Vimal Desai
FAMILY ROOTS RUN DEEP
story by JEANNE REYNOLDS photos by SUSAN DELOACH
For Vimal Desai, the decision to join the family hotel business was a no-brainer.
“It’s always interested me,” he says. “And it would have been stupid not to become part of a business my parents worked so hard to build.”
In fact, the Desai family has a long history of hard work — both in business and in their communities — across two continents and through several generations. Vimal’s father, Mahesh, was born in Gujarat, India, where his mother worked as a midwife and his father was a teacher and principal. He was also a freedom fighter who actively participated in the push for India’s
independence. At the age of 21, he emigrated to Canada to be closer to his goal of living the American dream. Vimal’s mother, Vilas, was born in Nairobi, Kenya, one of seven children raised by business-owner parents. She studied law before meeting and marrying Mahesh.
The couple lived in Canada for several years, eventually landing in Beaufort in 1978, becoming hotel entrepreneurs with the help of some of Mahesh’s college friends. They started with one property in Beaufort, expanding to Savannah, Perry, and Hinesville in Georgia and as far away as Michigan. Along the way, they also raised three children: Vimal, the youngest; his sister, Hina; and his brother, Mitul.
If that sounds like a lot of hard work, it was.
“Growing up, my dad worked seven days a week, and my mom pretty much had to raise us on her own,” Vimal says. “They made a lot of sacrifices to make sure we had a better life than they had.”
FAMILY MATTERS
A grueling work schedule didn’t keep the Desai family from spending vacation time together — almost always visiting yet more family.
“Growing up we road-tripped everywhere,” Vimal says. “My dad was a road warrior. All our trips were based on visiting family in places like Charlotte, Atlanta, Spartanburg, and Orlando. When we go to a cousin’s wedding, it’s not some random distant relative we barely know. We’re still in touch with third, fourth, and fifth cousins. My parents instilled the importance of family in us.”
Vimal says his parents also did a great job instilling the importance of their Indian culture while also assimilating with their children into American culture. “They ensured we celebrated all the holidays and understood their meaning. We just celebrated the Diwali, the festival of lights, which is totally different than Christmas but just as big a holiday in the Indian community. The other big festival is Navratri, with nine days of music and dancing. And those Indian weddings — they’re so long and so exhausting,” he says, adding the guest list can run from 200 to 1,000 people.
It’s not surprising, then, that Vimal and his siblings have all settled near the family nest.
Hina, who recently retired as a school counselor at Riverview Charter School, lives with her husband, Sandeep Patel, and their two children in Bluffton. Mitul lives in Beaufort, also in the hospitality industry as a Firehouse Subs franchisor with locations here and in Georgia.
Vimal left Beaufort for several years, first for a degree in hotel, restaurant, and tourism management at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, followed by a five-year career with Hyatt Hotels Corporation in Chicago and Savannah. Back in the Lowcountry, he left the corporate world to join the family business, managing a property in Savannah before moving to Beaufort in 2013. He now works as the asset manager for the company, which owns the Holiday Inn & Suites and SpringHill Suites on Boundary Street. Mahesh is retired now, leaving the reins in Vimal’s hands.
“It’s been a really good experience, but it’s very challenging,” Vimal says. “The world has changed so much since my dad first started the business: more competition, social media, high interest rates. COVID put a huge damper on us for a few years, too. We were building the SpringHill Suites and renovating the Holiday Inn during that time, so we had a lot of money going out and no income coming in. But it’s picking back up now. Business is good.”
Like his father before him, Vimal’s days are long. He’s up at 5:15 a.m., heading from his home in Port Royal’s old village to the gym for a workout and often doesn’t return home until 12 to 14 hours later. When he’s not working, Vimal enjoys traveling, spending time with friends, and trying new restaurants (Old Bull Tavern and Blacksheep are two of his favorites, along with Asian cuisine).
“I love good food. I research the restaurants when I travel before I research the destination,” he laughs.
COMMUNITY COUNTS
Vimal and his sibling were all born at Beaufort Memorial Hospital and all attended Beaufort County public schools — facts the family is proud of and a key influence in their ongoing community involvement. Vimal has hosted a Valentine’s Ball dinner party for the BMH Foundation’s annual fundraiser for the past eight years. The company also supports events benefiting the Child Abuse Prevention Association (CAPA), and Vimal was even coaxed into participating in CAPA’s “Dancing with Our Stars” fundraiser a few years ago.
“I can’t say no to the kids,” he says. “Giving back to Beaufort was a huge part of my parents’ life, and I’m proud to continue that passion.”
A literall lifesaving example of that commitment is his family’s donation of LifeVac choking rescue devices to every school in Beaufort County. Kids are also one of the beneficiaries of Vimal’s work with the fundraising committee for the Sea Island Rotary Club, helping lead an effort to provide school uniforms and scholarships, and a mobile dental clinic for underprivileged children with dental problems that keep them from attending school.
Vimal also serves on the Accommodations Tax Boards for the City and County of Beaufort, groups that determine how best to distribute tax revenue to nonprofit organizations with an impact on the hotel industry, such as festivals that bring tourists to the area.
“It’s important to be involved in the process,” he says.
Vimal’s civic resume also includes memberships in the American Hotel Lodging Association, Asian American Hotel Owners Association (the largest hotel association in the U.S.), and the Beaufort Area Hospitality Association.
And always, family continues to be a lodestar in Vimal’s life. His parents are retired now, enjoying time with family, friends, and even traveling to India throughout the year. They’re still active, but need more support as they get older. Unlike American culture, where the oldest daughter is often the go-to for elderly parents, Vimal says it’s the son’s responsibility to take care of his parents in Indian culture. But he knows he’s not alone.
“The Indian community is very close-knit,” he says. “Everyone is ready to help.”
Meet Vimal Desai
Age: 38
Born and raised: Beaufort, South Carolina
Education: Beaufort High School, University of South Carolina
Profession: Hotel asset manager
Lives in: Port Royal
Hobbies: Travel, cooking, working out, family time (sometimes)
Listens to: EDM, hip hop, Indian, Beyonce
Watches: Ozark, Outer Banks, The Diplomat, Bridgerton, You
Currently reading: Emails!
Always in the frig: Milk, bread, turkey, coffee, rosé
Most comfortable wearing: Business casual
Favorite college sports team: Gamecocks
Dream vacation: Amangiri, Maldives and south of France
Best advice ever received: “Tomorrow is a new day.”
Secret vice: Buying shoes
