From the Front Desk to Hospitality Leadership
Hospitality is often described as an industry built around beautiful destinations, elegant spaces and exceptional service. But behind every successful property is a team of people who understand that the guest experience begins long before a guest walks through the door. For Rachid Bakas, this understanding has been at the centre of a career that has developed over more than two decades.
Today, Rachid is the General Manager of Anantara Santorini Abu Dhabi Retreat, an ultra exclusive adults only retreat in the UAE. His position represents a significant stage in a journey that began in guest services and gradually moved through front office operations, rooms division, resort management and hotel leadership.
His career is a reminder that strong hospitality leaders are rarely created overnight. They are shaped by years of dealing with people, solving problems, learning operations and understanding what makes guests feel genuinely valued.
Building Experience One Role at a Time
Rachid started his hospitality career in 2004 as a Guest Services Associate at Traders Dubai. It was an entry point that placed him directly in contact with guests and gave him an early understanding of the importance of first impressions.
He later progressed through several roles with Shangri La Hotels and Resorts, including Front Office Supervisor and Assistant Front Office Manager. These years helped him develop a strong foundation in guest service, team coordination and hotel operations.
For Rachid, moving forward was not simply about gaining a better job title. Each position brought another level of responsibility and another opportunity to understand the industry from a different perspective.
That experience eventually led him to Anantara Hotels and Resorts in 2014, where his career entered a new phase. He joined as Front Office Manager at the Sir Bani Yas Islands resort and continued progressing through positions including Rooms Division Manager, Director of Rooms and Resort Manager.
Rachid Bakas Learning What Guests Really Remember
One of the most interesting parts of Rachid’s career is the way his experience has expanded beyond traditional front office responsibilities.
Working across rooms, operations, revenue and resort management gave him a broader understanding of how a property functions. It also reinforced an important lesson. Guests may remember the design of a hotel, but they often remember how the people made them feel.
This perspective has influenced Rachid’s approach to leadership. His work combines operational discipline with an emphasis on personalised service. Behind the scenes, hospitality involves budgets, staffing, planning, performance and commercial decisions. In front of the guest, however, those complexities should translate into something much simpler: a smooth and memorable experience.
That balance has become an important part of his professional identity.
A New Chapter at Anantara The Palm Dubai
In September 2021, Rachid moved into the role of Hotel Manager at Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort. The 293 key property presented a different scale and environment, requiring strong coordination across multiple areas of hotel operations.
The move gave Rachid another opportunity to strengthen his understanding of luxury hospitality in one of the world’s most competitive tourism markets.
Dubai has built a reputation around demanding international travellers, sophisticated hospitality concepts and high expectations. Leading within that environment requires more than operational knowledge. It requires adaptability and an ability to understand changing guest preferences.
For Rachid, this stage of his career helped prepare him for an even more distinctive challenge.
Leading an Unusual Hospitality Concept in Abu Dhabi
In 2023, Rachid took on his current role as General Manager of Anantara Santorini Abu Dhabi Retreat.
The property has a particularly unusual story. What began as a private residence was transformed into an adults only luxury retreat, creating a hospitality concept focused on privacy, exclusivity and personalised experiences. Rachid was closely involved with its pre opening, operational setup and market launch.
This kind of project requires a leader who can think beyond the traditional hotel model.
A retreat built around exclusivity has to offer something different from a conventional luxury hotel. The experience needs to feel intimate, carefully considered and personal. Every interaction can influence how a guest remembers the property.
That makes Rachid’s role particularly important. He is not simply managing an established operation. He is helping shape the identity and reputation of a distinctive hospitality destination.
Where Luxury Meets Sustainability
The future of luxury hospitality is also becoming increasingly connected to sustainability.
In September 2026, Rachid participated in the Sustainability Innovation Forum in Dubai, where hospitality leaders, designers and industry experts discussed how hotels and resorts can create memorable guest experiences while becoming more responsible and adaptable.
His involvement reflects a wider shift in the hospitality sector.
Modern luxury is no longer defined only by expensive interiors or premium facilities. Guests are increasingly interested in experiences that feel meaningful, responsible and connected to their surroundings.
For Rachid, sustainability fits naturally into a leadership approach that looks at both guest expectations and long term business value. A successful property needs to perform commercially while also remaining relevant to the changing world around it.
Recognition for a People First Approach
Rachid’s career has also started receiving wider industry recognition.
He was featured in the GM Power List 2025 by Hotelier Middle East, highlighting his progression, operational discipline and focus on guest experience. More recently, he was recognised among the Top 40 Hospitality Heavyweights 2026.
Rather than treating recognition as the destination, Rachid has publicly described such achievements as a reflection of the people he works alongside.
That attitude says a lot about his leadership style.
Hotels are built around people. From housekeeping and food and beverage teams to front office staff and senior managers, every department contributes to the final guest experience. A general manager may set the direction, but the people on the ground bring that vision to life.
The Journey Is Still Evolving
Rachid Bakas’s story is ultimately about progression.
He began in a guest facing role in Dubai and spent years learning the fundamentals of hospitality before moving into increasingly senior positions. Today, he leads one of Abu Dhabi’s distinctive luxury retreat concepts while contributing to conversations about sustainability and the future of responsible hospitality.
His journey also shows why experience remains one of the strongest teachers in the hotel industry.
Every guest interaction, operational challenge and leadership responsibility can shape the next stage of a career. For Rachid, those lessons have gradually developed into a leadership philosophy centred on service, people, commercial awareness and continuous improvement.
As the Gulf continues to strengthen its position as a global luxury tourism destination, hospitality leaders like Rachid will play an important role in determining what comes next.
The future will not simply belong to properties that look luxurious. It will belong to those that understand people, create meaningful experiences and operate with a sense of purpose.
Rachid’s journey suggests that true hospitality leadership is about bringing all of those elements together.
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