Rob Rinder and Monica Galetti reflect on the new series of Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby

Jul 29, 2023

Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby series 5 sees Monica Galetti return, and now joined by Rob Rinder. Together they are put to work behind the scenes of eight of the world’s most extraordinary hotels.

In each of this series’ eight hotels, Monica and Rob will join the teams of dedicated staff, learning first hand just what it takes to deliver once-in-a-lifetime experiences in these spectacular hotels.

They venture far beyond the lobby into places that the public don’t usually see and uncover the meticulous level of detail needed to pull off impeccable service. As they work, Rob and Monica get to know the people who staff these hotels and uncover the inspirational, poignant and heart-warming stories of the communities around them.

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In Morocco, Monica and Rob travel to Richard Branson’s Kasbah Tamadot and work alongside the 100% Moroccan team to discover the significance of Berber hospitality, food and culture to their guests.

The Maldives has long been a paradise destination, so how does relative newcomer Joali try to stand out amongst the many other resorts? Striking a balance between uber luxury, a unique art based experience and care for the local environment creates a unique vision.

Nusfjord Arctic Resort is not a typical hotel- guests stay in renovated 200 year old cod fishing cabins for a taste of remote Norwegian fishing life, albeit with a touch of luxury! Rob and Monica experience first-hand how tough life was and aim for a glimpse of the elusive northern lights.

Set amongst the tea plantations of Sri Lanka, a local family have repurposed the colonial bungalows which once housed 19th Century colonial era tea planters. Ceylon Tea Trails juggles giving guests a chance to step back in time with connecting them with the country's future.

Rob and Monica travel to Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa to try their hand at Safari hospitality. While guiding guests to find the ‘big game’, working with local staff in the hotel, they come to understand how a five star hotel can also be a force for animal conservation.

Borgo Egnazia in Puglia is a hotel like no other. Newly constructed to look like a 200 year old village, it strives to capture the heart of the area through its local food, Puglian staff and immersive design. But how genuine is it really? Rob and Monica work alongside the locals to find out.

Hidden away in the borders of Scotland is the magical Glenapp Castle. The journey from historical landmark to five star luxury resort takes vision and perseverance, and the team behind it have gone to extraordinary lengths to deliver a unique experience for their guests.

In the Alpine Tyrol region of Northern Italy lies Hotel Hubertus - a family run resort which offers spectacular views of the surrounding mountains thanks to its extraordinary architecture. Rob and Monica discover the unique Heaven and Hell spa, local ski experiences and are welcomed into the family behind the vision.

What can viewers expect to see on the show?

You can expect just about everything from castles in Morocco to Paradise Island to the furthest reaches of the North Pole. You think you’re just seeing a façade of a hotel, but in some cases they’re like entire countries, in others they breathe life into local communities. These places aren’t just hotels. It’s what these places mean to their communities and for the guests that come that’s special. A hotel isn’t just a place people come to stay. It’s an entire universe of things, all of which we explore in Amazing Hotels.

What was your highlight from this season?

The sunrises and sunsets in every single place. I met a person in every single hotel who gets you to think about the world in a new way and what more is there. I particularly loved Sri Lanka. I’ve been to some of these countries before but this time I have the gift of seeing communities who have been working alongside each other to help have a conversation about what their country and community can be, all around amazing service. I was truly moved.

What 3 key things make for an Amazing Hotel?

It’s all about dedicated people, meticulous breath-taking attention to detail and a unique thirst for every single guest to go away feeling like they’re not in a hotel but in the home of a family member.

What has it been like joining the show? And what were you hoping to bring to the show?

It’s been the ultimate gift. It has to be the best job in the world and I keep pinching myself.

I’m obsessed with detail, as anyone will tell you. But when I check into a hotel, it’s more than a meticulous attention to detail, it’s the stories of the people, which is why I love making documentaries. It’s the people who gift us these places which enables us to completely understand the purpose of luxury travel and what it brings to communities and even the world. It’s human stories allowing people to be the absolute best and feel seen.

Has being on the show been different to what you expected?

A little bit! My last big prosecuting job involved staying in these hotels for long periods of time and you often make assumptions.

What surprised me is how talented, dedicated and invested the owners, employees and everyone we spoke to were. It was not just a hotel, but a community. Such as an Atoll that was destroyed by an El Nino, or speaking to a Berber community in part of the Atlas mountains who, before the hotel opened, were on the edge of economic catastrophe. Now, it’s an epicentre of community. What surprised me is how these hotels can forge part of a community and alter how not just a community runs, but who a person is.

What’s one of your worst hotel experiences? (without naming the hotel)

Mostly when I was travelling as a student. I once stayed in a hotel which had previously been a prison and they hadn’t changed the décor during that time…

Was there a particular hotel that stood out to you this season? And why?

I loved the different detail in every hotel so I wouldn’t want to pick. They’re all totally different with different personalities, so I couldn’t compare. Some you’d go to for a weekend like the hotel in Morocco, or being alongside people who are creating a fishing village on the edge of the world which is usually a one night stay. Each hotel was so different and the whole point of the series is to explore not just luxury, but incredible places that although in the reach of the ultra-privilege, explore what they give back beyond the lobby.

If you had to run a hotel with Monica, what role would you assign her? (aside from Head Chef!)

I would wait to be assigned a role by her. The best thing about Monica is that so many people in media wonder ‘are they really like that’, artistically gifted, demanding perfection of everyone around them and themselves. The answer is yes in Monica’s case. I wouldn’t have a hope in hell getting my 5* hotel off the ground. I’d be her assistant. I’d be curating the art… and doing breakfast service.

What do you hope audiences take away from this season?

First of all, the delicious heaven of what television can do which is just wonderful escapism. I’m so mindful of the limitless privilege of staying in these places. I hope people feel they can disappear into that world and get a sense of what goes into creating these extraordinary spaces from the people to the art to the local culture. These aren’t just hotels, they’re so much richer and so much more. You may just think you’re on a desert island and enjoy the journey of the programme, you may learn a little bit along the way too, and that’s why I’ve loved being part of it.

What can viewers expect to see on the show?

Well, I think it's such vast collection of different types of hotels this series, and I love the different cultures that that we get to explore. They are so much more than just hotels. I think the selection we have from all different parts of the world makes for a very colourful season and I’m excited for people to see it.

What was your personal highlight from this series?

This series I think I have two very special personal highlights. One was the incredible New Year celebration we had in Sri Lanka with all of the staff at the hotel. That was really special. My second would be the cherry festival in Puglia. It’s a festival which has gone on for years and years in Puglia and involves all of the local families in the area where they all come together and go out picking the cherries. It’s a bit like a festival, they had dancing, jugglers, baking and all kinds of things. They even make jewellery, for example they make bracelets from the cherry seeds. It’s a real celebration, it’s just beautiful.

What 3 key things make an Amazing Hotel?

For me, first and foremost it’s the staff and the team behind it all. I think it's really important that they offer a warm and professional service. Second, I would say the amenities and what they have to offer is of a high standard. And of course, what’s on offer when it comes to the food is also incredibly important for me.

You’ve seen your fair share of hotels over 5 seasons of the show. Is there something that continues to surprise you about some of the hotels you see?

Absolutely, whether it’s a small family run hotel, or some huge hotel with a huge number of staff I’m still constantly surprised by the places we get to see and how they operate. One thing that stands out is when you have a hotel that has a huge network of support from the local people in the area that feels really embedded in the community, where all of the staff are local to the area. That’s really impressive to me. But sometimes I’m also just really blown away by the architecture of the hotels themselves and the landscapes they are in. You can arrive and just be bowled over as it looks nothing like you expected it to.

Was there a particular hotel that stood out to you this season? If so why?

It’s really hard to pick, but if I had to narrow it down I would say two really stood out to me this series. Ceylon Tea Trails in Sri Lanka really brought culture to the forefront of the hotel which made for a really enriching cultural experience. Kasbah Tamadot in Morocco also really stands out to me just for the sheer vision of the hotel and being brave enough to create something of that size. They created this hotel in the Atlas mountains, an area which doesn’t get much tourism, where they helped educate and train up local people to support the hotel that now make up its workforce. It’s really impressive.

What has it been like working with Rob on the show? What do you think he brings this season?

Well, you’ll just have to wait and see! Rob is so much fun to work with and he loves getting stuck in and involved. And what’s great is that he's not afraid to try new things. He’s great fun!

What’s one of your worst hotel experiences? (without naming the hotel)

Well, luckily we do amazing hotels so we don't find horrible things! But I would say one thing that I could name as a bad experience more generally is when you get to a hotel and they don’t have room service. Sometimes after a very long day of work you don’t have the energy to leave your room or the energy to speak to people. You just want to eat something quick in your room and get some rest. But like I said, luckily we do Amazing Hotels!

If you had to run a hotel with Rob, what role would you assign him?

I would definitely assign Rob a job in my hotel reception. He would keep things rolling along nicely.

What do you hope audiences take away from this series?

The thing I hope audience take away from the show is that these hotels we see around the world are so much more than just a building and a nice façade. It’s really easy to forget about all of the people and hard work that goes into creating that experience for you behind the scenes when you travel. I really do believe it’s the people that bring these hotels to life who bring that care and attention for that little extra touch.