Check In to a Slice of Paradise

WELCOME TO paradise. Three little words on a small card placed by our bedside perfectly summarised the journey in store for us. But it really was the name signed neatly under this welcome note that brought these three little words to life. Allywn Drego, general manager - Villingili resort and spa, Shangri-La, Maldives is one of the main and many reasons that has turned this lost island into a travellers paradise.

I've had the luxury of knowing Allywn Drego from my days at the Taj when he was the general manager of Vivanta by Taj Coral Reef. My family however has known him from way back in 1995 when he was the manager of the belvedere members club of the Oberoi. And my parents have tracked his postings every since and be it Taj Exotica, Goa, The Oberoi's Amarvilas or the former Shangri-La, Mumbai they never failed to follow him to his hotels assured of a fantastic stay as long as he was in charge.

4 days cut off from civilisation and you get a chance to admire his mastery. Food being his passion, is always par excellence in any of his properties. No matter where he is in the world, there is no compromising on the ingredients or expertise as he flies in the best of both the manpower and materials. Knowledge sets him apart from the rest as he can hold a conversation on the marbling of meat or the spill the secrets of the ocean.

Island life though exquisite is also quite isolated. And requires you to staying away from your family for extended periods. A tough task for most, Allywn succeeds because the staff at Shangri-La are now family. So whether playing football with them or celebrating Halloween, each day provides innumerable opportunities to build bonds.

A graduate of the Oberoi school of management, this Santacruz (Mumbai) boy has come along way. One of the few Indian general managers of the Shangri-La hotels, Allwyn has made a mark in the industry specialising in the pre-opening of a property. Be it model or minister, bureaucrat or businessman, he handles each with effortless ease and always finds a way to personalise their individual experience.

After a few years in a property, General Managers are shuffled between different hotels. With new staff, new management and new renovations, sometimes over time their hard work stands forgotten. Allywn however leaves an indelible impact, one that cannot be erased.

So the next time you have a memorable stay in a luxury five star property look out for a signature trail of orchids lining the pathway, that just might be proof that Allwyn as there!