Calling Rob the Rover

It’s so hard to keep up with Rob Rinder these days – he should wear a tracker.

One minute he’s baking bread at Richard Branson’s exclusive Kasbah Tamadot in Morocco, the next he’s guiding guests towards ‘big game’ on a South African Reserve. So much for BBC’s Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby, which, as Rob says, “was ages ago” because he has been to Italy since with “absolute mensch” and “beautiful human being in every way” TV favourite Rylan Clark.

Together, they followed in the footsteps of 19th century poet Lord Byron to look at “art, culture and masculinity” for the upcoming series Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour.

Add to this the 15-hour days he has been doing for a documentary about prisons, the accompanying book, a second novel (the first is The Trial) and a yet-to-be-announced documentary about Edward IV’s princes in the tower, it’s a miracle he could fit in a chat.

But he did and, after ‘working’ at all those amazing hotels, these are the questions Jewish News had to ask…

What is the first hotel you ever stayed in?

The New Ambassador kosher hotel in Bournemouth.

Did you go to Jewish summer camp?  

Yes, in 1990 to Star 90 – I went two years in a row.

What was your first trip abroad without parents? 

Marbella, when I was 17.

What makes a hotel room perfect? 

The list is too long. Effortless luxury without seeing the design, amenities you
don’t have at home. The Yiddish expression of a great hotel room is a mechaya.

What’s the best hotel breakfast? 

The buffet breakfast in every Israeli hotel has everything that makes me
happy. It’s my obsession.

Are you a demanding guest?

Yes. In one hotel I stayed at, the manager wistfully said: “I don’t know you,
and you seem very nice, but there just doesn’t seem to be anything we can do
to make you happy.” It was so sweet of him.

What is your favourite weekend break? 

A long one in Tel Aviv; a short one – impossible to answer.

Have you met a friend on holiday? 

Sarah Willingham of Dragon’s Den on a fitness retreat bootcamp.

We’re still very close.

If you could see in the new year anywhere in the world, where would you be?

Wherever my best friends are.

• Rob Rinder was interviewed for the autumn issue of Jewish News ‘LIFE’ magazine.