Dr Rejith Daniel
Dr Rejith Daniel, spa director at The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat, tells how he became interested in wellness and shares some stories from behind the scenes.
What do you do and how did you get into the industry?
After completing my Bachelor Degree in the Indian System of Medicine, it was quite a hard nut decision to take a deviation from the conventional hospital career journey to the hotel industry. But I was quite sure about my aim and ambitions and stuck to the most difficult situation where even I lost my job in a world-class city in my early career. But I have never lost hope and I decided to design miracles instead of waiting for them to happen.
What’s the best/ worst part of your job?
Well, the best part of my present job is the beautiful hot springs and the positive energies at Banjaran which gives a kick start for even a stressful day or any difficult situation. The worst part are the challenges from nature as it’s very close to nature but I believe overcoming that with the best possible solutions keeps you motivated to move on.
What’s your favourite treatment/meal/drink?
My favourite meal is a traditional Kerala Banana leaf. To drink it’s a combination of lime, mint and tulsi leaf, and my favourite treatment is a wonderful stretch class after a stressful day.
The perfect day off would be…
Spending time listening to the peaceful waves lapping the shores of a quiet beach with absolutely no distracting sounds, reading a favourite book and having an afternoon nap by the shore and of course with a glass of my favourite toxic drink.
A day in the life of Dr Rejith Daniel is…
My day starts with our usual meetings and briefing, meeting most of the guests personally, involving in retreat general operations as well as department-specific operations and administration. As an operational hands-on individual I explore most of the possibilities and opportunities which come across my way on a daily basis. As Confucius said, “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” I try to avoid the complication in day to day life with “3 S ” Silence, Smile and Solutions an everlasting desire to deign miracles instead of waiting for them.
What do you do for fun?
Driving is one of my passions, which I love to do, even at midnight.
What’s your favourite way to relax?
Interacting with people face to face (not on social media), and also spending time with family.
What’s your view on the Malaysian spa scene?
Malaysia is still new to wellness. This beautiful country with rich natural resources supports a perfect wellness destination, with rich flora and fauna and has a great potential to become the world’s one of the best spa destinations. With the emerging development in the hotel industry, spas have become an integral part of any hotel. We have seen spas as a luxury in the early 2000s and now spas have become one of the facilities which add value and business to the Malaysian hotel industry. The day spas in Malaysia contribute much to the spa lovers around the world to experience the traditional treatments of three different cultures of this amazing country.
What’s in store for you in the upcoming months?
A yoga club in our retreat will spread the awareness of a healthy lifestyle to local residents and provide access to natural hot spring facility, exciting new packages for our day spa lovers will be introduced, and we’ll too customise memberships to suit the different needs of our clients.
Check out the beautiful spa at The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat here, find more interviews such as this one with Dr Rejith Daniel here and stay up to date with the latest happenings in Malaysia here and here.