Khalil El Koreh: “Design Means Nothing If the Hotel Doesn’t Function”

In this edition of CHIC Talks, we spotlight Khalil El Koreh, Technical Director behind CHIC’s growing hospitality footprint in the Democratic Republic of Congo. While guests experience hotels once doors open, Khalil’s work begins years earlier — translating vision into buildable, operationally efficient assets.

Having overseen the technical development of CHIC’s greenfield & brownfield hotel projects, Khalil’s role bridges engineering, design coordination, contractor execution, and operator requirements. His focus remains constant: delivering hotels that open on time, function efficiently, and perform operationally from day one.

In this conversation, Khalil shares insights on managing complex developments in emerging markets, balancing design ambition with operational practicality, and ensuring CHIC’s hotels are built not only to open successfully, but to perform sustainably over time.

Snapshot

Name: Khalil El Koreh

Role: Technical Director – Hospitality Projects, CHIC

Experience: 20+ years in hotel development and project execution across Africa & Middle East

Highlights:

• Delivery of three greenfield and one brownfield CHIC hotel projects in the DRC

• Oversight of multi-city hotel development execution

• Integration of operator requirements into technical delivery.

Focus Areas:Project delivery, design coordination, operational functionality, cost control, development efficiency, sustainable asset performance.

Q&A Feature

Q1: What does your role involve in bringing a CHIC hotel to life?

A: Most guests see the final product — rooms, restaurants, lobby spaces. My role starts much earlier. We coordinate architects, consultants, contractors, suppliers, and operators to ensure the hotel is buildable, compliant, and operationally efficient. Every technical decision ultimately affects guest experience and operational cost, so precision matters from the beginning.

Q2: What are the biggest challenges in hotel development in markets like the DRC?

A: Logistics, supply chains, and execution timelines can be unpredictable. You must anticipate delays and design around realities on the ground. Flexibility and planning are critical. The key is solving problems without compromising standards or safety. Every project teaches you something new.

Q3: CHIC has delivered multiple greenfield hotels in a short time. What made that possible?

A: Alignment between ownership, technical teams, and operators. Decisions were taken quickly, and teams stayed solution-focused. We also learned from each project and improved processes. By the third hotel, many mistakes had already been eliminated, allowing smoother execution.

Q4: How do you balance design ambition with operational practicality?

A: A hotel must look good, but it must also function efficiently for 15–20 years. If a design looks impressive but increases maintenance or operational cost, it becomes a problem later. My role is to ensure beauty and practicality work together.

Q5: How does sustainability factor into development decisions today?

A: Sustainability begins at design stage. Energy efficiency, material choices, water management — all influence long-term operating cost and environmental impact. Building responsibly today avoids expensive corrections tomorrow. It also aligns with guest expectations and global standards.

CHIC Lens

At CHIC, development is not just about opening hotels — it is about building assets that perform sustainably over time. Khalil El Koreh’s technical leadership ensures that every CHIC project transitions from blueprint to operational success with discipline, foresight, and long-term value creation at its core.