Gabriel Escarrer (Meliá Hotels): «I really like the 'Kick Boxing' to burn stress»

As a good hotelier, Gabriel Escrer (Palma de Mallorca, 1971) is a politically correct man, who is difficult to see angry or marry someone. Its maxim is discretion. The CEO of Meliá Hotels International acknowledges that, when he is at a party and sees someone recording with a mobile, he feels straight, stretches his jacket and puts a poker face. Improvisations, the fair. He is considered a man of the world, although his residence is in the small capital of the Balearic Island. And, of course, he likes to travel. By obligation or devotion? They are both. First by obligation, for the commitment to the company. And then on my vacation I also take the opportunity to travel, but I try to go to hotels that are not from the group because disconnect costs me. I am more aware of the hotel operation, of the service provided to customers … I love traveling for the knowledge that gives you other cultures. It is something that I have promoted among my friends and my children. My little son, who is 11 years old, knows 41 countries. What are the trips you remember with more love? R. Those in which the family has discovered the destinations together, such as the Ngorongoro or the Serengeti, where we discover nature in Africa, or the ruins of Angkor Wat in Cambodia or Petra, in Jordan. They are unique experiences. How many languages ​​do you speak? R. I speak English, Catalan and Spanish. And chapurreo a little of Italian and French.p. What are your hobbies? R. I consider myself very simple and my main hobbies are being with my family and my friends. The ideal to live with them is to navigate, which is one of my great hobbies in summer, and in winter being close to nature, on the farm, on the mountain, near the animals. And as sports, play with my children and my wife to tennis and football. And in a personal capacity, I really like the Comba or the Boxing Kick to burn stress. How long do you spend the family? R. When I do not travel, I try to take my three children to school with my wife. And it is the 15 or 20 minutes in which it interacts more because we are in a car and there is no way to slip. They are small pleasures that help you establish links with them. There is a rule and nobody can look at the mobile when we go in the car. As in meals and dinners: there is no mobile. Or we get bored or have fun together. And my ideal weekend is spending a lot of time doing sports or riding on horseback and going to dinner with friends on Friday or Saturday. I consider myself a very familiar person. Does the last name Escarrer impose? Without a doubt, you can't imagine it. The president put the ribbon very high and imposes a lot. You try not to compare and do things well, but the name weighs a lot and more on an island where everyone is known and it is very difficult to go unnoticed. Does money give happiness? R. It does not give happiness, but it helps if you know that the basics is covered. Have the peace of mind that you reach the end of the month and you can face an unforeseen relaxation. Speak as if I were not a rich family … r. I see myself as an executive. My father from an early age instilled respect for money. He always took us short of money and I to my children too. We are no example of ostentation. And that is a value. It is clear that you have a solved life, but things do not fall from heaven, you have to work them. You have to have a lot of respect for money. My father started from scratch and my paternal grandfather was an accountant of the municipal water company, we came from a very humble family. Is it capricious? R. My whims go through experiences. I try to live my best, for that I work hard. My whims are having a good coffee with my wife, going to a good concert, going to see a dawn in globe, traveling with my family … They are the moments you remember and take to the tomb. What will you do this summer? R. I have not yet decided, but surely navigate with my family because it is a way that they do not escape, and surely we will go to Asia, perhaps to Bali.P. How much do you sleep and how? R. I sleep well. During the COVID I had problems for the first time because of the closure of the hotels and the concern for the staff. Removed that moment, I have always slept very well, not many hours, 6 or 6.5 are enough for me to disconnect and be able to load batteries and I really like to get up soon to take advantage of the day. Do you have stress? R. I would lie if I said no. But it is very manageable and with a good coffee with my wife or a tennis game is fixed quite well. Coffee is not very good for stress … r. Coffee is one of my few vices. I do not consider a drinker, well, I take a gin tonic every month, but I am very coffee, I start to have coffees at 6 in the morning and I can take until 10.30 or 11 at night 8 or 9 coffees, they are very short, Italians, but they help me a lot. What is exciting? R. Listen to stories of overcoming and success. They touch my heart. Here you can consult the latest interviews' after work's all economy and business information on Facebook and Twitteror in our weekly newsletter