In the star

Mr Dreist and a reception employee

As a child growing up in Germany, Frank Dreist was always interested in Asian. Perhaps it was because his father travelled frequently to Asia on business, including trips to Bangkok and Hong Kong. Though young Frank was not invited along, his interest in Asia grew. He finally made his first trip to Asia when he was 16, staying in Hong Kong for a short while. “I wanted to get an idea of whether I wanted to work in the hotel business or not,” he explains.

Hotel work did attract him, so he went to in Switzerland. The Asia connection struck once more: as part of his education he was sent with five other students to Bangkok as a hotel trainee. “It was the first time the school had sent students to Asia,” smiles Mr Dreist. Asia, it seems, was in his stars and in his blood. He tried working in a hotel in the UK for six months, but then quit and came to Phuket. “That was in 1992. I got an offer to be the Assistant F&B Director at the Cape Panwa Hotel. I took the job.”

Easy decision

Kata Beach Resort

Wasn’t this a big risk for a young man to take at the start of his career in hotels? Mr Dreist doesn’t think so. “Hotel work, whether in a big city or on a small island, has the same business goal: we have to please the guests and do good business for the company. “I always knew that sooner or later I would be coming to Asia. I got a good offer [at the Cape Panwa]; I knew that I would have the chance to learn a lot,” he says

His next stop was in the Kata Group, a family-owned group of hotels in Phuket. It was a long stop - 13 years - but in that time he received a good education in the business, climbing from F&B Director to Resident Manager and then General Manager overseeing two hotels: the Kata Beach Resort and the Karon Beach Resort. During his tenure, the hotels were upgraded, occupancy was pushed up to more than 85% and the Kata Beach Resort has become, it seems, the permanent headquarters and host to the annual Phuket King’s Cup Regatta, one of Asia’s premier sailing events.

“Working for family-owned hotels has pros and cons,” says Mr Dreist. “I found it a good way to build determination. It tends to take longer for things to get approved and get done. And I appreciate the work the hotel owners have done for Phuket. They have done a lot to promote Phuket to the outside world.

Smaller and sexier

Surin Beach Resort

Before accepting the new post at the two-year-old Pavilions, Mr Dreist spent a year as Group General Manager in charge of two other hotels in Phuket: the 260-room Surin Beach Resort and the 180-suite Kamala Bay Garden Resort.

“I was there for a year but I had always wanted to do something with a smaller executive-type hotel. There is nothing wrong with big hotels but when you have lot of rooms to take care of, you lose touch with the guests; you spend all your time on other things. I wanted to get closer to the guests again.”
The Phuket Pavilions fitted the bill. “I like it that the place is not big and is unique. I like the hotel concept: private and a bit of a sexy feeling,” Mr Dreist explains. That sexiness is summed up in the hotel’s website: “No tan lines. Total privacy. Your personal pool - infinity edge - for views as seamless as your tan.”

The real challenge

360 Degree Bar & Restaurant

It took him about a month to settle in and he is now shifting into high gear. This month the hotel will introduce more services for guests. One of this will be a much more personalised service, in the form of the butler. “The idea is to have the same person assist the guest in every way, starting from welcoming them to the hotel, serving them breakfast and helping them organize their days while they are with us.
“At the moment we have hotel staff from many departments doing those jobs - receptionist, concierge, waiter and so on, but we believe the guests will like it more if they deal with one person throughout their vacation.”

The second innovation is already up and running: twice-weekly barbecues in the hotel’s 360 bar and restaurant, situated on the top of the hill, with stunning views of the Andaman Sea.

Busy in Paradise

Phuket Pavilions reception

There will be plenty more work for Mr Dreist in the near future. The Phuket Pavilions is the second resort with that name - the original one is in Bali - and now a third is to be built in Krabi.

“We will also have the second phase of Phuket Pavilions [under construction] next to the existing property in Phuket; the work will start in June, at the same time as work starts in Krabi.”
Hotel work, Mr Dreist notes with a smile, is always busy, no matter where you are - even in paradise.

Special Offers

Phuket Pavilions Hotel

Read the Aaron Mahan's review of the Phuket Pavilions Hotel

Hotel Information and Room Rates

Click here if you wish to know more about Phuket Pavilion Hotel

Photo Gallery of the Phuket Pavilions Hotel