NEWH - Summer 2019 - 40

INTERVIEW

Robert De Niro:
Co-Owner, Nobu Hotels
By Can Faik

cademy Award-winning actor Robert De Niro's Nobu Hotels is nearly doubling its portfolio this year. From the brand's
conception in 2009, and the first Nobu opening in 2013 as a boutique hotel in Caesar's Palace Las Vegas, the company now
has nine hotels globally and nine more announced or in the pipeline. At the helm of the high-end group are co-owners De Niro,
globally acclaimed celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa, and celebrated Hollywood producer Meir Teper. SPACE editor Can Faik met with the
Nobu owners recently at Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay, one of their latest openings, to discuss the brand's direction.
What does Nobu Hotels do to stay one step ahead of the competition?
Well, it always starts with the location. We choose a place that feels right for our
restaurant first, then we think about what we can create there. We believe that
design is really important as a way to communicate a feeling. That's why we
invest when we need to.
Have you noticed any design trends when opening a hotel in a certain
country or do you look at the location as a starting point?
One of the key things when opening a hotel is location, location, location, with
food and beverage being the focal point of each property. Every Nobu hotel
has to have a Nobu restaurant, which will supply room service and special
events, and as we have restaurants across five continents, we are aiming to do
the same with Nobu Hotels.
How important is hotel design when launching a new Nobu hotel?
Regarding our projects in Ibiza and Marbella [Spain], we have really tried to
respect the ethos of the Nobu brand while trying to fit into the local market
and embrace the local colors and materials. We have very much tried to make
it that, when you wake up in the hotel, you know exactly where you are; so you can be in New York where everything
is kind of geared to feel your surroundings and blends in with the scenery and with the natural habitat of the hotel-
especially here in Ibiza where there is a very strong earthy vibe with an important emphasis on local products.

Nobu Matsuhisa, Can Faik, Robert De Niro, and Meir Teper

Do you look at the location first before deciding on which hotel designer to work with?
Yes we do. We work a lot with David Rockwell out of New York, who designed our first restaurant. Nobu has always
said good design is very important when you dine in our restaurants, so we try to do the same with our hotels.
Let's talk about your award-winning Malibu property, part of your Ryokan collection. How is this different from
your other properties?
In some of our hotels in the world, where we can do a very high-level product, we will try to brand them a Ryokan
collection, a Five-Star property where on some floors there will be an even higher luxury service and will have an
even better design and quality compared to the rest of the hotel. Malibu is our flagship property with only 16 rooms.
Has your Ibiza property been well received by its guests?
We wanted our Ibiza property to compete with other resorts in Europe rather than other resorts in Ibiza, so we set
ourselves a mission that it will be a destination rather than just another hotel. You can spend the whole day here
without having to leave the property, as every area seamlessly flows into each other.
Is the Middle East an area you're considering for a Nobu Hotel opening?
Yes, for sure. At this time, we are looking at a property in downtown Dubai, and we are almost ready to open Riyadh
and Tel-Aviv to follow.

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