A 22-year veteran of the hotel business, Rajiv Malhotra brings a wealth of worldwide experience with him to Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora. Prior to his most recent tenure at Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas, he worked with Four Seasons in Great Exuma, The Bahamas and in Santa Barbara, California. Before joining Four Seasons, he worked in India at The Oberoi Grand in Calcutta and at The Oberoi in New Delhi in a variety of operational roles for more than 10 years.

“Everywhere in the world I’ve worked and visited, there are hallmarks to creating great guest experiences, and they all centre around service and warmth. Be it big or small, every day we have many opportunities to do special things for our guests, and I hope our team will continue to recognise these opportunities and create amazing experiences.”

A graduate of the prestigious School of Hospitality Administration at Cornell University, Malhotra has always had an eye for the hotel business. “Being raised in India, I have been around hospitality since I was a child – there’s a huge focus on the industry there and the standards are incredibly high , so it became instilled in me early on,” he recalls. “Everything I have learned and experienced along the way adds to my drive to lead our team in Bora Bora in providing the most extraordinary experiences for our esteemed guests.”

As impressive as his résumé reads, Malhotra lights up when discussing his current assignment as General Manager of Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora. “In all honesty, I didn’t know quite what to expect here – aside from the postcard views and warm, clear water of the lagoon. Like many people, Bora Bora has been on my ‘bucket list’ ever since I saw my first picture. Now, not only am I experiencing one of the higher-ups from my life’s list, but I’m actually living it day in and day out – it’s absolutely breathtaking.”

Malhotra and his wife Susmeeta enjoy reading, world cinema, travel and red wine. They have two grown sons, Rohaan and Rumaan. “Being able to live with my wife on an island paradise such as Bora Bora is really a dream come true. We plan on taking full advantage of the natural beauty, the plethora of watersports and of course, the incredible seafood. But what strikes me most about the place is the genuine warmth and friendliness of the people here – it really stands out as the highlight above all else.”

Add to that swimming with rays and sharks, living on a sunken volcano, having to take a boat to the grocery store and employing a fire dancer, and Malhotra is likely to cross a few more off his bucket list as he settles into life in Bora Bora.