June 9, 2022
Luxuria Lifestyle interviews Filip Hoste of Baobab Suites
Mr. Hoste is an entrepreneur in the property development, hotel and leisure industries with more than 25 years of experience in the island of Tenerife. We talk to him about his experience, projects and market tendencies.
1. LLSpain: Filip, What made you move to Tenerife 25 years ago?
Quickly I was tired of working in big corporations in big cities, I was searching for more quality of life. I was looking for a place with a nice outdoor life, no traffic jams and professionally still able to develop myself. When my parents bought a second home in Tenerife I immediately knew that this would be my place and I installed myself in the basement.
2. LLSpain: Have you always been professionally active in the luxury hotel industry?
Not at all, I am quite hippy, so I was not even a consumer of luxury hotels. I enjoy direct contact with local people in the destination, and this was often not the case in luxury hotels that were very enclosed in the past.
Only from the moment, Baobab Suites was under construction did I start to learn about this sector. Now I’m a bit obsessed, I really search every day for new concepts, I love to visit inspiring hotels, even if I have to travel far for them.
3. LLSpain: Can you explain the Baobab Suites Experience? What differentiates you from other luxury hotels?
In Baobab Suites we are very focused on private areas, our suites are more of a second home than a hotel room, while the public areas are well integrated into the local life. Attached to the hotel we have our clubhouse, where guests meet each other for yoga, pilates, beach volley, paddle tennis and many other experiences, or just enjoy breakfast, lunch, or dinner with feet in the sand. It is a social place where like-minded people meet each other in a relaxed atmosphere, also open to local people. Our guests really feel part of the local life, surrounded by the people and culture of the island.
4. LLSpain: Exiting Covid-19 what are the challenges you’re facing for the 2022 Summer season?
The challenge is to keep the quality high. Prices are high after covid and the guests come with a lot of expectations, which we have to fill in. We must dare to invest again in our processes and infrastructure, to be able to react better and quicker to circumstances like covid-19 that can change from one day to the other.
5. LLSpain: What are your personal goals? What would you like to achieve with Baobab Suites?
We need to keep on focusing on feelings, on experiences. The guest should feel immediately the soul of the hotel when he walks in. We motivate the staff to connect more to the guests, being more familiar with them in a discrete and polite way. I think the goal is not always having the best infrastructure, because there will always be a newer and fancier hotel, or even a better copy, but rather offering the best experiences and certainly trying to be the one with the kindest staff.
6. LLSpain: Tell us your definition of luxury please.
Simplicity, personal connection and telling a true story. No bling bling. A guest wants to see a conscious chef that uses top products and delivers a plate with a story. A guest must feel that you are serious with sustainability, even if that means that you don’t offer certain classic hotel attributes.
7. LLSpain: You are also involved in the real estate business. What are the challenges the luxury real estate sector will be facing in the next year(s)?
Costs of labor and construction materials are rising quickly, which makes the outcome of new developments uncertain for investors. Luckily every day the hotel brands are more open to manage luxury real estate, and also more and more buyers see the advantages of the managed properties. The demand is very high and buyers accept higher prices.
8: LL Spain: What would your key piece of advice be for buyers interested in purchasing/investing in luxury real estate in the South of Tenerife?
Managed luxury properties are the future, but choose for quality. Adjust the size to your budget, not the quality level. I cannot insist enough on sustainability. These properties are used intensively and need to last for many years. Properties that cannot keep up with sustainability will lose their luxury label. But not only the quality of the property is important, but also the quality of the brand that manages it. The manager makes the experience in your property, and thus the value of it.
E: Bookings
W: Baobab Suites
T: +34 822 070 030
A: Calle Roques del Salmor Nº 5, 38679, Costa Adeje – Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Social media