How Sunset Hospitality Group CEO is growing Mett Hotels and lifestyle brands across Asia

Antonio Gonzalez had not banked on his career to take a turn into hospitality.

The Spanish national currently based in Dubai spent a decade developing business management and marketing strategies for FMCG and healthcare companies. A posting in Dubai, followed by a stint with a hotel business in Europe, opened his eyes to opportunities in the lifestyle and hospitality sectors. In 2011, he co-founded Sunset Hospitality Group and is now its chairman and CEO.

At that time, Dubai had a limited number of independent operators and alcohol licences were mostly held by hotel chains. Sunset Hospitality became one of the few groups to secure an alcohol licence for its venues – but it also upped the dining game.

Gonzalez explained: "Once a venue had an alcohol licence, it was almost a given that the business would work. But we wanted to do more. We brought in more qualified staff and we looked at quality not only in terms of the food but also the experience: how you make your reservation, how you are treated at the restaurant, the music, decoration and atmosphere. We paid attention to every step of the [hospitality] process."

Gonzalez said his biggest focus is developing and empowering his team – the people who “make the magic happen”, from food preparation to guest interaction. “We invest a lot in attracting the right talent, and developing, retaining and motivating them. It was much easier when we had only 20 to 30 people. Now that we’re close to 8,000 employees, things are more challenging, but the passion to keep that culture is the same.”

The group currently operates around 98 lifestyle concepts across nightlife, daytime experiences, social gaming, hotels and members’ clubs in 26 countries. More than half of its venues are in the United Arab Emirates and European cities such as Ibiza, Barcelona, Lisbon and London. These include globally renowned brands such as Chinese restaurant Mott32 and Sushisamba, the Japanese-Brazilian-Peruvian concept known for deejay sets and samba performances.

Sunset also runs Mett Hotels and Resorts – the group’s first property in Asia, Mett Singapore, opened last October in the former Hotel Fort Canning. A second property, Casa Mett, off Orchard Road, is slated to open in early 2027.

GLOBAL CONSISTENCY, LOCAL FLEXIBILITY

Gonzalez’s biggest “obsession” is maintaining a consistent company culture while adapting each concept to its destination. He said: “That passion, entrepreneurship, empowerment and drive is very important for me. Every experience and concept in the group have their own service protocols and they don’t have to look the same in each market. We must be relevant to the local market.”

For instance, panoramic settings are a hallmark of every Sushisamba location. The menu mixes classics such as ceviches, tiraditos and robata dishes with location-specific specials, such as chilli crab rolls in Singapore and moqueca mista, a Brazilian seafood stew, in Dubai.

The 10 boutique properties in the Mett Hotels and Resorts portfolio are designed to reflect a sense of place, beyond their stylish, cosy rooms, with around 100 rooms at each location. Conceptualised as hangouts for the local community as much as places of discovery for overseas guests, the dining venues are often built around sharing plates and sharp drinks in atmospheric settings – from breezy, beach-chic restaurants to view-maximising rooftop lounges.

Gonzalez said: “With Mett, we saw the opportunity of carrying all our expertise and know-how in food and beverage to the hotel environment, bringing a quality and vibrant sparkle that is missing in many hotels. We want to make sure that whoever stays in our hotels has a good time. Our lobbies are always filled with restaurant bars, so that the local community will come and spend time with us and we become part of the city’s social dynamics.”

At the 84-room Mett Singapore, the F&B mix includes crowd-pleasers ranging from casual and fine Italian dining to an upcoming modern Korean restaurant. The all-day Canning Bar & Lounge serves European-meets-Asian breakfast dishes such as laksa tagliolini and waffles with salted Alpine butter and coconut kaya jam, before moving into burgers, pepper chicken wings, chicken and rice donabe, and polished cocktails for the rest of the day. Want a bespoke drink? The bartenders easily shake up a splendid one.

Gonzalez said: “I'm not obsessed about the brand standard. I'm obsessed about giving the clients the best experience possible. We do that by attracting, motivating and retaining the right talent, giving them all the tools [to succeed] and having a very flat organisation where we empower the leaders to think like they own the business. When they feel like entrepreneurs, they will drive themselves.”

A BUSINESS BUILT ON LEISURE AND WELLNESS

The group’s first private members’ club, Madison House, will open in mid-2026 as a three-storey standalone clubhouse on the same grounds as Mett Singapore. It will offer wellness therapies through a partnership with Italian biohacking and anti-ageing clinic The Longevity Suite, as well as padel courts, two pools and 3,200‑sq‑ft high‑performance gym. There will also be music showcases, industry talks and social networking events. Initial membership is targeted at 800 to 1,000 members.

Elsewhere in Asia, there are plans to open high-energy rooftop restaurant and bar Attiko and modern Korean restaurant Hanu in Haiphong, Vietnam, and Mott 32 in Indonesia and Australia. The Mett brand is set to reach 20 hotels globally by the end of 2026.

Gonzalez said: “The way we used to spend our leisure time 10 years ago is very different from how we spend it today. What we see as a global trend is the desire to fulfil our basic needs, to take care of ourselves. Longevity is not only about living longer but living well, longer. That means having the best mobility, functionality and mental sharpness for as long as possible.”

His own family holidays have spurred a greater passion for atmospheric places that bring people together. Every year, Gonzalez spends at least a week travelling with his wife and three children, aged nine to 16 years. He shared: “For me, quality time is family time.  We love the Cheval Blanc Randheli in the Maldives, and we’ve been to Japan and a safari in South Africa recently.”

With his children researching and telling their parents where to go and what to do during these vacations, Gonzalez is reminded to stay on his toes in his work. He said: “It’s incredible how well informed and curious they are; they already have an agenda before we even reach the place! It is a reminder for me to stay in touch with the latest trends, technology and social media platforms, or we’ll be outdated in our offerings.”