As the highly anticipated Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som continues to prepare for its grand opening next year, General Manager Daniele Vastolo is overseeing every detail of Qatar’s new award-winning wellness destination.
With over two decades experience in the hospitality industry, Vastolo has brought his dedication and passion for sustainable health and wellness to the pre-opening team.
Zulal Wellness Resort is the first management undertaking by market-leading wellness resort brand Chiva-Som, whose flagship in Hua Hin, Thailand has won global acclaim since its inception 25 years ago. The new wellness destination in Qatar will be the largest in the country, the Middle East’s first full-immersion wellness resort, and the world’s first centre for Traditional Arabic and Islamic Medicine (TAIM). Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som will offer a specially developed menu of Arabic and Mediterranean wellness cuisine, as well as cutting-edge architecture and services inspired by local heritage, both traditional and new. Reflecting Arabic values, Zulal will actively cater for families with the Discovery Resort, promoting shared experiences and dedicated children’s activities, alongside its adults-only Serenity Resort for individuals, couples and groups of adult wellness travellers looking for total immersion and world-class programmes and facilities.
Vastolo joins the Zulal Wellness Resort pre-opening team from his role as General Manager of the Kempinski Summerland Hotel and Resort in Beirut. Prior to his time in Lebanon, he spent six years as Group Director of Nikki Beach Resort and Spa in Greece and Turkey, before stepping into the Middle East with the pre-opening of Dubai’s Nikki Beach. Vastolo’s dynamic approach has also seen him lead teams as General Manager of international hospitality groups Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts and Constance Hotels, and he has overseen the opening of various high-end destinations, including the five-star The Residence Tunis, encompassing the first Thalassotherapy centre in Tunisia, and the first Guerlain Spa in the Seychelles.
After studying at the School of Hotel Management Ottaviano-Napoli, Italy, Vastolo went on to achieve a diploma in Hospitality Administration and Management from Cornell University’s General Manager Programme. Focused on promoting health and wellness as a new definition of luxury and lifestyle, Vastolo hopes to inspire positive sustainable wellness lifestyle changes with Zulal Wellness Resort and support its aim of building healthier societies. The resort’s unique approach to wellness has recently gained global recognition after being named ‘World’s Best New Wellness Retreat 2020’ in the World Spa Awards.
Chairman and CEO of Chiva-Som, Mr. Krip Rojanastien, said: “We are delighted to have Daniele Vastolo as General Manager of Zulal Wellness Resort. With his personal passion for sustainable wellness and extensive experience in the hospitality industry, we are confident he will spearhead the pre-opening team to launch Zulal to the world next year. We are very excited and proud to have developed a new offering with Zulal, which is the first in the world to showcase Traditional Arabic and Islamic Medicine (TAIM), whilst retaining the inimitable Chiva-Som DNA. The ability to serve families in particular offers guests great flexibility, and we hope it will inspire wellness for a new generation.”
