Yanin Soth, 25, is the co-founder and hospitality lead of Soya Facial Studio, a private appointment-only facial studio in Phnom Penh founded alongside her three sisters. After graduating from BHMS Switzerland in 2023, she trained in luxury hospitality across Switzerland and at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, where she worked across housekeeping, front desk operations, and club lounge service for high-profile guests, including celebrities and NFL players. It was there that she realized great hospitality was never about luxury alone, but about making people feel deeply cared for through calmness, attention, and comfort. Instead of continuing the traditional hotel path after returning to Cambodia, Yanin chose to bring that philosophy into Soya translating luxury hospitality into a quieter, more intimate wellness experience.
For Yanin Soth, the true essence of luxury is no longer found in grand hotel lobbies, but in quiet, intentional spaces that offer a moment of genuine care. A 2023 graduate of Switzerland’s BHMS, Yanin honed her expertise in world-class service through rigorous training at The Ritz-Carlton in Florida, managing everything from VIP guest relations to front desk operations. Yet, upon returning to Phnom Penh, she chose to step away from the traditional hospitality path. Partnering with her sisters, she co-founded Soya, an intimate, appointment-only skincare studio that merges aesthetic wellness with the principles of “quiet hospitality.” In the conversation below, Yanin opens up about her journey from the fast-paced world of luxury resorts to redefining modern luxury as privacy, calmness, and emotional ease.
Q: Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
Yanin: I studied hospitality management at BHMS in Switzerland and graduated in 2023. During that time, I worked in restaurants in Switzerland, then completed my hospitality training at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes in Florida.
I rotated through different departments there, including housekeeping, front desk operations, and the club lounge. Experiencing hospitality from multiple roles gave me a much deeper understanding of service and the small details that shape how people feel in a space.
What stayed with you most from your time at The Ritz-Carlton?
It was intense but very rewarding.
We received all kinds of guests daily, including celebrities, athletes, and NFL players. But honestly, the biggest thing I learned there was not about status. It was about consistency and attention to detail.
Luxury hospitality is really about how people feel. Sometimes it’s the smallest things people remember how they were welcomed, how comfortable the environment felt, or whether someone anticipated their needs before they had to ask. That stayed with me.
Did you always plan on returning to Cambodia?
I knew I wanted to return eventually, but I did not know exactly what I wanted to do yet. When I came back to Phnom Penh, I received opportunities from hotels and restaurants. The traditional hospitality path was there, but at the same time, my sisters were already building something very personal in the wellness space. That was when I became interested in how hospitality could exist outside of hotels.
Was there a moment you realized you did not want the traditional hotel path anymore?
I think it happened when I realized hospitality did not need to exist only at a large scale. Working at The Ritz-Carlton taught me what it means to be a great host making people feel comfortable, emotionally at ease, and genuinely cared for. Over time, I found myself becoming more interested in intimate experiences and quieter environments. That perspective eventually shaped the direction I wanted to take.
How did Soya eventually come together?
It happened very naturally. Skincare was already a big part of our lives growing up because my sisters and I all struggled with different skin concerns at some point. We had visited many skin clinics around Phnom Penh ourselves, so we became very aware of how much the environment and the way people treat you affect the overall experience. We all came from different backgrounds -medical, hospitality, and marketing-, but shared similar values around care and comfort. Over time, those experiences slowly shaped what Soya became.
How would you describe Soya to someone visiting for the first time?
I would say it feels more like being hosted than visiting a typical facial studio.
We are appointment-only and intentionally small. A lot of guests tell us they feel comfortable because the environment feels slower and more private.
Of course skincare results matter to us, but I think the emotional experience matters too. People carry stress in their routines and even in how they approach self-care. We try to create a space where people can slow down a little.
What does luxury mean to you now?
Honestly, I think luxury today is privacy, calmness, and being cared for sincerely. People are surrounded by noise all the time. So sometimes the most luxurious thing is simply a quiet environment where you can slow down and feel comfortable.