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Meet Tamie Adaya of Hotel Shangri-La Santa Monica

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamie Adaya.

Tamie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I am the CEO and Creative Director of Hotel Shangri-La. It has been under my aegis for 15 years. I’m the hotel, it’s my personality. Travel and hospitality is in my blood – I was introduced to it at a very young age. Curating dinner parties and being a host started in my adolescence. I’ve always been excited by the alchemy and magic that sparks when I bring together creatives, the eccentric and the deeply interesting.

When the Shangri-La was passed to me by my father, it was the most natural step in the world. I’ve always seen my hotel as an extension of my home, and I wanted to engage people and for them to feel as if it is their home too. Hotel Shangri-La is a paradise, a utopia that sustains guests long after they depart. They leave feeling liberated, knowing they have found a sanctuary, a safe harbour, and a place where they can relinquish their everyday concerns. The Shangri-La also represents continuity in this fast-paced ever-changing world. Under my roof, there is something for everybody. If you want vibrancy, you go to our new roof top restaurant or our bar. If you want a great view, any of the rooms. If you want a secluded balcony, you stay on the 6th floor. If you want a zen oasis experience, you stay at the courtyard and then there is the pool and the hot tub. Whether you are traveling or a local, the Shangri-La is also the perfect daycation destination. Our day passes allows anyone to come and enjoy the hotel’s facilities – the pool, our gym and now lunch or dinner at our brand new rooftop restaurant Terrace at Onyx which has just opened. We have something for everyone here.

Coco Chanel once said, “A girl should be two things: who and what she wants.” I’m always creating …. And will always be till my last breath. I can’t stop myself. I have always been fascinated by beautiful things: art; fashion, books, architecture, design. If I like something that I think is beautiful, I will be inspired by it and create something out of it be it creating and hosting a dinner party or our new rooftop restaurant Terrace at Onyx which I loved creating. It’s now music to my ears to seeing guests enjoying it too. Beautiful things are prepared with love. The act of creating something of beauty be it art, design or an intimate dinner, is a way of bringing pleasure into the world. Immersed with optimism, it simply says: Life is beautiful. It’s empowering and it inspires me.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Life is never a smooth road. If only it was! Not one of us living and breathing on this planet are exempt from struggles or loss. I believe there is always something positive in everything even in the bad times. I have always believed creativity and business even in difficult times goes hand in hand. One of my biggest challenges was when I decided it was time to do a big renovation in 2008. The Shangri-La which back then had been opened for seven decades had given so much to both Los Angeles and visitors from around the world, it was time for us to put something back into her.

The £30 million refurbishment was also a metaphor for my own rejuvenation and transformation of my own life and that of my family. We were forced to write a new chapter when my beloved father passed away and the hotel passed to me. But I also tried to look at the positive and see it as an opportunity to reconcile the dichotomies in my life as a busy mother of three, entrepreneur, businesswoman and created a space where guests and employees could do the same. A lot of my rivals thought I would fail with the refurbishment as it was the worst possible time – my big obstacle and it was a pretty big one was that it coincided with the banking collapse in 2008. The economy was in freefall and it almost brought down the world’s financial system. It was the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and I was doing a major renovation… Globally, it was a horrendously terrifying time for us all! I stayed resolute and strong and found my way out of the depths. I totally focused on creating a place to reconcile a woman’s dichotomies. Creating a place where she could come with her children, have something to do by the pool with them, go shopping with them but then tuck them in bed and go upstairs because they are in the same place. Maybe meet a guy, maybe check in with her lover, have a suite, sit in the bathtub and admire the view, because a lot of our rooms have tubs with a view. Most people want to go to a family hotel or a couples hotel. This is a place that you can do both. You can come here with your kids and still have a sexy time, and you can come here as a couple and have a super sexy time. The renovation was a total success story. This year the Hotel is celebrating its Diamond Jubilee Anniversary. We are 80 years old and still going very strong.

I succeeded because I captured the people’s imagination and got the best team together which is a work of art in itself. Life and work is about balance and harmony. I was deeply honoured and grateful to receive a conservancy award recognizing my historic preservation of this iconic Art Deco building from the city of Santa Monica. I was also honoured for my creativity, leadership and business achievements at The Los Angeles Business Journal 2015 Women Making a Difference Symposium and Awards.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Hotel Shangri-La Santa Monica – what should we know?
My father chose to emigrate to the USA in the 1970’s and build a new life for his family. He was a great believer in the Californian economy and the enterprising spirit that fuelled it. We will always cherish our homeland Pakistan but moving to the US was the start of a brand new chapter where we have built a good life and a great family business with our hotel. We are and always be a family business. My hotel is boutique, one of a kind, where all my guests feel they are known and that sets us apart.

I’ve always seen my hotel as an extension of my home, and I’ve always wanted to engage people and for them to feel as if it is their home too. Basically, Hotel Shangri-La is a strong personality brand. Just like Richard Branson is for Virgin. This is my personality. I’m good with people and my involvement helps differentiate it from the competition and I’m proud of that.

We are known for communicating our values in everything we say and do and infuse our values into every facet of the guest experience. From the high thread count of our linens to the intimate atmosphere of our new rooftop restaurant overlooking the ocean, we ensure every interaction with our brand is exceedingly and unmistakably Shangri-La.

As a matter of philosophy, I don’t follow the sheep. I have never advertised the hotel and never will. This is also what sets us apart. People find us when they’re meant to. I invite our patrons to have a relationship with the hotel where they discover our utopia on their own terms. Long gone are the days where a traveler simply wants the most luxurious accommodation they can afford. People crave an experience that is both affirming and transformative, both challenging and comforting, at the same time. Travel creates perspective—an insight to not only ourselves but also the world at large.

The young-minded sophisticates of any age with whom the Shangri-La resonates have always been able to find us and will continue to find us. It’s an act of trust. They are looking for nourishing, nurturing, pleasurable experiences. The awards aside, I’m so proud of having the most stylish Art Deco beach boutique hotel in Santa Monica. It is so distinct with a great sense of place. I am also so proud to lead such an incredible team that delivers exceptional experiences for our clientele every day. We consistently work towards surprising and delighting our guests and continue to innovate.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
My mantra has always been to create a culture of acceptance, intimacy and imagination within an atmosphere of formal informality where our guests feel both elevated and completely at ease. A lot of my guests keep coming back so the results speak for themselves. Key to achieving my success has been the ability to delegate which I always maintain is an art in itself. I have found the best people for the Shangri-La and it has in turn given them the freedom and encouragement to flourish. I can’t always be there 24/7 and it forces them to call the shots, which in turns improves their own leadership skills, builds them and strengthens my business. I encourage key employees to become innovative thinkers who can add value in their own way. You always need the best people you can afford at the helm and they are responsible for inspiring and motivating your team.

My business is successful as my motto is always to have fun even in the bad times. You won’t be truly successful unless you enjoy what you are doing: be visible; be an amazing leader; a visionary who creates things that stand out; has perseverance; embraces failure; a yes, yes attitude when it comes to taking calculated risks; think big and respecting your team. Going back to Coco Chanel and what I said at the start of this interview: “A girl should be two things: who and what she wants.” I encourage everyone when it comes to success to use travel to liberate yourself, transform who you are, or affirm who and want you want to be and just go for it…

Pricing:

  • Pricing starts from $275 USD. If you book direct on www.shangrila-hotel.com or if you call directly on 310.430.7230 you now receive breakfast buffet on us
  • Terrace at ONYX is now open! Open for lunch and dinner, includes gourmet pizzas, farmers market-fresh salads, decadent desserts, and ocean views.
    Terrace at Onyx: Sunday to Thursday 11am – 10pm
    Friday and Saturday 11 am – 11pm
    Brunch: Saturday and Sunday 11am- 3pm
  • Daycation Destination Access to hotel. Day Pass $50 includes: Outdoor heated pool Hot tub lounge chair Poolside food and drink service from The Dining Room $25 food and drink minimum (collected at the hotel).
  • VIP Daybed $175 includes: Day Passes for up to 3 people (all amenities included in the Day Pass) Premium comfort daybed. $100 food and drink minimum (collected at the hotel)
  • Cabana $500 includes: Day Passes for up to 5 people (all amenities included in the Day Pass) Shaded cabana with premium comfort sofa seating. $375 food and drink minimum (collected at the hotel).

Contact Info:


Image Credit:
Montage Media Production Company (all images of Tamie in baby pink dress – five images in total)
Muslim Public Affairs Council – (two images of her having dinner with Sir Bob Geldof and on the red carpet in red dress and long black jumper)
The group photo by Dumisani Maraire Jr.

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