SongtsamRetreatatShangri-La,amemberoftheMGalleryCollection,isa70-roomtraditionalTibetanhotelatthefootofthemountains.ItswindowsopenontoGandenSumtselingMonastery,thelargestofitskindinYunnanProvince.
In2009,PatrickDruettookjustfiveminutestodecidetolivethere,takingajobasgeneralmanagerofthehotel.
Patrick,fromFrance,hasnotonlyworkedinthecitiesofhishomecountry,butalsoinCanada,Ireland,Britain,andChina.“Forme,joininganewly-establishedhotelpresentedabigchallenge,”Patrickbeams.“ButIcouldn’tleavethesnowcappedmountainsandyaks.Manyyearsago,IworkedataskiresortinFrance,andsincethen,ithasbeenmydreamtoreturntothemountains.Mydreamhasfinallycometruerighthere.”
Patrick’scareerinChinabeganinXia-men,FujianProvincein2001.Sincethen,hehastraveledacrossthecountry,working.HebecameparticularlypassionateaboutShangri-Laforalltherightreasons:theenvironment,themountainviews,theclimate,andmostofall,thesmilingfacesaroundhim.
Nevertheless,thejobwasfarfromawalkinthepark.Trainingthelocalstaffwasamonumentaltaskinitself,becausemosthadnotreceivedhighereducationandhadgrownupcomparativelyisolatedfromtherestoftheworld.Severalformerforeigngeneralmanagersinhispositiongaveupandleft.Patrickpersisted.Inhiseyes,everyonethereisrealanddeeplyreligious,andworkshardformorethanjustmoney.“Really,thesmilesfromthebottomoftheirheartsarethemost-cherishedmemoriesforguests,”Patrickcontinues.
“Ourhotelisnotstar-rated.Wehaveourowndistinctlocalfeatures,highlightedbythecultureanditsactivities,architectureandtheemployeesthemselves.”
Patrick’sastuteunderstandingofShangri-Laisperhapsbestexemplifiedbyhisstyleofdressing—Tibetan,andheoftenhikesalongthemountainpaths.“Ihikeinthemountainsalotinmysparetime,”heexplains.“Sometimes,Ievenfollowthelocalsandspinaprayerwheelalongwiththem.It’saplaceoftranquilityandpeacethatgiveseveryoneasenseofbelonging.”
Patrickwillbecomeamanagerofasoon-to-openSongtsamhotelinLhasa,capitaloftheTibetAutonomousRegion.“Iwanttomaximizethelocalculturalflavorinthesehotels,whichisthebestwaytodrawpeoplefromaroundtheworld.”
PatrickhailsfromsouthernFrance.Asforthefutureforthiswanderingnomad,itislookingup:“LhasaishigherthanShangriLa.Imayhavetoleaveoneday,butmyheartwillstayhereinShangri-Laforever.”