Bob van den Oord, CEO of Langham Hospitality Group, unveils his ambitions for the Middle East, while highlighting the latest in luxury hospitality trends seen across the group’s storied portfolio
The Middle East is the next frontier for Langham Hospitality Group, which owns the iconic flagship luxury brand The Langham Hotels & Resorts; the upscale Cordis Hotels & Resorts; the mission-focused Eaton and midscale select services brand Ying’nFlo.
In an exclusive interview with TTN, Bob van den Oord, CEO of Langham Hospitality Group, outlines the company’s regional plans.
“When it comes to the Gulf region, our focus is very much The Langham for now and the opening of The Langham, Diriyah in 2029,” he tells us.
“We also see promising prospects for The Langham brand in Oman, the UAE and North Africa. As for our other brands, we certainly envision opportunities for Cordis in cities such as Riyadh, Dubai and Jeddah,” says van den Oord.
“We’ve seen an unprecedented appetite for branded residences in recent years, especially in cities like London, New York and Hong Kong, and in the Middle East region. It’s a demand we are paying close attention to and see as an immense opportunity for future projects in the Middle East,” he explains.
KEY TRENDS IN LUXURY
The luxury hospitality landscape has undergone significant changes in recent years, with sustainability, wellness and experiential travel emerging as key trends, van den Oord says.
“Sustainable tourism has surged, with guests increasingly opting for eco-friendly options – a trend that we’ve gladly embraced through continued efforts on this front as sustainability has been a long-standing priority of ours,” says van den Oord.
We have an exclusive, invitation-only partnership programme called COUTURE by Langham, through which high-quality travel advisors and agents focused on the luxury segment can receive training and benefit from various incentives
– Bob van den Oord
“Likewise, wellness tourism has also been on the rise as a growing number of guests prioritise health and well-being during their stays. This has been a blessing for our Cordis brand and our Chuan Wellness platform, which extends across both Cordis and The Langham.
“Experiential travel has also been another key trend in recent years. Guests have been seeking tailored experiences that cater to their individual preferences and more culturally immersive activities. Our new combined loyalty and experiences platform, Brilliant by Langham, was designed to respond precisely to this new demand. The platform is purpose-built to deliver more rewarding, personalised and captivating journeys across 31 of our participating hotels,” he informs us.
POPULAR PROPERTIES
The most popular properties among Middle East guests remain The Langham, London and The Langham, New York, Fifth Avenue, van den Oord reveals. Evidently, both hotels offer a wide range of unique and bespoke luxury experiences to impress the region’s well-heeled travellers.
“At The Langham, London, we’ve recently seen great interest in our two-bedroom Portland Suite, which was recently refurbished; our iconic Afternoon Tea, the menu for which was created by Chef Michel Roux Jr and Executive Pastry Chef, Andrew Gravett; and our classes for guests at Sauce by The Langham, our very own cookery school.
“At The Langham, New York, Fifth Avenue meanwhile, our Empire State Presidential Suite continues to be a guest favourite, along with the variety of exclusive on- and off-property activities curated by our team.”
The group’s other properties are showing a spike in interest.
Van den Oord highlights the popularity of the urban resort concept, exemplified by The Langham, Jakarta.
Heritage preservation, he says, is another key theme. “We’ve recently announced the planned 2026 opening of The Langham, Venice, a new property involving the regeneration of two historic buildings: the former Casino Mocenigo and an old Murano glass factory. It’s going to be a fantastic property that sets the scene for another exciting heritage project we’ll be unveiling in the coming months.”
Also under the heritage preservation theme is the recently announced The Langham, Customs House, Bangkok, expected to open in 2026 as well. The centrepiece of the site will be the city’s old Customs House, a heritage building that will be restored to its former glory as part of the project.
THE LANGHAM, DIRIYAH
Set to open in 2029, The Langham, Diriyah will stand out as a cultural and lifestyle destination situated just 15 minutes from downtown Riyadh.
The hotel will be located on Diriyah’s main boulevard within five minutes drive of At-Turaif, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and on the doorstep of the magnificent Wadi Safar, with its eco-tourism experiences.
“Boasting 200 luxurious rooms and suites, The Langham, Diriyah will offer signature amenities and services including a lavish Club Lounge, our famous Sauce cooking school, our Michelin-starred Chinese fine dining restaurant T’ang Court, our signature afternoon tea, and of course our iconic Chuan Spa, all delivered within a sublime space blending Saudi heritage and contemporary luxury,” Bob van den Oord, CEO of Langham Hospitality Group.