Yann Gouriou Establishes Unicorn Hospitality

Yann Gouriou has established Unicorn Hospitality, a Bangkok-based which promises a “better, smarter and more people-centric” approach to hospitality.

Unicorn Hospitality will specialise in new hotel and restaurant start-ups, launches and opening periods – the make-or-break time for most establishments.

“There's only one chance to make a first impression, more so than even in the age of TripAdvisor and social media,” Mr Gouriou said. “So any new hotel or restaurant launching has to get everything right, which above all means getting the right people in the right positions at the right time.”

Mr Gouriou is the recent former Group General Manager of AHMS The Collection, responsible for running four boutique resorts in Thailand - Aleenta Phuket Phang-Nga, Aleenta Hua Hin-Pranburi, Akaryn Samui and akyra Chura Samui, as well as pipeline projects in Chiang Mai and Cambodia.

Previously, he has worked in almost every department of top hotels and resorts in Asia, Europe, South Pacific, Middle East and Caribbean, including stints as Resident Manager of Cambridge Beaches Resort and Spa in Bermuda, and as Food & Beverage Manager of Bangkok-based Lebua Hotel's Dome complex.

“In hospitality, your people should come first. Everything else follows. That is Unicorn Hospitality's slogan and guiding philosophy. It should be axiomatic in hospitality, but so often it is not the case,” said Mr Gouriou. “The unicorn is mythical but Unicorn Hospitality is real, and we are here to give the old school a poke in the eye. We are all about offering intelligent, innovative yet field-tested ways to do business in Thailand and beyond.”

Unicorn Hospitality is offering a full range of operational, technical and development services for hotels, as well as assistance with recruitment, head-hunting, and creative ideas to get brand cut-through and improved profitability.

Unicorn Hospitality is based in Bangkok, and will cater primarily to hospitality brands in Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Samui, Pattaya and Hua Hin, Thailand.