R
ichard Gere’s remarkable versatility—from the dark, carnal intensity of Internal Affairs to the pure comedic instincts in Pretty Woman— has made him one of the most beloved actors of his generation. He continues to delight audiences with newer work; intriguing mustsee character studies like Norman and ensemble pieces such as The Dinner. He has also emerged as an enlightened voice on some controversial topics—spirituality, human rights, even geopolitics. And Gere has taken on an even more demanding role: hotelier. As a partner in the sensual, secluded Bedford Post Inn in Bedford, New York, he has a highly developed sense of guest experience. Gere spoke with Relais & Châteaux Travel Journal, sharing the stories that formed his love of travel and hospitality.
Is there a travel story that shaped your youth? RG: The first thing that occurs to me is my father. World War II obviously had a huge impact in many different ways. There were a lot of small-town farm boys who ended up going to Europe and the South Seas and Asia and Africa for the first time, and might never have left their small town if it hadn’t been for that. My father was in World War II. He tells stories of being on a ship, in Tahiti, and how romantic that was for him. He’s 95 years old and still talks about Bora Bora and Tahiti and how that opened his imagination. He remembers Tahiti and Bora Bora as being very simple, very primitive in the best sense. It had hardly been discovered. They jumped off his ship into that clear water and met the natives of those islands.
Why is the Bedford Post Inn a good match for Relais & Châteaux? RG: We had done a great restaurant, and we were meticulous with our eight-room inn to make it something special and personal. It fit with the [Relais & Châteaux] philosophy. Then we met the people from Relais & Châteaux and they were a little like us. It seems like [Relais & Châteaux innkeepers are] all unique personalities. It is not a corporate atmosphere. Each inn is completely different and reflects the personality of its owners and staff.
How did that end up affecting you?
What is the secret to running a great hotel?
RG: Their generosity of spirit and alternate lifestyles represented alternate universes. I certainly see it that way. I’m able to travel a lot. I’ve always liked far-flung places all over the world. That feeling of venturing into someone else’s space and culture, mindset, spirit. How that adds a realm of possibility to all of us when we get out of our own habitual reality.
RG: I was talking to Harry Cipriani years ago, when [Bedford Post Inn] was just starting out. Not only had I never had a bad meal in any Harry’s Bar, I never had a bad time in any Harry’s Bar. I said to Harry, “Why is it that it’s always good? It’s always fun, it’s always a memorable experience?” And he said, “It’s very simple; the answer is always yes. Whatever anyone wants, the answer is always yes. You provide it with a smile. You take it as an enthusiastic and creative challenge to give a guest what they want.”
Is there one travel experience that realigned your own perceptions? RG: The one that transformed me the most was my second trip to India. I was in Dharamshala during monsoon season and met the Tibetan community. I went to see the Dalai Lama, and many other lamas and interesting people there. I spontaneously decided to take a long trip through Ladakh and Zanskar. We had no plan; just following instinct. Why did you want to be a hotelier?
PHOTO CREDIT: MYRNA SUAREZ
restaurants. It’s still the only hotel in the area and it has personality. It has soul.
RG: I didn’t. No sane person would [laughs]. It was on a whim, basically. There was a very old building, probably from the 1760s. It’s one of the oldest buildings in Westchester [County, N.Y.], and certainly one of the oldest in the Bedford area, because almost everything was burned down by the British and rebuilt in the 1800s. It was probably within a year or two of either burning down or falling apart. We used to ride horses through there, and started talking about it …“Why don’t we save this thing and build a little restaurant we can ride our horses to?” It started with that and then kind of mushroomed, as things usually do, into a much bigger enterprise, including the hotel. There was nothing like it up here, and it has inspired a lot of other
What is the importance of authenticity? RG: We built Bedford Post Inn with something in mind. That it would affect people in mysterious ways. The restaurant needed to have great food. Very organic, very fresh, very local—everything we wanted it to be. The rooms needed a beauty and a romance. Choices were made everywhere that are aesthetically pleasing. We did The Yoga Loft with meditation classes, and it’s having an impact on the community. You place a great emphasis on staff. Why is that? RG: None of it works unless our staff members make eye contact, empathize and exude a genuine sense of kindness; sometimes it’s kindness in the extreme. It’s really kind of an altruistic love—human kindness and generosity of spirit. Once that door opens, you can go anywhere. We have people who will lead you someplace of value, on an experience. A memorable one. It’s not about money, it’s about a shared humanity and genuine warmth.
RelaisChateaux.com
R&C_0218_V4_KK.indd 95
| 95
2/22/18 2:48 PM