Alex Liu, Manager, Happi Village Janda Baik

Alex Liu – Happi Village

In this interview, Alex Liu, manager of Happi Village in Janda Baik tells how he ended up where he is and a bit about managing an eco-property.

What do you do and how did you get into the industry?

I was running student hostels within Klang Valley. Steve, who is my father, wanted to build his retirement home/ homestay in Janda Baik. Long story short, he was losing his retirement savings every month and asked me if I could support him. He told me that he had no idea how to promote or run the place. Although I had no idea about running such an operation either, I decided to give it a try instead of seeing my father’s savings going down the drain.

Share with us an interesting story from behind the scenes.

When I looked at hotels and resorts in Korean dramas, I often saw CEOs bossing people around. The reality is nothing like the drama. Most homestays and hotel owners I know, do everything from the bottom to the top.

In the beginning, I was doing housekeeping, carrying luggage, serving guests, waiting tables, pouring drinks, cooking, showing customers around Happi Village. Basically, I was doing whatever it took to run the place. There were times when the guests worried that I worked too hard because they saw me at the front desk in the morning, kitchen in the afternoon and waiting tables in the evening. Although I don’t do as many things nowadays, I am still hands-on as it reminds me to be humble. We are in the industry of serving people, not just renting out rooms.

What’s a service memory from your childhood or travels that stands out?

It was a supper session in a mamak restaurant when I was studying in college. I accidentally spilled a glass of teh tarik. The staff came over and said that it was a small matter, then came over with a new glass of teh tarik. To me, it is not the cost of teh tarik but the person who didn’t make me feel guilty for spilling and making sure that I had a good time there. To me, this is extraordinary. Making sure a customer feels happy and comfortable with the little things.

What’s the best part of your job?

Seeing people leaving with a happy face and satisfied with their stay. They can come in with an unhappy face, but it is our team’s mission to put a smile back to their face. The next best part of my job is to see our team members enjoying their work.

Alex Liu’s favourite food and beverage pairing?

Fresh food and fresh juice from the farm next to the forest. There is a huge difference, especially after years of consuming food and drinks from the city. They are mostly processed and frozen. Nothing beats food that is freshly harvested from the farm and cooked just before you eat it. It is the taste of fresh food we have been missing to exchange for convenience.

What’s one of the craziest things you’ve seen behind the scenes?

A couple booked for a romantic anniversary dinner with food cooked from an outside chef. Two hours before dinner, the rain started to pour, and there was no sign of it stopping. The outside chef refused to deliver because the route to Happi Village was dangerous during heavy rain. It is very narrow, slippery and dark. All it takes is just a tiny mistake to fall down the hill. No one dared to go in or out. My wife and I drove slowly down the hill to pick up our guests’ dinner. We didn’t want to compromise our guests’ anniversary. We came back alive, and our guest gave us a 10 point rating.

The perfect day off for Alex Liu would be…

… no hiccups, which is not often possible. There are thousands of factors which could affect our guests’ stay. It could be just a 3-minute delay in check-in time that makes someone upset. We have to be creative and maintain that happy attitude at all times.

What do you do for fun?

I like t visit a nice, quiet restaurant. I enjoy authentic northern Indian food or French cuisine and pastries very much.

What’s something you’d like guests to know about Happi Village?

If you do not like nature, please do not come.

Happi Village is a place built for nature lovers. We are nothing like a luxury resort or a 5-star city hotel. There will be ants crawling or insects flying every day. It is not possible to not have wildlife next to a forest. People either love it or hate it. We can never provide the facilities of a beach resort and we never will. Our guests enjoy the fresh air, ‘orchestra’ performed by the monkeys and insects, and farm-fresh food that is lightly (but skilfully) cooked.

What’s something you’d like people to know about being a manager as a profession?

We do not remember every single detail of our guests. To our guests, it is just a simple request. To our team, there are hundreds of such requests every month from hundreds of guests. We cannot remember them all. I admit my own mistakes and am willing to compensate. But I hope our guests can be more forgiving sometimes.

What’s with the sustainable and eco-designs?

In Happi Village, we believe living with nature is the key to good health and happiness. Instead of constructing a luxurious and unique resort, why not build houses that merge with nature. We want guests to experience natural living and get away from the city’s concrete jungle.

What’s in store for you in the upcoming months?

Our chalet in the forest will be ready within the next few months. It will be a one-of-a-kind- surrounded by tall trees, giving guests a true experience of living in the jungle.

Find more interviews similar to this one with Alex Liu here. And, stay up to date with the latest food and beverage happenings in KL here.