DON'T MISS A THING

Niche, hybrid luxury lifestyle concepts such as themed boutique hotels, members-only clubs, and workspaces have never been more in style. But bringing one successfully to life is an art in and of itself. Enter Mikail Goek, CEO and founder of Urban Hospitality Concepts, a boutique consultancy firm specializing in members’ clubs. We had the pleasure of talking with Mikail about his career journey to date and the art of offering unique hybrid hospitality concepts, read on and be inspired!

Love Happens Mag: As our name and the tagline of our publisher, KOKET, denotes, at Love Happens, we are firm believers that you cannot achieve any level of success without love. When did your love affair with hospitality begin? And how did it make you feel?

Mikail Goek: I grew up in West Berlin in a time dominated by immigrants, punks, and wicked freedom. My father, originally from Turkey, immigrated to Germany in the 70s; my mother, half Italian and half German, grew up in Germany. I have a Turkish heart and a German mind. And yes, I do have a sense of humour.

Having left school at the age of 17, my parents were not impressed. Everyone did their A-levels, but I felt the urge to explore the real world—I found school boring AF. My father, a caring and loving man, was known for helping everyone in our community. I chose the tourism sector as a career path because of my passion for people and languages. I was inspired and eager with big dreams and goals in my pocket. For the next 20 years, I climbed (not always upwards) the corporate career ladder.

LH: Tell us about your path leading up to the founding of Urban Hospitality Concepts.

Mikail: My latest venture, Urban Hospitality Concepts, is a nice advisory business specializing in creating members-only clubs that offer unique experiences. Because there is no firm that specializes in that niche, I decided to tap into that market and launched UHC. Members’ clubs are complex businesses, unlike hotels or restaurants. London is the capital of members’ clubs; people judge you quickly, so curating a cutting-edge venue and building culture, product, and service requires very deep insight and understanding. Creating a successful club is all about what you make of it. I’ve set up three large members’ clubs of £20m, £40m, and £80m investments.

LH: How is Urban Hospitality Concepts different than other hotel and restaurant consultants?

Mikail: Urban stands for unique projects and innovation. Club and hybrid concepts require a very different approach. You will find various industries/revenue streams under one roof, flowing together to the ultimate members’ experience. This requires adequate systems that talk to each other. Combining Rooms, Fitness, Wellness, Social, and Workspace is complex and requires thorough planning. It’s like you take a hotel, a restaurant, a gym, and an office and make it one.

LH: What is your favorite part of your job?

Mikail: Having fun at what I do, advising with deep knowledge, leading a project, seeing it coming together, and collaborating with people. I feed the energy of people and drive with a lot of positive energy.

LH: Do you have a favorite project to date?

Mikail: Something is boiling in the background, but sadly, it’s still top secret :).

LH: What do you see for the future of hospitality?

Mikail: More services wrapped up under one roof to create convenience and save members time and money. If you can train, eat, work, socialize, and drop your kids in your local club, members save money on office space and time on commuting, and they are part of a community. I think the very best hospitality is club-driven.

LH: Why do you think member-only clubs are so popular in today’s world?

Mikail: It is where you feel home, where you connect with like-minded people, where service is super personal. It’s your second home, and it saves time and money for a fee.

LH: What are the most essential components of a hospitality project?

Mikail: All successful hospitality projects have to have a very well-curated offering. If you get these right, you succeed: Design/ Offering/ People/ Culture/ Programming/ Ambiance.

LH: Do you have any quotes or mottos you like to live by?

Mikail: Fun at the outside, rules at the inside. That’s my mantra when I manage teams. Have fun, but be focused with operating procedures in mind.

Learn more about Mikail Goek and Urban Hospitality Concepts.

Interview by Anna Beck
The House of KOKO Interior design by Pirajean Lees and owner and creative director of Koko Olly Bengough along with Archer Humphryes Architects | All Photos Courtesy of Urban Hospitality Concepts

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