus area is Bollywood, which once again we are fortunate to have a very strong connect with, as over the years, the industry has recognized our hotel as a space where they can look at hosting press conferences, shoots and also as a destination where celebrities can dine or stay, without their privacy being intruded upon. The third focus area for us is Art, which is something that we proudly display throughout the expanse of our property. In the past few years, we have hosted a number of Art exhibits with notable art houses and continue to nurture this segment.

You have been in the travel industry for so long…so what are the pointers a traveller should keep in mind before choosing a hotel?

It is difficult to list pointers without taking into account the reason for the travel.  Needs vary so much.  In general terms though I would recommend travellers seek a hotel which gives them a sense of home.

Which is your favorite hotel in the world and why? 

My favourite hotel is Rae’s on Watego’s, a tiny little hotel at Watego’s Beach, Byron Bay on the north coast of New South Wales in Australia.  It only has about 7 rooms and it is on my favourite beach in the world.

Share a travel tip with our readers.

Always try to experience something of the essence or spirit of the place you are travelling to.  As the French say, “vive la difference!”, as the world starts to look more the same, it is important to savour the differences.