Interview with an Expert in Luxury Hospitality Part 1: Ritual, Meditative and Immersive

Here is the full transcript of my interview with a luxury hospitality expert Ms.  Paola Gheis, originally featured in my Nikkei newspaper series, Mode Speaks.

Kaori Nakano: I would like to provide readers with a clear and concise introduction to your work. While I understand it’s impossible to cover everything, could you kindly share a brief overview?

Paola Gheis: I run an international boutique consulting firm specializing in positioning luxury homes in the short-term holidays rental market. I have a fairly international background myself. I am Italian, got educated between Italy and the United States and now I am living in Barcelona. I do a significant amount of business in Italy, particularly in Tuscany, but also overseas. We recently started an exciting project in Mexico. We typically work with discerning property owners and investors in the high-end real estate sector, helping them craft a unique and memorable value proposition. Our expertise lies not in real estate transactions but in strategic consulting—guiding clients to excel in the highly competitive luxury holiday rental industry. In the Western world, this sector has seen remarkable growth in recent years, and with our consulting we ensure our clients can truly create supreme value which is the foundation to achieve long-term success.

Kaori: It's a very exciting business. I heard you've been traveling around Japan for the past month. During your tour in Japan, you stayed at and dined in some truly sophisticated and niche locations that even I wasn’t familiar with. How do you discover such hidden gems?

Paola: My month-long journey through Japan was a carefully curated mix of planned experiences and spontaneous discoveries, with an emphasis on connecting with local experts (like yourself). Before my trip, I engaged in extensive networking, leveraging my European connections who have lived in Tokyo—many of whom are in the diplomatic sphere. They introduced me to wonderful people with deep local knowledge. Additionally, I connected with executives from European fashion houses based in Tokyo, who are Japan residents, travel frequently within the country and have an eye for truly exceptional places. Their insights led me to find some hidden gems.

Kaori: Could you share an experience from this trip that left a strong impression on you as an example of Japanese luxury?

Paola: Among the many remarkable experiences, my stay at Kinjohro in Kanazawa stands out as a defining moment of Japanese excellence. This beautiful ryokan, with just six rooms and an exquisite restaurant, embodies an entirely different concept of luxury—one rooted in heritage, ritual, and an almost meditative sense of hospitality. It felt like stepping into a world where time slowed down, and every detail was infused with meaning. The personnel that took care of my wellbeing during my stay deserves a great credit, reaffirming once again, that high end hospitality is a people-driven business.

Another unforgettable experience was my lunch and afternoon at The Shinmonzen in Kyoto, a refined boutique hotel with only nine rooms and a Jean-Georges restaurant. This property seamlessly integrates contemporary sophistication with Japanese sensibility. In luxury hospitality, size matters—the smaller the scale, the more personalized and immersive the experience.

                                                                                    ……To be continued…

(Photos by courtesy of Ms. Paola Gheis)