Nobody looked forward to quarantine on their return to Hong Kong—but at least people who stayed with the Ovolo Hotel Group enjoyed some perks. Before the Hong Kong government lifted mandatory hotel stays for arrivals, Girish Jhunjhnuwala, Ovolo’s CEO and founder, led his group to become one of the most popular choices for quarantiners, with virtual happy hours and exercise classes.

A customer-focused approach has been Ovolo’s hallmark from the start. “I started thinking about all the things I didn’t like about other hotels and all the things I would do away with. I didn’t like that the other hotels would nickel-and-dime their customers from the moment they walked through the door. That’s never a cool experience,” Jhunjhnuwala says.

Today, the group has 12 hotels: four in Hong Kong, seven across Australia and one in Bali, the latter two destinations stemming from a growing demand from tourists.

Now that the restrictions in Hong Kong are easing away, Jhunjhnuwala is not afraid of Ovolo being associated with quarantine in the past. As a vocal advocate for removing restrictions, he is proud to have made people feel welcome upon arrival.

“Hong Kong residents and tourists need to be treated with dignity, and I am pleased we got to do this despite challenges,” he says. As for his plans: “I am stepping into the next chapter for Ovolo Group with my team—ready to surprise and inspire”.

(Photo: Affa Chan)