Mumtaz Muslim is a distinguished hospitality entrepreneur and the owner and franchise partner of a Hilton Hotel, aligned with the globally renowned Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand. With a refined understanding of luxury, operational excellence, and international hospitality standards, he has been instrumental in delivering a world-class guest experience within the region. His leadership reflects a commitment to architectural quality, thoughtful interiors, and service-driven environments that merge global best practices with local sensibilities. Under his vision, the Hilton property stands as a benchmark for contemporary hospitality, contributing meaningfully to the evolving landscape of premium hotels and urban development.
BEFORE STARTING, WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND.
MUMTAZ MUSLIM (MM): I come from a middle-class background. My parents were both educated and were strict in our upbringing, and taught us goodness, honesty, and the dignity of labor. My older brother has Down syndrome, and that further added to our family’s humbleness. I was enrolled in a Cadet College where I learned discipline, respect for time, and hard work.
TELL US ABOUT THE HILTON HOTEL PROJECT AND HOW YOU GOT INVOLVED IN ITS DESIGN AND PLANNING?
MM: We hired Mr. Zia Naqvi of Naqvi & Siddiqui, and I got involved with him from the very beginning in its design and planning. Fortunately, Mr. Zia Naqvi had an open mind and incorporated some of my ideas into the design.
HOW DID THIS IDEA COME INTO YOUR MIND OF BUILDING A HOTEL IN PAKISTAN?
MM: Since I already had two hotels up and running in Afghanistan and Iraq, it was easy to plan a hotel in the picturesque location of Nathiagali. I could have started with our own brand, but I thought it was time to bring an international brand to Pakistan.
Nathiagali is a popular tourist resort in the north of the Country, but it severely lacked a 5-star property. Hence, it was a no-brainer to start a project there.
DID YOU ALWAYS WANT TO WORK IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY?
MM: No! Traditionally, our family business was trading, which was started by my father in 1949 in Karachi. When I joined him in 1976, we kept ourselves restricted to trading and imports of consumable raw materials for the cement and steel industry in Pakistan. It was only after I moved to Dubai in 2004 and during a discussion with some friends that I opened our first hotel in Dubai in 2008, which unfortunately did not take off because of the recession of 2008, and I lost a good deal of money. It was then that I decided to pursue hospitality in uncharted waters like Kabul and Iraq.
WHAT WAS THE IDEA GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND WHEN YOU STARTED WORKING ON THE HOTEL PROJECT?
MM: Nothing in particular except that I wanted it to be a real 5-star property, which should be on par with properties in the Middle and Far East.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FOUR-STAR HOTEL AND A STAR HOTEL? IS YOUR HOTEL FOUR STAR OR FIVE-STAR?
MM: There is a set of standards that one has to follow for each star given to a hotel. Our hotel in Iraq is a 5-star hotel. Nathiagali is also a 5-star property.
THE ENVIRONMENT OF ENRICHMENT FOR PEOPLE IS VERY IMPORTANT. HAVE YOU GIVEN THESE CONSIDERATIONS IN YOUR HOTEL DESIGN?
MM: The hotel in Nathiagali has been designed and constructed keeping in view the local environment of Nathiagali. We have used a lot of wood, and each room has a balcony facing the scenic mountains and the valleys. In fact, when we were dismantling the old hotel, which was built by the British in 1878, we found a lot of wood used in its construction. This wood was preserved and then refurbished, and then used in our hotel, especially in the lobby area.
HOW DO YOU ENSURE YOUR HOTEL MAINTAINS HIGH STANDARDS OF CLEANLINESS AND SERVICE?
MM: Well, we have an experienced and professional team of hospitality experts involved in all the areas, especially in the housekeeping, F&B areas as well as engineering. This group of professionals keeps the property clean and hygienic, but there is a strong involvement of the senior management as well as the owners who keep visiting the property. Another way is to send mystery shoppers for surprise checks.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE ART OF WELCOMING GUESTS AT YOUR HOTELS?
MM: With warmth, smiling faces, and make them feel welcome and important.
HOW DO YOU MANAGE YOUR TEAM AND MOTIVATE THEM TO CREATE THE RIGHT SERVICE AND MEMORIES AT YOUR HOTELS?
MM: You have to hire the right people and then keep challenging them with targets to be achieved.
WHAT INNOVATIONS WOULD YOU LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR HOTEL, AND WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE AREAS WITH THE GREATEST POTENTIAL?
MM: Well, first of all, I think we have the highest temperature-controlled swimming pool in the country. We have a state-of-the-art gym and a spa. We also have a unisex salon plus indoor entertainment, including a 32-seater cinema. We are also going to start pedal tennis soon.
HOW DO YOU DEFINE LUXURY AND EXCELLENCE IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY TODAY? HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ALIGN YOUR HOTEL WITH THIS VISION?
MM: The DoubleTree by Hilton at Nathiagali is all about luxury and excellence. Our vision is clear. We want to remain the top hotel in the country.
IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, WHAT ARE THE KEYS TO BUILDING AND OPERATING A·SUCCESSFUL HOTEL CHAIN?
MM: Guest comfort, cleanliness, good quality food, and excellent service.
MORE BROADLY, WHAT ARE THE KEY ELEMENTS TO SUCCEEDING IN A HOSPITALITY BUSINESS?
MM: I will repeat the same as above: guest comfort, good quality of food, excellent service, and value for money.
WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS?
MM: We have already opened a small property with 42 PODs on Lake Attabad in Hunza, and construction has started for yet another Hilton at Multan.
WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR THE YOUNGER GENERATION?
MM: There are no shortcuts to success.
Failures are a ladder to success.
Long-term association with your employers.
Every day is a new day.
Hard work, hard work, hard work.
