At 92, Adrian Zecha, who gave the world Aman Resorts and is now shaping Azerai, shows no sign of slowing down. While others his age may have settled comfortably into golf clubs or garden parties, Zecha continues to stride through tropical ginger forests and lobby lounges with the restless enthusiasm of a man half his age.
“People always ask me when I’ll retire,” he chuckled recently during a visit to Vietnam. “I can’t sit there and do nothing. I mean, come on, it’s crazy.” Then, with a twinkle in his eye, he added, “I feel that my new journey is just beginning. There’s so much to do. God gives you life, you should use it.”
This is classic Zecha: restless, visionary, and incapable of putting up his feet.
A Boutique Brand Built on Nature and Culture
Azerai Ke Ga Bay
His latest visits took him to Azerai Ke Ga Bay in southern Vietnam and Azerai La Residence, Hue, in the north, two very different but equally distinctive properties encapsulating his philosophy.
At Ke Ga Bay, the 56-key all-suites-and-villas resort stretches elegantly across five kilometres of beach. It’s an escape framed by forest and sea, where Zecha insists the local fisherman casting their morning nets are as much a part of the experience as the infinity pool.
“Nature brings me tranquillity and peace, supporting my quest to explore new destinations,” he explained, gazing across the sands. It’s a line that sounds rehearsed, but with Zecha, you believe it because he lives it.
Azerai, after all, is not designed as a carbon copy of Aman, but as its own beast. Sleeker, more pared back, yet always with the local soul stitched firmly into its DNA.
Hue: A Different World Entirely
Azerai La Residence, Hue
Some 900 kilometres north, Azerai La Residence, Hue, could not be more different. Anchored by a 1920s French colonial mansion, this 122-room property sits serenely on the banks of the Perfume River, directly opposite Hue’s ancient Citadel.
General Manager Minh Phan Trong guided Zecha through the property’s Art Deco lobby. “The vibrant city life in front of the hotel gives way to a tranquil resort feel once you step into the courtyard,” he explained. Zecha nodded vigorously in agreement, clearly delighted that the duality of chaos and calm had been captured so well.
Azerai Hue offers river cruises for guests that float gently past pagodas, imperial mausoleums, and ancient temples. These cruises remind guests that boutique hospitality isn’t simply about polished stone floors and design-driven villas; it’s about immersion, and in Hue, that immersion is deep and unapologetically cultural.
Partnerships Forged Over Decades
At Ke Ga Bay, Zecha was joined by his long-time business partner, the Australian-American developer Jonathan Breene. The two first met in 1998 and later co-founded Mahaman, the parent company of Azerai Resorts. Breene’s admiration for Zecha borders on reverence.
“There’s no set formula for an Azerai property,” Breene observed. “Adrian has this uncanny instinct for identifying what will resonate with guests. It’s not about ticking boxes. It’s about finding the right balance of place, culture, and experience.”
That formula, or lack thereof, has won Azerai plaudits. Ke Ga Bay was crowned the ‘Most Instagrammable Hotel in Asia, the Indian Ocean and South Pacific’ earlier this year by Luxury Travel Advisor, and was runner-up in the global rankings. The Times of London has also lauded it as one of Southeast Asia’s finest boutique properties.
Hue’s La Residence has enjoyed equal acclaim, making Time Magazine’s “World’s 100 Greatest Places” list in 2019 and featuring prominently in rankings of Vietnam’s best hotels.
The Legacy of a Hotelier Who Changed the Game
Of course, none of this should come as a surprise. Zecha, after all, launched Aman in 1988, sparking a revolution in luxury hospitality that still reverberates across the globe. But unlike many in his position, he is quick to deflect praise.
“I lead fantastic people who will continue these legacies,” he said modestly. “I’m delighted to be working with them.”
Julian Moore, General Manager at Ke Ga Bay, put it differently: “With Azerai, we want to make sure you feel Vietnam – you feel the people.”
And therein lies the Zecha philosophy. It’s not about shiny architecture or superfluous luxury. It’s about authenticity, place, and culture. It’s about arriving somewhere new and immediately feeling that you belong.
A Man Still in Motion
Azerai founder Adrian Zecha
So, is retirement on the horizon for Adrian Zecha? Not a chance.
“I feel that my new journey is just beginning,” he repeated, looking every bit the part of a hotelier still plotting his next masterpiece.
For those keen to experience Azerai’s boutique hospitality brand, details are available via azerai.com. Bookings can also be made directly at Azerai Ke Ga Bay or Azerai La Residence, Hue.
At 92, Adrian Zecha remains proof that passion refuses to be extinguished once ignited. He is not simply a hotelier but a traveller who has made it his life’s mission to share the world’s beauty with others. And as long as he’s still walking through lobbies and coastal forests, we are fortunate enough to be along for the ride.
By Karuna Johnson
