TRYP Vibe Is A Recipe For Success

Adelaide’s TRYP by Wyndham is justifiably proud of its “upbeat culture and an eyecatching design”, as well as its impressive environmental and sustainable tourism credentials.

While the Pulteney Street hotel is unashamedly pitched towards Millennials, this 120-room hotel is proving very popular with corporates and families.

But the business model relies and thrives on its highly publicised and bold staffing appointments, and how those staff interact with customers.

“Yes, we like to keep it casual but that doesn’t mean you are losing quality of service and attention,” said General Manager, Valentin Corchado.

He assumed the role in September 2023, six months after the $50-million, 120-room hotel opened its doors.

“As a brand, Wyndham strives to be inclusive and to recognise the value of each individual and the input that they may have. I call them touching points.

“And really when it comes to the core aspect of service culture, it’s that touching point, that true moment that you are with the customer when they need assistance, that you can create that relationship.

“And that’s binding, that is an amazing experience from the guest’s perspective.

“I think if you want your people to promote that, let them be who they are.

"The focus was the culture, skills can be taught.

“We were fortunate that we had a good balance of really good experience but also, you like to give that opportunity to the new generation as well.

“When you are opening a property like this in the city, you can actually make people’s dreams come true so why not?”

Living The Dream

Valentin constantly reminds himself he is living his own dream after growing up in a working-class family in Spain, leaving his home country to find new horizons abroad.

He migrated to Australia, studying at the University of South Australia before working around the country as well as in London, Thailand and Fiji.

“So dreams can happen but you need to look for opportunities and work hard and I think that’s what we do here at TRYP. And that’s why we have that level of retention.”

Valentin said team member satisfaction and guest satisfaction are the hotel’s two key metrics.

Multi-skilling staff helps satisfy both, as well as keeping wages down and improving efficiency. The hotel operates with just 36 staff.

A case in point is that a hungry guest at TRYP’s Mamacita Restaurant and Bar could have their Quesadilla de Pollo prepared by the Valentin himself.

“It can happen any time because one of the key things in this industry is you need to be ready for the unplanned,” he explained.

“It’s all hands-on deck, including myself. I’m a chef by trade so I can go into the kitchen.

“In my office, I have my apron and my set of knives.

“It could be because the chef has called in sick or it could just be the nature of the business.

“These days, business is unpredictable, people sometimes even don’t book tables, and you get busy unexpectedly, so sometimes you need to jump behind the bar or help out in the kitchen.

“It’s good fun and I love it. Actually, everyone around here loves the thrill!

Valentin is merely practicing what he and the TRYP brand proudly preach.

It’s an ethos that aims to encourage the engagement and development of their staff, while also maximising retention rates.

And it appears to be working, with that rate at an impressive 80 per cent retention of its core people since the hotel opened more than 18 months ago.

“That is very good,” he said. “What we do is constantly cross-train our people. Luke, my maintenance manager, he knows how to check-in a guest at reception. Praj, our Front Office Manager also knows how to make great barista style coffee.

“This is a core aspect of our success. As we know in Operations, our day goes through cycles day to day (in hospitality). One moment you’ll have nothing going on, the next you’ll have 12 people checking-in.

“That moment is the moment that is really important for us, so we need to handle it properly because that is (a customer’s) first impression of us.”

Bold Recruiting

The hotel drew headlines for its unorthodox recruiting process prior to opening, inviting “unique personalities” to arrive without appointment and to boldly display any tattoos and piercings without fear of judgement.

He said the resounding success of the exercise was a valuable lesson not just for the hospitality sector but other industries as well.

“I think even we were surprised by the high quality (of applicants) and the response to that process,” he said.

“It opened people’s perceptions about the industry itself and also allowed the individual to be who you are. I think it was very well received.”

Walk through the doors of the Pulteney Street property and you’ll instantly notice the bright lights, modern local art and contemporary but homely feel.

The louder-than-expected ‘background’ music flirts with the foreground. But Gold Coast indie folk duo Hollow Coves trigger involuntary toe tapping as their track ‘Coastline’ floods the foyer.

It’s a feel good vibe complemented by the mood lifting of Mamacita Bar and Restaurant , adorned with artwork paying homage to the nearby Rundle Mall, and offering a variety of spaces for those wanting to enjoy the company of others or spent time alone.

Valentin described the rooms as “very special” and also with a regional feel designed to reflect the city and its culture.

Sustainability

The hotel boasts impressive environmental and sustainability credentials.

“It’s a smart building, so everything is connected,” he said.

“We can control the energy and monitoring including the air-conditioning in the rooms so it definitely provides a lot of saving in terms of energy consumption.

“It is estimated it could give us around $8,000 a month just in power savings alone.

“We do have solar panels on the roof as well that helps to minimize our electricity consumption

“That was the whole purpose of the Wyndham brand and the owner of the building as well.”

Everything is controlled by the hotel’s Building Management System.

The hotel’s only other real challenge for now remains coping with rising clientele numbers after what has been a remarkably smooth launch and post-opening period.

“Normally when you do an opening you go through difficulties.

“But I must admit TRYP was great. We haven’t had any major issues at all in terms of the building, processes, the recruitment.

“We have people in food and beverage and reception still here from pre-opening and that’s a good indication because the honeymoon is over."