NEWH - Spring 2022 - 54

INTERVIEW
Grace Leo
President & CEO of Grace Leo Consultancy +
Managing Partner of Relais Retreats
By Can Faik
Photography courtesy of Grace Leo
O
ver the course of Grace Leo's illustrious career, she has amassed a wealth of experience in inventing, converting, and developing distinctive hotels
and resorts across the globe. Here, she talks to Can Faik about her most recent venture, Relais Retreats, a new series of standout waterside
properties.
What does your current position involve?
I have recently founded a new hotel company named Relais Retreats, and my role is managing partner based in
the UK, while my business partner Tim Hartnoll works out of Singapore. We are both very keen to build up a small
portfolio of lifestyle hotels in vibrant market towns with proximity to water.
What was your background prior to becoming a hotelier?
I started my career in the hotel industry right after graduating from the Hotel School at Cornell University. I was
influenced by my father while growing up in Hong Kong when he co-owned the 150-room Astor Hotel in Kowloon
back in the 1950s. It was significant back in the day to own a hotel in Hong Kong, and I always had an aff inity for
beautiful decor and international travel, which thankfully became the staple of my working and personal life.
Can you tell me about the idea behind the well-received Relais Retreats?
My initial idea was to acquire a well-located hotel no more than one hour away from London. I focused on vibrant
market towns where there was a confluence of history, culture, a picturesque town center, and a potential to uplift
the business and the building so that it stands out amongst the traditional country-house hotels that are part of
the competitive set. The name Relais was inspired by the first hotel we bought, which is a 500-year-old coaching
inn and a much-loved historical landmark in Henley-on-Thames. The French word for 'coaching inn' is 'Relais,' and
Grace Leo
The Relais Henley
The Relais Henley
54 newh.org

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NEWH - Spring 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NEWH - Spring 2022

President's Letter
News
2022 TopID Firms
Guest Perspective
2021 ICON of Industry
Who's Who
Conference Roundup
Have You Seen
Scholarships
Student Spotlight
Interview: Grace Leo
Sustainability Point of View
Q&A: Erica Harmelin
Q&A: Deirde Schwartz
Q&A: Penny Shelton
Cover Story: Fil Doux Textiles
Thompson Savannah
Eldred Preserve
Minneapolis Hostel
Porto Leggero
RG Naxos
Chapter Higlights
Save the Date
New Members
Partner Profiles
Sponsor Index
NEWH - Spring 2022 - FC
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Cover2
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 3
NEWH - Spring 2022 - President's Letter
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 5
NEWH - Spring 2022 - News
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 7
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 2022 TopID Firms
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 9
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 10
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 11
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 12
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 13
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 14
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 15
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 16
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 17
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Guest Perspective
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 19
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 20
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 21
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 2021 ICON of Industry
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 23
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Who's Who
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 25
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 26
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 27
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 28
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 29
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 30
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 31
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 32
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 33
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 34
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 35
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Conference Roundup
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 37
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 38
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 39
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Have You Seen
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 41
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 42
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 43
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 44
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 45
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 46
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 47
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 48
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 49
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Scholarships
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 51
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Student Spotlight
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 53
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Interview: Grace Leo
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 55
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 56
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 57
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Sustainability Point of View
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 59
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Q&A: Erica Harmelin
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 61
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Q&A: Deirde Schwartz
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 63
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Q&A: Penny Shelton
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 65
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Cover Story: Fil Doux Textiles
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 67
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Thompson Savannah
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 69
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 70
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 71
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Eldred Preserve
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 73
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 74
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 75
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Minneapolis Hostel
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 77
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 78
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 79
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Porto Leggero
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 81
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 82
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 83
NEWH - Spring 2022 - RG Naxos
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 85
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 86
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 87
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Chapter Higlights
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 89
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 90
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 91
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 92
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 93
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 94
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 95
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 96
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 97
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Save the Date
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 99
NEWH - Spring 2022 - New Members
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 101
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 102
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 103
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Partner Profiles
NEWH - Spring 2022 - 105
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Sponsor Index
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Cover3
NEWH - Spring 2022 - Cover4
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