Patrick Farrell – General Manager, Viceroy Bali
In this interview, Patrick Farrell, general manager of Viceroy Bali, shares insight into what the role involves and some stories from behind the scenes.
What do you do?
I am currently working at Viceroy Bali as General Manager, where, in a nutshell, I oversee the operation of the resort, which is a family-owned boutique resort in Ubud, Bali. The resort is home to 40 private pool villas, two restaurants, a spa, a speakeasy bar, and wellness facilities. Our Apéritif Restaurant is fine dining and a must for fellow foodies! We have an incredibly talented team at Viceroy, many of whom have been here since the beginning almost 20 years ago. That longevity makes a huge difference to the guest experience.
How did you get into the industry?
I began my hotelier career upon graduating from Shannon College of Hotel Management and the University of Galway in Ireland in 2011. Since then, I have been fortunate to work in a variety of luxury hotels and resorts around the world, from Brussels, Dubai, London, the Maldives, Bali, Vietnam, and now Bali.
Share with us a story from behind the scenes.
One of the reasons I enjoy working in our industry is that no two days are the same. You manage a range of tasks, ranging from commercial strategy to choosing which teas to serve in the restaurants. All tasks are done with one motivation in mind: ensuring guest satisfaction so they can make special memories.
What food memory from your childhood or travels stands out?
Being one of six children, food was always a big event. My mother would prepare meals daily whilst we each of us had to be on guard of our plates! When I left home and began my studies at Shannon College of Hotel Management, I recall learning so much about traditional European cooking techniques such as how to make Crêpes Suzette in the training restaurant in front of guests, who consisted of Faculty staff and visitors.
What’s the best/ worst part of your job?
The best part of my job is being in an industry that aims to ‘WOW’ people, impacting how they live their lives. I also deal with a wide variety of people from all over the world and from all walks of life. I also love visiting unique and exclusive destinations through hotels and resorts. Making friends and connections in the industry and having the opportunity to work and live globally are also big pluses. And the worst part is finding time to completely ‘switch off’ is less possible than with other industries – although not impossible!
What’s one of the funniest things you’ve seen behind the scenes?
I once worked with a beautiful hotel (I won’t say where or when), but it was a ‘key letterhead city’ hotel and well-regarded. The funny thing was that the two most senior members of the team did not talk to each other. It sometimes made planning certain things difficult as we had to tread very carefully on how to manage both. They were both very good at their respective jobs; however, they could not work/speak/sit together. Quite a peculiar situation! But the hotel still stands and is doing very well.
The perfect day off would be…
Wake up just before 5 am and complete my morning routine of stretching, journalling, and meditating. Head for a run along the rice paddies, stretch, enjoy breakfast somewhere outside the resort, read a book, and go for a
spa treatment. Then into the evening, practice my music – as I’m also an amateur DJ, or meet with friends…
A day in the life of Patrick Farrell is…
There are no two days the same as a GM. For example, today, I had a call with the owner at 8.30 am, followed by an S.E.O. meeting about three of our websites. I then interviewed a candidate for one of our fine dining restaurant’s waiter positions and oversaw their trial shift. I practised the piano – whilst I was there, which I love to do. Then I spent some time editing the guest directory – it’s a big job making sure everything is correct and up to date with all the right information. Later, I reviewed some purchase requisitions from various departments, such as new tires for cars, extra batteries, and so on. I also enjoyed chatting with guests, just general conversation to make them feel welcome.
What does Patrick Farrell do for fun?
I love to exercise in the morning, including jogging early, around 5:30 am, and then continuing with body activities like swimming or rope jumping. I also love to practice my music. I have a big interest in wellness, particularly sleep.
What would you like guests to know about Viceroy Bali?
The peace and serenity overlooking the jungle ravine is one of the highlights here. We have leased the land across the valley, keeping the view protected and tranquil whilst also re-generating native flora and fauna. Through the palm trees, sometimes you can spot monkeys jumping in the jungle – though luckily, there’s a river between us, so no close encounters!
Viceroy Bali is a family-owned hotel with a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Margaret, the founder, is still very involved, in a good way. She’s an incredible character who, over the years, has managed to keep the hotel independent and full of character, even while competing with big brands. Margaret’s daughter, Amanda, was the general manager, but has returned to Australia to focus on her new family and passed the role to me. She is still part of the directorate and takes an active role in commercial activity. About 90-95% of the resort team are Indonesian, with just five expats working here.
Most of the team comes from the surrounding villages, which is great for local employment and authenticity for our guests. Aside from the stunning location, the experiences we offer are really special, from local excursions to the rice paddies to cleansing rituals at local temples.
How have you grown in your profession? What have you learned from your start in the industry until now? Are there any misconceptions?
I have grown organically within the industry. Starting from learning the basics of housekeeping to stewarding to F&B service. I strongly believe knowing how the industry operates is critical to growth within it. Alongside my graduation from Shannon College of Hotel Management, I hold a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Ireland, Galway, where I specialised in Marketing. Having the marketing education helped me to obtain my first junior marketing role in Dubai with Jumeirah. I was then fortunate enough to grow and relocate within Jumeirah to London. After five enjoyable years with Jumeirah, I decided it was time to gain experience in other brands, so I subsequently worked in marketing roles at two other prominent hotels in London before moving to Bali in 2020. Being in the right place at the right time also plays a part in this industry. It is forever evolving, which means we must be able to adapt to it.
What would you like people to know about being a general manager or hotelier as a profession?
Like most senior roles, it does not come without hard work and dedication. I find that discipline helps a lot, which is why my morning routine takes priority each day. Having time to breathe and separate from work is important, although not always easy to do.
Patrick Farrell’s view on the hospitality scene in Bali?
Bali has near-total reliance on tourism and still holds the air of exotica globally. The hospitality scene has developed rapidly particularly in recent years since 2019 given the increased demand.
What I find fascinating about the island is that it still innovates. There are so many ‘local’ brands that are homegrown from Bali. Take, for example, Sensatia Botanicals or Kura Kura Beer, to name two. These brands produce high-quality products to serve hospitality businesses in Bali, which reduces the island’s need to import and creates additional jobs. Conversely, the demand for tourism to the island also has downsides, such as overtourism in certain areas and traffic on the roads.
What practices do you currently implement or hope to implement to work towards social responsibility and sustainability in the future?
Being family-owned and operated means we can implement (and have implemented) best practices without the corporate red tape international brands come with. One of our most proud initiatives is the Water Ultrafiltration System Treatment we installed in 2016, which allows our guests to drink water safely from the taps, saving the need for both plastic and glass bottles.
We also protect the land opposite the resort so guests can get a true feeling of what Ubud is. Maintaining Indonesian dishes on our menu at CasCades is also important to us, as well as providing regular Balinese dances, both of which keep the spirit and cultural authenticity of the resort alive. We moved away from single-use plastics many years ago and are constantly seeking ways to improve how we work to ensure we are having a positive effect within our slice of paradise.
What can guests look forward to in the upcoming months?
We will continue to evolve the resort’s offerings, including adding table tennis next to our squash court and enhancing our wellness offerings with an infrared sauna and cold plunge pool. Apéritif will also continue to ‘wow’ diners as we constantly innovate in the kitchen and service whilst collaborating with other restaurants around the world. I also hope to have a space dedicated to children, as we have seen the family market grow in recent years.
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