HoteliersGuild's LookBook | Spring/Summer 2021 Edition by Selected Hotels Promotion L.C. | CHC CoutureHospitalityConcept

LookBook SPRINGSUMMER2021 Hoteliersguild

a CoutureHospitalityConcept Compilation

Deeper Luxury

Passion for

CoutureHospitalityConcept | Autumn/Winter 2020/21

CoutureHospitalityConcept

MADE-TO-MEASURE LUXURY HOTEL MANAGEMENT, REPRESENTATION, MARKETING & BRANDING

HoteliersGuild LeadingHôteliéres Chapter

proud venue of our 2021 assembly !

Editorial International Women's Day Reloaded! And delighted to present this new LookBook, which was supposed to be released on March 8! Delayed due to the current challenging times, it nevertheless spotlights some quite exceptional LeadingHôteliéres and esteemed members of the HoteliersGuild.

Kudos to the wonderful Valentina De Santis! As the owner of the legendary Grand Hotel Tremezzo, she and her family are a shining example of i n d e p e n d e n t , o w n e r- o p e r a t e d establishments that continue to set hospitality trends after more than 100 years!

A new star is born in Botswana! XIGERA Safari Lodge in Botswana sets absolutely new standards in sustainable architecture and operation. And the founding owners of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, Mr. & Mrs. Tollman are therefore also worthy nominees for induction into our International Hospitality Hall of Fame.

Luisa Lorenzo Garcia, co-owner and GM of A Quinta Da Auga in Santiago de Compostela and her husband bought in 2003 the ruins of what had been the most important pre-industrial factory in Galicia in 2003 after falling in love with the monumental building with the intention of creating a boutique hotel and voilá! - after a 6-year careful

restoration it was converted into an outstanding Relais & Châteaux Spa Hotel!

there. Diversity. C u s t o m e r re l a t i o n s . T h e c l i m a t e . E m p l o y e e relations. Excesses. And health. Frank M. Pfaller The new year Publisher | President offers the HoteliersGuild chance to work on the fissures we now see even more clearly. We had to pause big time in 2020 and we may need to take it easy again in 2021. And yes, it will be a year of grieving, for what we lost, and of processing, as we learn to carry on. That, we should not lose sight of.

Our HoteliersGuild LeadingHôteliéres chapter under the innovative governance of Xenia zu Hohenlohe and Prof. Dr. Sowon Kim, Chair and CoChair and the very active focus group has gathered momentum. Supported by some of the truly finest independent and corporate hoteliers around the globe, a study about more flexible working hours and conditions for female employees and future leaders is well under way, and our ‘Young Leaders Insights’ initiative has been launched successfully together with EHL, Institut Paul Bocuse and the University of Bad Honnef.

And with LeadingHôteliéres we are supporting our new member Assia Riccio and her EVOLVIN’WOMEN initiative: While governments and NGOs in developing countries are committed to reducing the unemployment of women, the private sector is committed to becoming more inclusive and socially r e s p o n s i b l e , E V O LV I N ’ W O M E N prepares unemployed women from less privileged economic backgrounds in Africa to tackle both challenges!

However, we should now start to look at the idea of a return to normality, however that turns out to be. Let's just assume that things will never return to where they were over a year ago now.

The best news after all is, that vaccines are now on the market. But part of the reality is that we cannot close our eyes and have to get used to more possible s c e n a r i o s - C L I M AT E a n d DEPLOYMENT in some developing countries where one step up and two steps back are taken. Expecting a seamless recovery would therefore be a delusion.

Finally, a few words of solace and confidence: The many months that have passed have forced us to accept new realities as they quickly exposed the vulnerabilities and weaknesses of the travel industry that have always been

CONTRIBUTORS Valentina DeSantis, CEO & Owner, Grand Hotel Tremezzo who’s family made a mark on the industry by restoring this jewel to its former glory

Vicki Tollman & family, owner/operators of some of the world’s most stunning properties, who are trailblazers for sustainable architecture, design & hotel-keeping

Bill Bensley, inimitable architect & designer who walks-the-walk when it comes to sustainabilit Jeffrey Catrett & Prof. Henri Kuokkanen, Academic Director and Vice Dean resp. of Institute Paul Bocuse

Maria Pajares & Tanya, dedicated MD & founder of MasonRose, a leading marketing & sales agency

Heleri Rande,

strategist, curator & moderator, working hard to provide unforgettable experiences and world-class services to her clients & to our members

Assia Riccio, Founder & CEO Evolvin’ Women, collaborating for the Advancement of Female Entrepreneurs in Africa

The Bill Bensley REDCARNATION Hotel Collection

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GRANDHOTELTREMEZZO A FAMILY AFFAIR!

XIGERALODGE BOTSWANA

The story of the revival of a sleeping diva. The success story of a dedicated family of hospitality aficionados!

A new star - A raising of the bar. A bold statement in the realm of luxury safaris, and an Okavango Delta safari experience like no other.

Mr/s Tollman Nominees for HALL OF FAME

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AQUINTADAAUGA SPAIN

BILLBENSLEY JOLLY BEACH ANTIGUA

The resurrection of an ancient. A husband & wife affair… the conversion of a former paper mill in S. XVIII into a Relais & Chateâux Hotel

Mrs. Tollman & daughter Vicki

XIGERA Safari Loge Botswana

Content

Another BB project in the making… Antigua calling!

Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Lake Como

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LATERRAZZA LAGO DI COMO FINEST

LASARTE BARCELONA

Undoubtedly the most beautiful location on the lake…

Barcelona’s & one of the World’s finest restaurants!

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PUREBERLIN BERLIN …where guests get close to the action, watching chefs prepare

120 | 125

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ANTONIOBAJOUR MIAMI FLORIDA

RENÉFRANK BERLIN

KONSTANTINFILIPPOU VIENNA

From Puerto Rico to Miami Beach one of America’s & the world’s to Pastry Chefs!

Innovative Deserts …when sugar plays practically no role until the end.

2-Star Chef with a strong craving for Sardines!

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INSTITUTPAULBOCUSE Ecully - FRANCE

HELIRIRANDE INTRO

MASONROSE INTERVIEW

Our alliance partner for YoungHôteliéres Insights

Hospitality, Strategy, Events Connector, Writer, MC…

Creating Connections for: Travel & Hospitality, Luxury Lifestyle and Wellness brands

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NOBLECAUSES GIVING BACK

HoteliersGuild in support of member initiatives

Beatrice and Stanley Tollman, founders of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, receive a nomination for induction into the HoteliersGuild International Hall of Fame.

Dedicated to people who are making outstanding contributions to the global luxury Lebensart. Inspiring and educating a new generation of discerning hoteliers and exclusive service providers.

“Their businesses is build around the philosophies of a strong work ethic, exceptional service, an unrelenting commitment to customer care and for those they work with and the communities they live in and touch, with a passion for sustainability and philanthropy. Their ethos’s are a passion for sustainability and philanthropy. These ethos’s are center to the family and makes them dignified nominees for induction into HoteliersGuild’s International Hall of Fame.”

CONCEIVED TO CELEBRATE BRILLIANCE

IN OUR INDUSTRY

H o t e l i e r s G u i l d ’s b o a r d o f governors voted Mrs. & Mr. Beatrice and Stanley Tollman for induction into their hall of fame “for their amazing achievements for our industry…” said Frank M. Pfaller, founder president of the Guild in his announcement.

Dear Frank,

“

We are truly honoured to accept our induction into the HoteliersGuild International Hospitality Hall of Fame, and to be recognised among such passionate and exceptional individuals.

It has been an incredible journey since we opened our first hotel together in May 1954 years ago, and named our business after the red carnation that Stanley still wears in his lapel. We have learned many lessons together during that time, but our unwavering determination to deliver the very best guest experience, the most generous hospitality and exceptional personal service has not faltered. Our people and teams are still at the heart of our hotel collection, and it is their passion and commitment that inspires us each and every day. Today, with 20 hotels around the world, we still face everything together with passion and determination. Hotel-keeping has been a lifelong love affair and it still brings us great joy to read each and every piece of guest feedback, and to work closely with our wonderful teams to continue the standards that we set ourselves all those years ago. Thank you once again for this great honour. With warmest wishes, Beatrice and Stanley Tollman

HallOfFame

HOTELS

Luxury was once a domain detached from sustainability. Now, a shift in our behaviour is imperative.

Let’s use our joint power to increase global environmental and social standards, and to play a key role in promoting a cultural shift! Is a grand palace hôtel more luxurious than a luxury tented camp? And can a palace hotel be operated sustainably?

Luxury, it seems, can be a small thing such as creating a meaningful experience or showing you care. But large or small, it should create an emotional connection with people, the product and the brand. We keep defining the word luxury but ultimately it has to be defined by the guests. “luxury” should involve the extensive use of storytelling that is intimate and personal, with the serving of traditional food and use of recipes of the owner’s grandmother, stories that bring the hotel’s heritage to life, as well as involving the guest in the local traditions and culture.

1 Grand hôtel tremezzo

Lago di como

Nestled in one of the world’s most majestic locations, Lake Como, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo is a staple on the luxury traveler’s holiday list. It’s an idyllic picture to behold: an Art Nouveau palazzo with floor-to-ceiling views over the lake, where you’ll spot the hotel’s floating pool, water limousines crisscrossing the water, and the village of Bellagio in the distance. Grand Hotel Tremezzo is glamorous but not stuffy: bold colors infuse the interiors with youth and dynamism. Guests of the hotel are also able to stay in the 18th century Villa Sola Cabiati, a noble dwelling replete with Italian art.

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Vacation Like Italian Royalty at Lago di Como’s most glamorous hotel Arriving at Grand Hotel Tremezzo in Lake Como is like entering a true Italian fairytale. The five-star hotel is located right on the water in the tiny town it’s named after, surrounded by historic villas and old world charm.

“The key value at Grand Hotel Tremezzo is warm, Italian hospitality,” says owner, Valentina De Santis. She is the third generation in her family to run the hotel, which is a member of Preferred Hotels. During her time at the helm, De Santis has added modern suites and employed the same landscape architect George Clooney used for his own villa nearby to perfect the hotel… so it’s really just like you’re vacationing like royalty.

Grand Hotel Tremezzo, news 2021 Grand Hotel Tremezzo will be launching a brand new project in 2021, an e-commerce dedicated to the Made in Italy and to the memories of days spent at Lake Como. It will be a treasure chest of Italian glamor.

The 2021 reopening date is fixed on March 31st. Following the recent acquisition by the De Santis family of the historical Villa Passalacqua, in Moltrasio (Lake Como), the 2021 will be dedicated to its restoration to reopen, brighter than ever, in 2022. The Villa, a magnificent 18th century residence, is an Italian national monument and one of the finest luxury properties flanking the jet-set shores of Lake Como. The Villa has played host to some of the world’s most brilliant musicians, artists, writers and statesmen, including Napoleon Bonaparte, Vincenzo Bellini and Winston Churchill. Its majestic sevenacre gardens descend from high up on the hill down to the private dock on the lake with eight stunning terraces featuring a panoramic swimming pool, eleven working fountains, an olive grove and a 200-year-old greenhouse.

“

Valentina de Santis - Grand Hotel Tremezzo, news 2021 Grand Hotel Tremezzo will be launching a brand new project in 2021, an e-commerce dedicated to the Made in Italy and to the memories of days spent at Lake Como. It will be a treasure chest of Italian glamor.

“

IN VILLA VERITAS

the main building feels

Villa Sola Cabiati in Lake Como May Be The Most Romantic Spot in Italy the historic residence of once belonging to the noble Serbelloni family, is now exclusively available to guests of the nearby Grand Hotel Tremezzo.

“Our family has always been in touch with the noble family that owns the Villa,” says Valentina De Santis, CEO of Grand Hotel Tremezzo. “Last year, while chatting with a good cup of coffee we started evaluating a collaboration with the focus of giving Villa Sola Cabiati a sort of revival.”

The space is richly appointed with immaculate frescos by the Tiepolo school that haven’t been touched since the s, mosaico venezia floors, and exquisite glass chandeliers. Hotel guests can book a private hour visit to the villa’s museum floors, which host a number of treasures including a collection of Sèvres china, a bust of Napoleon (a gift from the French ruler himself), and a bed from Palazzo Serbelloni in Milan that Napoleon and his wife, Joséphine de Beauharnais, once slept in.

perfectly frozen in time…

Inside a Grand Hôtel

Greta Garbo said the Tremezzo was one of her favourite hotels in the world, her ‘sunny, happy place’. In her spirit, fling open the bedroom shutters of Suite Greta, look out over the ravishing setting of Lake Como and wholeheartedly embrace the indulgence. To sit on the terrace and sip a glass of chilled Franciacorta while drinking in those views is to be in hotel heaven. With its gilded, draped and upholstered grandeur, and hundreds of sparkling windows, this is one of Lake Como’s old-school greats. The star swimming pool floats on the lake, but another glorious pool lies tucked away in the gardens, surrounded by towering palms and banana plants, a heavenly space ornamented with statuary and vines, where a great stone staircase cascades down to the water’s edge. The spa housed in the th-century Villa Emilia has impressive treatments; equally restorative is time spent taking in the views from the relaxation area. Like Garbo, you will want to be left alone – to revel in the grandest comfort zone.

Lake Como has been an escape from urban life for Italians since Roman times, but Enea Gandola took it one step further in by opening this, Como's most palatial hotel. On the ground floor, the hotel plays to its traditional strengths with a series of salons and terraces facing the lake - and you'll still find a billiard table and a library, while the reception rooms have been pepped up with furniture in striking sherbet colours. Of the rooms and suites, the most prestigious is the Greta - named after Ms Garbo - which has two bedrooms and a large terrace.

There are three swimming pools, including one on the lake surrounded by an artificial beach. Superstar chef Gualtiero Marchesi, who has three Michelin stars, oversees the main restaurant. There's also a fondue restaurant and a pizzeria on the lake during the summer months.

onL C ake ool C om o

Why is Lake Como forever going to be a dream destination for people?

“It’s very much like taking a step back in time when you arrive here. The shores are untouched for decades—you see beautiful villas and gardens. At the same time, it has reinvented itself in the last 5 to 10 years, attracting a new, younger crowd. This has pushed us to keep investing to make the destination look good, cool, and appealing with great food, experiences, and things to do. It’s this mix of past and present—with the feeling that it’s the place to be— that makes it very unique.”

“

What does the Italian spirit of hospitality mean to you? It does somehow feel different.

It’s something we very much have in our DNA. So many of the Italian hotels that are legendary and inspiring in the travel industry are family owned. There are many famous, iconic hotels—especially in the luxury segment, but it’s actually all over the hospitality industry—that still belong to families. It’s a big part of the offering that Italy has. All of the families like us that still own a place like this put a lot of passion, effort, and entrepreneurial spirit into it. This is part of our culture, so even outside of hospitality when you’re just with friends, Italians are very warm and hospitable.

If someone came to the hotel—what is the one dish you recommend they eat?

One unmissable dish is our rice with gold, our signature dish at La Terrazza. We started to work in with Gualtiero Marchesi [who died in ]. He was the first Italian chef to get three Michelin stars and one of the fathers of Italian cuisine. His most popular, iconic dish is this rice with gold. The dish is very rooted in our Italian tradition. In the end, it’s a perfectly executed saffron risotto but the overall experience is what it looks like, the preparation, the philosophy. It’s served on a round black plate, and then the very bright yellow risotto and a square of gold leaf. It’s not just satisfying your taste, but your eyes. You eat it with a gold spoon and at the end, you receive a certificate because the number of risottos served are counted. If you want to be more simple, you cannot miss the pizza!

If you’re not in Lake Como, where else do you love going in Italy?

I love all of Italy, so it’s hard to pick a place like Amalfi, Capri, Sicily, Tuscany— there is not a place that I don’t love to be. But now that I have a family and two kids, Puglia has a very special place in my heart. I go every year, and now I spend a longer time there with my kids. It is a region that offers so much—a beautiful seaside, fantastic people, food that is out of this world, many villages to explore, culture. It’s a little bit more on the beaten path, though it has very much been an emerging part of Italy in the last few years.

Celebrating

It was a family secret for years, a sweet secret that was handed down though three generations. As a little girl, every so often I would listen to Grandpa Batt as he reminisced about these few, yet mysterious, sheets of paper, pages which guests had filled with memories of days spent at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo in the early s. My grandfather had collected their tales, guarding them jealously. Only he new the wonders they contained. When I would ask what was in them, Bat, a man of bygone times, told me I would just have to wait. The love that filled thous memories, the romanticism that inspired them, and, at times, the heartache and the desire that burned through them, were precious treasure chests to discover once I’d grown. It made waiting for adulthood seem worth it…

The

opening on July

The opening on July 10 1910

Arriving in Style!

, the Gandola's family, who built the hotel 9

Years

Fine dining restaurant serving the great Gualtiero Marchesi’s signature dishes on the most beautiful terrace on Lake Como.

…a tribute to the flavours of the local area The Grand Hotel Tremezzo carries on its tradition in true gourmet style, by collaborating with the biggest name in modern Italian cuisine: Gualtiero Marchesi. Seducing guests with virtuoso menus that are light and full of character – a tribute to the flavours of the local area in the romantic setting of “La Terrazza” restaurant - without a shadow of a doubt the most beautiful on Lake Como.

Dreams

GrandHotelTremezzo

proud venue of 2021

LeadingHôteliéres annual gala !

2 xigera

Botswana

b s i r a t s w e n A

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n o i f t o a c n i r a g a C m e h ed t o R t s r i e t t a e r l e e … ig … v h o s l X u ’ s b l e n a ot c i H fr A e h t

NATURE ARCHITECTURE

SUSTAINABILITY

Xigera is Red Carnation Hotels’ love letter to the magic of the African bush. Every aspect is handcrafted to beguile guests’ senses and stir their souls – from the evocative interiors to one-of-a-kind encounters. Transformed by Africa's life-enhancing beauty, it is a story of remarkable renewal. Of rebirth and family legacy, and of the pioneering spirit that drives us to seek out Africa’s wild spaces. The same spirit that inspired this remarkable reimagining, perhaps a complete reinvention, of an Okavango Delta safari.

This is Xigera (pronounced ‘kee-jera’), named for the Pied Kingfisher that makes its home amid the watery channels of Botswana’s Moremi Game Reserve. The culmination of a lifelong dream of the Tollman family, drawing on six decades of devotion to unparalleled

MUST-SEE

But Xigera is equally a line in the sand. A raising of the bar. A bold statement in the realm of luxury safaris, and an Okavango Delta safari experience like no other.

Xigera Safari Lodge offers just 12 beautiful suites and an exceptional Baobab Treehouse, each resting effortlessly in this wild landscape. Amid this remarkable setting, Xigera’s design aesthetic is wholeheartedly dedicated to celebrating African art, design and creativity. Each piece has been handcrafted and inspired by the incredible natural surroundings; every experience can be tailor made to guests’ wishes… an entirely new imagining of the African bush.

The Okavango Delta provides the palette of inspiration for the interiors of Xigera Safari Lodge, with even the smallest details showing a deep connection to the natural world beyond the lodge. Meticulously created and crafted, in every sense the décor pays homage to both the human and natural heritage of this remarkable corner of Africa. Conceptualised by Toni Tollman, Philip Fourie and Anton de Kock – in collaboration with award-winning South African gallery Southern Guild – the Xigera Design Collection is breathtaking in both its scope and bold vision.

Situated in the western reaches of Botswana’s iconic Moremi Game Reserve, gazing out on the seasonal floodplains of the Okavango Delta, Xigera’s unique location offers unrivalled access to extraordinary safari experiences. From bush breakfasts, wild picnics and ‘feet in the water’ sundowners to thrilling motorboat safaris, bespoke wilderness experiences and sunrise yoga, Xigera showcases the magic and mystery of this spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Conservation and sustainability are at the heart of Xigera, powering the lodge almost entirely through solar energy and eliminating single-use plastics. Caring for the environment is a priority in every aspect, but the lodge also pours enormous effort into partnering with local communities, providing both empowerment and employment.

Mrs. T. & daughter

Very Special people !

BEATRICE&VICKI TOLLMAN

Interview

Q: What's the most challenging aspect of being a

What inspires your choice of location?Vicki: If we find a

successful hotelier? Vicki: Ensuring that you keep delivering the best guest experience, maintaining standards and fulfilling expectations at all times no matter what. You have to looking after and invest in your teams, and give them good reason to share your vision.

property that fits with our philosophy and criteria, then we can consider: such as boutique size, stunning location and within easy reach so that we can be personally involved.

Q: How do Red Carnation Hotels stand out apart other luxury hotel groups? Beatrice: Our service. Our teams truly care about each and every guest and our family is deeply committed and passionate to boot. All of this reflects on the properties and the guest experience. It also explains why our properties feature in Trip Advisor's Top 5 and why we frequently win industry awards. Your hotels also cater for pets… Beatrice: In part, this is inspired by my own passion for animals. I'm a real dog-lover, as is the whole of my family, and I travel with my two dachshunds, Honey and Hanzi, as much as possible. But more importantly, we are seeing that more and more of our guests like to travel with their pets and so throughout the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, we not only do our best to be welcoming to pets, but also to go the extra mile for them. We have a pet concierge in all of our hotels and offer dedicated amenities like dog menus, beds and walking services. Beatrice: In part, this is inspired by my own passion for animals. I'm a real dog-lover, as is the whole of my family, and I travel with my two dachshunds, Honey and Hanzi, as much as possible. But more importantly, we are seeing that more and more of our guests like to travel with their pets and so throughout the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, we not only do our best to be welcoming to pets, but also to go the extra mile for them. We have a pet concierge in all of our hotels and offer dedicated amenities like dog menus, beds and walking services. Q: You currently have 17 hotels around the world; do you plan to add to the collection? Vicki: If we find a property that fits with our philosophy and criteria, then we can consider: such as boutique size, stunning location and within easy reach so that we can be personally involved. Beatrice: The location and local culture is always really important and we integrate the environment into every property, from the food and service to the design and amenities. A good example is Ashford Castle, the flagship in our collection, which was recently reopened after a complete restoration and enhancement programme. We were very careful to ensure that local artisans, suppliers and materials were used in that process. For example, we used beautiful Connemara marble in the bathrooms and in the Prince of Wales bar. Likewise, the ingredients used in our restaurant menus, such as our roast rib of beef or wild salmon, are locally sourced.

Beatrice: The location and local culture is always really important and we integrate the environment into every property, from the food and service to the design and amenities. A good example is Ashford Castle, the flagship in our collection, which was recently reopened after a complete restoration and enhancement programme. We were very careful to ensure that local artisans, suppliers and materials were used in that process. For example, we used beautiful Connemara marble in the bathrooms and in the Prince of Wales bar. Likewise, the ingredients used in our restaurant menus, such as our roast rib of beef or wild salmon, are locally sourced. Q: What recent trends have you noticed in the hotel industry? Do you adapt your offering to meet these trends? Vicki: The latest trends are important to follow and integrate where possible but we try and stick to our ethos of old-world hotel management. We do listen to what's happening and ensure we keep up with what guests expect today - the latest technology, healthy cuisine, exciting cocktails, VIP experiences. Q: What has been the proudest moment of your career so far? Vicki: Working with my family naturally, and witnessing each hotel's unique success. Most of all assisting at the events where my mother was awarded the Leading Legend Award 2016 by The Leading Hotels of the World, as well as The European Hotelier of the Year 2012. Q: After 40 years, do you see the Red Carnation Group always staying within the Tollman family? Beatrice: Absolutely. We are now into our fourth generation in hospitality as a family and have acquired a lot of expertise, from cuisine to interior design, from staff development to the most important thing of all, an understanding of guests' needs. As a family business, everything we do comes from the heart which then reflects in the guest experience. It means so much to us when we get amazing feedback from people staying with us, when we win awards, and when our staff excel and are happy. I think that passion really comes from it being our own business, and our children's business. Q: What's your favourite dish currently served across the group? Vicki: Chicken curry. Q: What advice would you give to someone looking to follow in your footsteps? Beatrice: Don't be in the hotel business unless you love it. Be close to your teams as well as your guests. My main message is that anything is possible if you have the right attitude and you work hard. When my husband and I first started out leasing a small property in Johannesburg, we never imagined that 60 years later we'd have a collection of 17 properties and more than 2,000 staff in the Red Carnation Hotel Collection. From HR to PR, housekeeping to management there are lots of opportunities to grow and develop and the hotel industry is a really inspiring business, because we create such memorable moments for our guests.

Source: Quintessentially

At Hoteliersguild We are honoured and humbled to extend a warm welcome to Beatrice Tollman, President and Founder of the family-run, award-winning Red Carnation Hotel Collection. Beatrice is such an important figure in the Tollman family who own The Travel Corporation and support hundreds of charities across the globe. through their non-for-profit initiative, the TreadRight Foundation. With a passion for hospitality and philanthropy, she is now renowned within the travel and hospitality industry and we look also much forward to her moral support of our Leading HÔteliéres chapter, where we so lucky to already count with her daughter Vicki’s assistance.

At Hoteliersguild We are honoured and humbled to extend a warm welcome to Beatrice Tollman, President and Founder of the family-run, award-winning Red Carnation Hotel Collection. Beatrice is such an important figure in the Tollman family who own The Travel Corporation and support hundreds of charities across the globe. through their non-for-profit initiative, the TreadRight Foundation. With a passion for hospitality and philanthropy, she is now renowned within the travel and hospitality industry and we look also much forward to her moral support for our Leading HÔteliéres chapter, where we are so lucky to already count with her daughter Vicki’s assistance.

Frank M. Pfaller President | HoteliersGuild

Dear Frank,

“

It is a great honour to accept my Honorary Ambassadorship with HoteliersGuild, and to join this society of people in our hospitality industry who I greatly admire. I am especially delighted to acknowledge the importance of sustainability and travel as a force for good within your society. Since Stanley and I opened our first hotel more than 60 years ago, hospitality has continued to evolve, but I believe that integrity, determination and striving for the very best for our guests is even more important today. These are the qualities that I value the most in our wonderful teams, and they work hand-in-hand with our commitment to build a sustainable future, through conservation, leadership and support for our local communities.

I am so proud that our collection now stands at 20 unique and special properties. In December 2020, it was a dream come true to open Xigera Safari Lodge in Botswana, our love letter to the magic of the African bush. After six decades of devotion to exceptional hospitality and personal service, this was the culmination of a life-long dream for my family, and today, our passions and our purpose remains the same... To share these beautiful moments and experiences with our guests. With warmest wishes, Beatrice Tollman

Let the adventure begin…

This must be the ultimate bush experience. Xigera’s approach to hospitality is one of absolute flexibility, where guests are free to choose exactly when and how they discover everything that this lodge has to offer. And your hosts believes in creating completely bespoke itineraries for adventurers…

the story of Xigera Safari renewal…of rebirth and

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Unique. Authentic. Pioneering.

Conservation and sustainability are at the heart of everything they do here, powering the lodge almost entirely through solar energy and eliminating single-use plastics. Caring for the environment is a priority in every aspect of Xigera, but pouring enormous effort into partnering with local communities, providing both empowerment and employment, is also a major topic.

Rest. Renew. Rej

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dining….a

a unique culinary safari

Compliments from

PASSION FOR SUSTAINABLE LUXURY AFFILIATION BY INVITATION ONLY

3 A Quinta da Auga

Santiago de Compostela

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bio-

Compostela a unique city and the Camino de Santiago or the Way of St. James universal destination. Certainly, A Quinta da Auga is one of the most charming hotels in the Northwest of Spain. Surrounded by an estate of 10,000 m2 , the boutique hotel A Quinta da Auga was a former paper mill in S. XVIII. This design hotel is placed in a historical building that merges with nature like singing the rhythm of the water that winds through the ancient canals all around the stunning property. Restored with sensitivity and elegance, A Quinta da Auga is a bio-friendly hotel living in a perfect harmony with the environment thanks to a smart facilities. Visiting A Quinta da Auga is like a fairy tale experience, ideal for passionated by beauty , Nature, relax and wellbeing.

A Quinta da a Auga is a personalized hotel; all rooms are individually decorated with pieces of art and antiques mixed with actual design elements. The classic and the contemporary times come together in a personal and elegant European style. Each step offers an inspiring environment , a unique experience like our marvellous city Santiago de Compostela.

history & nature…

A Quinta da Auga Hotel Spa Relais & Châteaux is a luxury hotel in Santiago de

passion for food & traditio

onal Galician cuisine

peace and tranquility to

enjoy a restful sojourn…

PEEK

For this LookBook he kindly asked me to share one of our most recent projects, a work in progress coming out of Antigua, which in itself has been an exercise in patience. Once a designer who would hop on a plane at the drop of the hat, I must say I regretted not getting to discover such a gorgeous site, nor get a feel for the story we want to tell about Antigua through experiencing it. The process of unravelling a places history from afar has been a lesson in itself. Instead we have doubled down here in Bangkok and patiently unearthed every piece of information, every tidbit and clue, from books, art, articles and stories, videos and even old black and white movies of the island. Understanding a place with an intricate and at times very difficult history tested us, but we dived into it and translated it into what I think is possibly our very best design EVER.”

from the inimitable Bill Bensley…

SNEAK !

“I love the message that Frank has chosen to share in the recent HoteliersGuild ForumOfDialogue Vol. V - the idea of being United by Patience.

•

Name of Property: Jolly Beach Resort Antigua (Final Name TBC) Location: Jolly Beach Antigua Number of Keys: 66 Proposed Opening: 2022/2023 Design Story:

• • • • Out of the sands of Jolly Beach in Antigua will soon emerge a five-star luxury resort, wellness centre and members club, predicted to be the best in the Caribbean. The development, backed by the Ayre Group, will be designed by mastermind hotel designer Bill Bensley, a Bangkok based architect, interior designer and landscape architect who is behind some of the best hotels in the world, and has designed over 200 hotels in over 30 countries. Bensley is known for remarkably unique and whimsical designs, which integrate sustainability and local culture in every aspect. Among them are the Four Seasons Tented Camp Chiang Rai in Thailand, the JW Marriott Phu Quoc in Vietnam, Bali's the Capella Ubud (recently awarded best hotel in the world), Oberoi Amarvilas and Udaivilas in India, the Ritz Dorado Beach in Puerto Rico, and his own Bensley Collection Shinta Mani Wild in Cambodia, as Bensley is both a hospitality designer and owner/ operator, bringing a huge wealth of experience to the table. This will be Bensley's first resort in Antigua, and he is keen to understand the idiosyncrasies of the island's culture and Jolly Beach, an environmentally sensitive piece of beachfront and mangrove. The resort's core purpose is to be a hotel which celebrates the people of Antigua, and teaches all visitors something new about the island’s rich history and heritage - from the prehistoric era all the way to the present day. It will be built by the artisans and craftspeople of Antigua, using their knowledge and melding it with Bensley's experience of the best sustainable methods & designs, which he recently published in a white paper. The resort will comprise 36 standalone villa "estates" with perfectly private gardens, pools, outdoor pavilions and verandas; 20 master suites, also with their own private gardens, pools etc. Of these, no two will be alike, with each one telling the story of a character who played a part in Antigua's history. The resort will also have 5 private residences, "The Fortress Estates", set at the highest point of the resort with sprawling views, available for sale to private owners, whilst managed by the hotel operator. Each of these will contain 3-5 bedrooms, living and dining, ballroom sized entertaining space with secret garden, private cinema, smoking room, rum room, gym and spa as well as the possibility of an additional villa connected via tunnel. The hotel will also have the Bodog Beach Society with a pool, changing rooms, beach water sports centre, kids club and gymnasium. Alongside this will be the Wellness center, based on an ancient Taino village, which will offer the best integrative health treatments in complete discretion and privacy. All of these facilities will be accessible to guests both in-house and out through the Ocean Club membership.

experiences designers like me and hoteliers like you b

bring to life…

The cherry on top for me was watching our clients go giddy - virtually - as they recognised names and faces and little known stories from their homeland, honoured by a little studio on the other side of the world in Bangkok. Now we continue to be united in patience as we watch this and other projects come to life, such as the Capella Hanoi which is opening soon (27 Jan). It will be the first hotel of mine I haven't been able to put the finishing touch on by hand. But as we wait for vaccinations to take effect, I cross my fingers that 2021 is the year I'll be able to see it with my own eyes, and watch guests walk in and delight in the experiences designers like me and hoteliers like you bring to life.

“

CUISINE

At HoteliersGuild we are proud to

count with the support of some of the

most established Chefs around the globe.

We promote ‘Sustainable Cuisine’ as an environmentally sustainable food system t h a t u s e s fo o d p r o d u c t s g r ow n , harvested, processed, packaged and shipped or distributed with the minimal environmental impact. These boundaries typically mean of course products meeting the criteria are local or organic, wherever possible. Whether it's cooking green or reducing food waste, everyone can and should take steps toward having a sustainable kitchen and help to take better care of our planet. Even ten years ago, the idea of sustainability wasn’t taken so seriously. But, sustainability and

consciousness about the environment among the general population has increased and the idea has become global today.

La Terrazza |Grand Hotel Tremezzo

Chef Osvaldo Presazzi

Chefs Extraordinaires

O OsvaldoPresazzi

Following a recommendation from his friend, the sculptor Nicola Salvatore, Gualtiero Marchesi visited The Grand Hotel Tremezzo in 2011 and, according to legend, fell in love. The maestro saw in this gracious historic hotel an opportunity to open his dream restaurant and kitchen, developing a friendship and eventual partnership with the De Santis family, current owners of the hotel. Marchesi continued something of a residency at the Tremezzo, working closely with its chef, Osvaldo Presazzi, on crafting the hotel’s fresh, seasonal dishes. When the maestro passed away in the winter of 2017, the hotel, determined to honor his wishes and culinary legacy, redesigned the kitchen.

Under Presazzi, the menu honors the late chef’s legacy by offering signature dishes like red and black spaghetti with caviar, veal fillet with foie gras and black truffle, Marchesi’s famous saffron risotto topped with 23-karat gold leaf and a tasting menu adapted to the changing seasons. “Since the moment I met him in autumn 2010, my way of cooking was revolutionized,” says Presazzi. “Little by little, I began to embrace Marchesi’s principles,” he explains, recognizing the late chef’s emphasis on the importance of local, seasonal ingredients and cooking techniques native to Northern Italy. “He passed down a great respect of ingredients in made-to-order dishes,” says Presazzi, who, in addition to his work at the GHT, has collaborated with the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris, Hôtel Martinez and La Palme d’Or restaurants in Cannes and the Four Seasons Hotel in Milan. Presazzi says the new kitchen has enhanced the cooking experience for chefs—almost all stations now overlook the water—and inspires tours of its kitchen. “We are no longer just the behind-the-scenes team, we now interact with our guests,” he says. Today, La Terrazza Gualtiero Marchesi is the only restaurant in Italy to offer Marchesi’s signature dishes.

PHILOSPHY “ I have proudly and humbly adopted Gualtiero Marchesi’s philosophy ‘Form is matter’, and we developed the permanent revolution upon this statement. A conceptual revolution that, once understood, is far from being belligerent, and is sweet rather, if not obvious. As he said, if food is life, the most natural of conditions will be equally divided between desire and emotion. The desire to understand, to learn, capturing the essential and more, but also the emotion, abandonment, every time that food is capable of meeting the necessities of hunger and the pleasure of dining room. Whenever knowledge, need and pleasure are aligned in the same direction, it happens that our idea of tastiness finds its inseparable half and that is the idea of beauty. “

Chef Osvaldo & Gualtiero Marchesi

RESTAURANT

“He passed down a great respect of ingredients in made-toorder dishes,” says Presazzi, who, in addition to his work at the GHT, has collaborated with the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris, Hôtel Martinez and La Palme d’Or restaurants in Cannes and the Four Seasons Hotel in Milan. Presazzi says the new kitchen has enhanced the cooking experience for chefs— almost all stations now overlook the water—and inspires tours of its kitchen. “We are no longer just the behind-thescenes team, we now interact with our guests,” he says. Today, La Terrazza Gualtiero Marchesi is the only restaurant in Italy to offer Marchesi’s signature dishes.

* What type of food, and what influences your dishes?

It’s such a great honour to being in charge of the only restaurant in the world with a menu exclusively featuring the iconic Marchesi dishes that revolutionized Italian cuisine, making it the center of international attention: from Rice and gold and Open ravioli to Grand Antipasto of fish, lobster and maccheroni, Pollockinspired dripping and Red and Black

in homage of Fontana…Marchesi actually called them, “works of art”, that evolve with the seasons. At La Terrazza Gualtiero Marchesi we celebrate the unassailable expertise of the Great Maestro of Italian cuisine and we honor his talent by keeping his precious heritage alive.

* ‘Food’ for you is…?

…the cornerstone of Italian culture and at our iconic hotel we strive to offer guests the opportunity to experience a gastronomic treasure trove of signature dishes, inspirational flavours and local ingredients under the direction of ‘the founder of modern Italian cuisine’ Gualtiero Marchesi…

* ‘Commitment’ & ‘Pride’ means… ?

…that over the years we developed a fruitful partnership between Marchesi’s students. With constancy and commitment, Daniel Canzian, Brendan Becht, Tiziano Rossetti and, in the past three years, Antonio Ghilardi have imparted the philosophy of Marchesi cookery to the Grand Hotel brigade; a philosophy the greatest representatives of modern Italian cuisine were trained in, including Carlo Cracco, Enrico Crippa, Pietro Leemann, Davide Oldani, Andrea Berton and Ernst Knam, which makes us proud!

* What are you ambitions, goals and dreams now?

My dream was fulfilled lasst year by the De Santis family when we built a new kitchen: designed not only to be an organized, functional space to make the many hours the chefs spend at work more pleasant, it also reflects and brings out the elegance of the Grand behind the scenes. Materials of timeless charm take center stage, like Carrara marble, French red marble, Venetian terrazzo flooring and enameled ceramic walls embellished with copper. But the crowning jewel remains the panoramic view over the lake, offering boundless inspiration to the brigade of chefs working to delight their diners.

Lamb shoulder mi Paolo Casagrande

iso composition

Pickled oyster with hibiscus, white garlic and purple shiso granita.

Paolo Casagrande

Stuffed rabbit

Paolo Casagrande

PURE BERLIN

Miles Alexander Watson

creative and innovative…

Miles Alexander Watson

a cooking movement

is seeking to raise the pr

rofile of German cuisine

Love is in the Air

Antonio Bachour

Black Forest impre Antonio Bachour

ession…

His favourite cake…one

Antonio Bachour

e of many!

René’s Chocolate cake

René Frank

Love your des

ert!

René Frank

Turkish delicacy“tavuk gö

milk pudding with shredded chicken! Once a famous delicacy served to Ottoman sultans, they're developing their own version at CODA.

öğsü"

featuring

FOOD: “Cooking and eating is my passion. I have been to too many restaurants where food is worshipped and diners whisper. To me it is more important to cook exciting and inspirational delicious food using the ingredients I love with integrity and perfection. I am a Greek Austrian and this reflects in my dishes and the spirit of the dining room.”

KonstantinFilippou

In 2016, Konstantin Filippou was awarded “Chef of the Year” for his unusual style and his highly individual variety of ideas. After opening in 2013, his restaurant immediately went from zero to three toques. Even in times like these, today's 5-toque chef is not idle. Together with the organic meat supplier Porcella, he cooks readyto-eat dishes in a glass and tries out new recipes at home.

WINE: Natural wine: wine as it should be. An unadorned, multi-faceted and independent character with rough edges. Lively, attractive, but not superficial.

An honest reflection of pure nature and exceptional terroirs. Man as a caring, sustainable and familiar companion, who does not shy at responsibility and respect.

Influence only in harmony with the dynamics of the big picture. Carefully

and mindfully selected winemakers and winegrowers – many of them friends, who give our work meaningful and hopeful motivation.

Together, we try to give the stage it deserves to untouched, individual nature.

DominikGinzinger | Sommelier & Restaurant Manager

* Your favourite canned food?

Sardines.

Sardines! * Which product shouldn't be missing in your shopping basket at the moment?

Running - wi! a safe distance, of course. *How do you stay fit?

* Is there a dish that, with the best will in the world, you cannot eat?

Na!o and soup cubes. Source: gaultmillau.com

Konstantinefilippou

PASSION FOR SUSTAINABLE CUISINE

Private Society for Luxury Hoteliers AFFILIATION BY INVITATION ONLY

Special Feature ! Lyon | France

PAUL BOCUSE

Institut

ru ly

un iq

ue lea rn ing

env iro

nm ent !

“

We lived by the river and loved it. I was always playing outside, hunting, fishing. When I got bad marks at school, I would go fishing and cook it straightaway.

Institut Paul Bocuse, in Lyon, France, trains more than , s t u d e n t s e a ch ye a r, representing nationalities studying on international campuses. From undergraduate through to doctoral level, students on our courses benefit from an innovative teaching approach recognised by the Worldwide Hospitality Awards. In just years, the Institut has been able to develop a unique higher education, research, executive education and career retraining ecosystem. We’ve built our international development strategy upon an

educational hub created in partnership with the best schools and universities in the world and our network of several thousand alumni located in more than countries across the globe. Institut Paul Bocuse is the first-ever private hospitality and food service higher education institution to be fully certified by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation and by the Ministry of Labour with Bachelor degree programmes approved by the French State.

GérardPélisson, Founder and Administrator of the Foundation and President of the Institut Paul Bocuse board of governors since 1998

It has taken a lot of work and a lot of luck to create what I have: work, luck and good health. Yet you cannot have everything you want in life. You have to be a fatalist. I have no regrets.

PaulBocuse

LONDON | UK

20 min. with Marco Pierre White !

HELERI RANDE

Strategist, Curator, Moderator

H my story.

…and a MUST-SEE Gourmet Talk! An Introduction to our HoteliersGuild

LeadingHôteliéres member.

When I was growing up we hosted a lot of guests at our home. Making the menu and setting the table were my absolute favourite tasks. Being hospitable is in my nature.

At the age of 15, during the summer break, I walked into the most popular restaurant in town demanding a waitressing job. They could not really turn me down as I spoke five languages and was clearly very determined. It is the hardest job I've had thus far (and mind you, I did a 6 year stint in Investment Banking). Being on

your feet for sixteen hours straight, listening to endless complaints from clients, and dealing with i n c o m p e t e n t s e a s o n a l s t a ff - t h a t w a s t h e downside. But the aspect that I enjoyed tremendously was hospitality. In the midst of arguing with pastry chefs and yelling at the bar lady, customers loved the café as it provided an experience that mattered. They felt good. And I was part of creating that feeling. That is why after studying Economics and working in banking I decided to return to hospitality because for me that industry has meaning and a deeper sense of purpose, something that 100-hour weeks in cubicle hell, albeit with a very nice pay-check, never had. And I know that many people in our industry feel the same way. I have been extremely privileged to have lived in seven countries and travelled to a hundred more. Throughout those travels I have met incredible chefs, designers, restaurateurs, hoteliers, baristas, marketers and storytellers who I will continue to work with in order to provide unforgettable experiences and world-class services to my clients.

ViewHere

MARIAPajares | MD

TANYAaROSE | FOUNDER

London

MASON ROSE

SALES • PR • DIGITAL • CONNECTIONS • ADVISORY

What are the prime lessons you have learnt from the pandemic experience?

Tanya:

For this issue of ForumOfDialogue, Frank M. Pfaller interviewed Maria and Tanya…

“

I was recently in conversation with Mason Rose Founder, Tanya Rose, and Managing Director, Maria Pajares (Maria is also leading the communications for HoteliersGuild’s newest chapter, LeadingHôteliéres).

As a leading international Communications agency in the luxury hospitality sector, I was interested to hear their thoughts about the past year and, more interestingly, the path that lies ahead

Relationship is everything. Of course we already knew that and it comes as no surprise but it has been gratifying to experience the real meaning of strong and trusted relationships during this challenging time. We have enjoyed very open, ongoing conversations with our clients throughout the past year and navigated a path with each and every one so that we have been able to successfully support each other’s business and goals throughout. One of the first things we did (before zoom webinars became the norm) was to gather our hotel clients and other industry friends on a biweekly video call with key players in the industry to share insights and ideas – this was a private forum (for invited hoteliers only) and we know that this became a lifeline for many at a critical moment in time. As a whole team, each and every one of us at Mason Rose has been focused on communicating regularly with media, trade and a wide circle of industry contacts internationally – we are confident that these strengthened relationships will bear fruit in the future.

Maria: Our team have been extraordinary, demonstrating relentless energy, creativity and resilience – I have received countless positive messages from clients in support of our team throughout this challenging time. This hasn’t surprised me as I know that we are fortunate to have an exceptional team. In return we have done all we can as an agency to support our staff, for example offering flexibility for working parents who are home schooling, organising a network of regular one on one catch up calls to check on wellbeing, continuing with our appraisal system and I’m pleased to say we promoted 2 or 3 members of the team during this time.

Like many businesses, we have learnt valuable lessons which will help us build an even more resilient, flexible business model moving forward, although we have been very fortunate to have weathered the storm well.

What are some of the moments you are most proud of during the past year?

Tanya: We announced an exciting partnership with leading creative agency, Studio Black Tomato, in the summer which was the culmination of years of working together and admiring each other’s work. One of the positives

that has come of this situation is a renewed appetite for individuals and companies to find creative ways to come together and offer the market enhanced services. Together Mason Rose and Studio Black Tomato offer a treasure chest of marketing services from Sales and PR to digital, creative and advisory services. Additionally, we launched Mason Rose Access which brings together under one umbrella our contacts and connections that we have built up over the years, from HNWs to celebrities to brands, cultural institutions and so on and offers our clients direct access to this invaluable network.

Maria: Again, our team have been incredible – their positive attitude has been exempelary and they have provided great support for each other throughout, on a personal and professional level. They have also stretched their imagination and been so creative, finding PR angles and securing coverage at a very difficult time. Having a range of expertise and offering a variety of services has also helped us, particularly in terms of our international coverage. When travel wasn’t possible from the UK we were able, for example, to switch focus to European activities thanks to our presence in other markets. In fact, the growth of our international division is an area we have been very focused on during the past year and this has brough us new clients - it certainly felt like an achievement to bring in new business during such a difficult time.

What is the focus for 2021 onwards – how do you see things playing out?

Tanya:

The vaccine rollout, particularly here in the UK, gives us all a lot of hope. Now with the new administration in the US and the speeding up of the vaccine rollout there also, we are feeling more optimistic about US travel moving forward as well as UK – both markets are really key for the majority of our clients. In terms of trends, we are starting to hear from some of our hotels that bookings from the over 50s in particular are kicking in from May onwards. There is no doubt that the desire to travel is strong and a combination of vaccines/tests/health passports etc will enable travel to gradually pick up again. Our hotels are enabling easy access to tests for guests before returning back home, really acting like much more than a hotel to ensure that the whole journey and travel experience is as seamless and enjoyable as possible

Maria

Most of our planning in terms of marketing and activities is based on a big push from spring onwards. We have a number of exciting developments going on in terms of our business and are looking forward to fulfilling those plans in 2021 and beyond Like everyone, we are looking forward to seeing business and life gradually return and flourish again – and to TRAVEL!

C re! i

WOMEN POWER

“ Ohla Hotel, Barcelona, Spain

Hotel Balzac, Paris, France

The Beaumont Hotel, London, England, UK

Covo dei Saraceni, Positano, Italy

It’s a big world. What do you Prefer? 650 hotels. 85 countries. An infinite number of unique experiences. Explore the entire portfolio at PreferredHotels.com.

LEADING|HÔTELIÉRES

HoteliersGuild has joined the humanitarian vision and efforts by helping those in need of clean wa t e r, s h e l t e r, food and other basic necessities to live, especially children. And we provide support to initiatives that promote ethical luxury travel.

An initiative created by HoteliersGuild, EHL, Institut Paul Bocuse and IUBH under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Sowon Kim, Prof. Dr. Willy Legrand and Prof. Dr. Henri Kuokkanen

MAKING - A - C H A N G E

YoungHôtelièresInsights aims to develop the professional visibility of our young female talent in a

network of established hoteliers and hôteliéres.

EHL’s Women in Leadership, IUBH University of Applied Sciences, and Institut Paul Bocuse share a commitment to promote our top female students in the hospitality industry. Together with HoteliersGuild’s LeadingHôtelierès chapter, we created YoungHôtelièresInsights (YHI), a space dedicated for aspiring female hospitality leaders where they can contribute to our industry with their reflections, ideas, trends and hot topics as viewed by their generation. A compilation of these i n p u t s w i l l b e f e a t u r e d i n t h e H o t e l i e r s G u i l d ForumOfDialogue magazines and LookBooks with the aim to develop the professional visibility of our young female talent in a network of established hoteliers and hôteliéres .

EHL’s Prof. Dr. Sowon Kim and Founder of WIL says: “We focus on female students and from time to time male students here is a thought, we could for example limit to 10-20% of male contribution, and content could be in lines of male championing women (in line with one of our pillars) like for example how they see the contribution of their female peers; this might be eye opening for the established hoteliers reading such a piece and realising why there might be a need for them to change too. From my perspective making the “YoungHotelièresInsights” primary female is not being exclusive but rather in line with the mission of HoteliersGuild’s LeadingHôtelierès chapter. In addition there is a need to be inclusive when a group is a minority which in this case is women in leadership positions. While everyone needs to be promoted is these hard times, the system is heavily biased against women which is the exact reason why less than 5 percent of the top leadership functions across business and politics worldwide are occupied by women, and hence the raison être for HoteliersGuild’s LeadingHôtelierès chapter”

The Start Of Our New FORUMOFDIALOGUE SERIES Featuring Young Future Leaders

Is A University Education The Way To Go In The Hospitality Industry? from Ariane Pogge Student at EHL

Of German nationality, Ariane Pogge is a final year student at EHL who will be graduating in July 2021. With experiences at the Buckingham Palace and AccorInvest, Ariane has a keen interest in Rooms Division & Revenue Management. Ariane is fluent in German and English and has a basic proficiency level in Spanish and French. She is passionate about Interior Design and baking. Ariane Pogge can be reached at ariane.pogge@ehl.ch. Ariane Pogge is a former student of EHL Professor and Women in Leadership Founder Dr. Sowon Kim who co-chairs the LeadingHôtelières Chapter of HoteliersGuild.

HoteliersGuild

I entered the hospitality industry by starting a three-year apprenticeship at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Düsseldorf, Germany. Before committing to a bachelor's program, I wanted to discover whether this was the right industry for me. The apprenticeship ultimately confirmed my intention to build a career in hospitality, aiming to advance quickly up the corporate ladder. Hence, I applied to EHL to help me achieve that goal. Now in my last year, I find myself in a sizeable group of soon-to-be graduates competing for opportunities in the hospitality job market. As I’ve begun to test the job market waters, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, I’m prompted to reflect on the experiences and qualifications I acquired at EHL. Entry-level positions such as Front-Desk Agent would've been perfectly suitable after the completion of my apprenticeship. However, despite the knowledge, transferrable skills, and practical experience gained in my two EHL internships, finding job offers matching my profile has been rather challenging. I certainly don't regret the path I've chosen. It has allowed me to grow and to start a valuable professional network. Nevertheless, I cannot help feeling disillusioned. Indeed, universities must promote their programs and benefits to attract new candidates. However, the somewhat embellished value proposition of an almost guaranteed job offer upon graduation makes young high school graduates all too susceptible to overblown expectations, which could quickly end in a rude awakening. But why is there a mismatch between our expectations from a bachelor's degree and employers' expectations towards us? It is no news that there has been a growing demand for university-level education. OECD stats show that the share of tertiary education attainment has risen from 38% to 52% over the past decade1. To prepare us for employment after graduation, universities are in regular exchange with the industry to continually optimise the curriculum. The fully-accredited Bachelor of Science comprises a range of subjects from Revenue to Hotel Asset Management. Not only do we learn to think strategically, but also to manage interactions in diverse teams. There shouldn't be a gap between our earned capabilities and the industry professionals' expectations. Considering all that, is the resulting graduate what is needed or wanted in the hospitality industry – an industry that has traditionally been rather slow to change and requires you to work up the ranks no matter what the academic qualification might be? The industry's readiness for bright university graduates, or maybe lack thereof, might be one side of the coin. However, I also want to reflect on us – the student body. The mismatch of expectations might originate from an overstated image of our capabilities, leading to inflated expectations for our initial 1 Leybold-Johnson, I. (2019). Vocational training or degree? Employment rates are similar. Retrieved from https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/oecd--education-at-aglance-_vocational-training-or-degree--/45208654

employment opportunities. After all, we realize not everyone can be a top-level executive, but naturally, no one wants to believe they’re the one not cut out for the task. Moreover, the university open days and brochures promising a fast track to success are too tempting to discard the power of a bachelor’s degree – even if vocational training could make someone happier than a corporate-type job.

Where does that leave the future of hospitality education, and how can the gap between young talents’ and employers' needs be closed? The online learning platform typsy.com2 might provide one possible alternative to just vocational training or a pure bachelor’s degree. It aims to “redefine what education really means" to "shrink the size of our degrees," making further education in the hospitality industry more accessible and commonplace. Giving people more options to learn and grow could make this field even more attractive. In the end, however, any qualification will only be worth as much as what we make of it, and success will certainly only come with the right work ethic.

The Start Of Our New FORUMOFDIALOGUE SERIES Featuring Young Future Leaders

On the way to net-zero emissions from Gaiane Herrero Student at EHL

HoteliersGuild

Before Covid19, the hospitality industry accounted for around 10% of our global economy. In 2019, no less than 15'000 hotels were in the pipeline attesting to the industry growth and place in our society (Hotel Management). In such a thriving industry implemented changes can have a global impact not only on its activities but also on other industries. As we face difficult times with the Covid19 and the climate change crises, it is time for us as an industry to take a stand and inspire others with our actions. The hospitality industry must change to strive in the long-term and has the chance to inspire others by doing so. Despite the difficult situation preventing hotels, restaurants, and events from operating smoothly, field actors can take the chance to prepare properly for the future. As the current crisis forces us to reconsider our ways of designing service and experience, we also have to face climate deregulation. Travel and tourism's role in it are pushing the industry to adapt and evolve. In our situation, reducing hotels’ and restaurants’ energy consumption is the right thing to do; however, it does not make up for the whole situation. Indeed, reducing is not offsetting and focusing solely on this part will fall short of reaching the net-zero carbon emissions goal. Using less energy and generating less carbon emissions are critical parts of the final objective. For now, not all carbon emissions can be avoided in our growing industry; reducing the operation's emissions is insufficient due to a significant lack of sustainable alternatives. Therefore, to reach the net-zero emissions goal throughout the hospitality industry, we must find ways to offset the carbon emissions of construction or customers' travel, for example. Nowadays, technological initiatives are developed to capture CO2 out of the atmosphere to help our ecosystem survive and support our economy in fighting climate change. Significant research has focused on new processes that pull CO2 out of the atmosphere to store it underground (see companies such as Climeworks, Drax or Carbon Engineering). Unfortunately, today these new technologies are still in development. In the meantime, hospitality actors can consider partnering up with other better-known and more developed initiatives, such as companies that restore ecosystems, potentialize the ocean's capability to store the CO2, help new more sustainable agriculture techniques, or use biomass in construction (Net Zero Climate). By joining the UN's Race to Zero, companies can set themselves on the track to more sustainable operations thanks to more precise guidelines and better-defined objectives (UNFCCC).

The hospitality industry has already created or partnered with concepts to reduce carbon emissions and energy usage. For example, by putting in place simple concepts like avoiding washing linen every day or giving part of their profit to NGOs that reforest areas of our planet. It thus made the first step towards more sustainable operations. Partnering with or investing in the initiatives mentioned earlier would come as a second step reinforcing our industry's reaction to our society's current challenges. Younger generations always expect more engagement from companies on climate change. Therefore, besides taking a stand to preserve our ecosystem in the long term, engaging in a path to net-zero emissions is a way to secure clientele in the long term.

The Start Of Our New FORUMOFDIALOGUE SERIES Featuring Young Future Leaders

Personalization in a Covid-19 World from Ana Gabriela Schupp Student at EHL

Of German nationality, Ana Gabriela Schupp is a final year student at EHL who will be graduating in July 2021. With experiences at the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois in Switzerland and Neodent in Brazil, Ana Gabriela has a keen interest in Finance and working with data. Ana Gabriela is fluent in German, English, Spanish, Portuguese and has a basic proficiency level in French. Having lived in Germany, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, and Brazil, she is passionate about travel, horseback riding and challenging herself in sports. Ana Gabriela can be reached at anagabriela.schupp@ehl.ch. Ana Gabriela Schupp is a former student of EHL Professor and Women in Leadership Founder Dr. Sowon Kim who co-chairs the

HoteliersGuild

In an era where technology has facilitated access to data, consumers are increasingly aware of the tradeoffs between personalized experiences and their privacy. Data gathering and predictive analysis have created a paradox between privacy and personalization. Yet, are we personalizing brand interactions at the cost of consumer privacy? This question will continue to gain traction in a post Covid-19 world. The pandemic has accelerated the volume of digital bookings and purchases. Physical storefronts and travel agencies have been severely impacted, with a "new normal" signifying digitalization over tradition. While the move online provides an opportunity to maximize personalized marketing efforts, it will also heighten consumer privacy concerns. The usage of advanced analytics to reach consumers with the right messages has been widely accepted in the industry. For the F&B sector, predictive analysis has provided opportunities to personalize product recommendations, while for travel it has enabled imagery to be specifically adjusted to different segments (Wiener, et al. 2020). To survive in the competitive online landscape, brands must learn to further leverage online channels, while safeguarding consumer data. Now more than ever, personalization will be essential to drive value and maximize visibility. One new consideration is the increasing prevalence of just-in-time personalization. Market share will belong to the companies that are able to adapt to the shifts in demand, based on "high-frequency leading indicators". Data analytics provides real time data on consumer spending, coupled with latest search trends and web traffic information. With the uncertainty of the recovery trajectory, this information provides valuable insight for businesses to identify key markets and aid with capacity planning. Access to consumer data will be a driver in managing digital spending and promotions towards the right markets (Wiener, et al, 2020). Likewise, there will be a need for "data driven decisions" and "digital speed" in reallocating capital, while being "ready to reinvent" by investing in technology (McKinsey, 2020). One stellar example is Starbucks' ability to utilize data across geographies to plan reopenings and understand demand patterns for their drive-through sales (Walton, 2020). Yet, the success of these initiatives will depend on content delivery and the extent to which customers feel comfortable with the level of personalization. To add value, companies must employ these strategies overtly. When consumers consciously disclose information and receive sufficient justification and rewards, they are more accepting of data collection (Aguirre et al., 2016). The diminished risk perception allows businesses to ethically collect data in exchange for a privacy price, namely personalized offers and discounts. On the other hand, covert strategies create negative consumer reactance due to skepticism about how their information was retrieved (Chen et al., 2018). By impeding customers from protecting sensitive information, such as locations, purchases and stream history, companies risk straining these relationships (Aguirre et al., 2016). Thus, if implemented correctly, the shift online provides a valuable opportunity to leverage data. To tap into the benefits of personalization systems, while mitigating the risk perceptions, data collection strategies must be employed overtly. The effects of Covid-19 on digitalization are here to stay and adaptation will be vital to ensure the longevity of businesses and customer relationships.

References Aguirre, E. Roggeveen, A. & Wetzels, M. (2016). The personalization-privacy paradox: implications for new media. The Journal of Consumer Marketing; Santa Barbara, 33(2), 98-110. doi:10.1108/ JCM-06-2015-1458 Chen, Q. Feng, Y. Liu, L. & Tian, X. (2018). Understanding consumers’ reactance of online personalized advertising: A new scheme of rational choice from a perspective of negative effects. International Journal of Information Management 44, 53–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2018.09.001 McKinsey & Company (2020). How six companies are using technology and data to transform themselves. Retrieved from : https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/how-sixcompanies-are-using-technology-and-data-to- transform-themselves Walton, C. (2020). 3 Ways Starbucks Will Emerge From COVID-19 Stronger Than Before. Retrieved from : https://www.forbes.com/sites/ christopherwalton/2020/04/03/3-ways-starbucks-will-emerge-from-covid-19-stronger-than- before/?sh=216406191844 Wiener, L., Abraham, M., & Colgan, M. (2020) Three Personalization Imperatives During the Crisis. Retrieved from : www.bcg.com/en- br/publications/2020/three-personalization-imperatives-during-covid-crisis

The Concept While governments and NGOs in developing countries are committed to reducing the unemployment of women, the private sector is committed to becoming more inclusive and socially responsible, we are preparing unemployed women from less privileged economic backgrounds to tackle both challenges! https://www.evolvinwomen.com

Dear Frank I founded Evolvin’ Women in 2017 and since then, we have been helping the private sector set and manage long-term socially responsible activities with demonstrated impact. Evolvin’ Women has specifically been helping the hospitality industry in the UAE embed social responsibility in its HR models. With operations in Ghana, Ethiopia, Rwanda, South Africa and Zambia, the organisation offers the first international hospitality skill development programme to unemployed women from developing areas in Africa who have had limited access to quality education and job opportunities. Our goal is to ultimately help them build elevated livelihoods that contribute to their communities as well as their own lives. I would like to sincerely thank you for the privilege to join the HoteliersGuilds LeadingHôtelières Chapter, and I hope that my experience can contribute to your cause. Being part of various initiatives and projects in gender equality, sustainability, and social entrepreneurship, as well as supporting the United Nations Global Impact, and speaking at international conferences, I look forward to exchanging knowledge with global hospitality leaders and professionals and gaining invaluable insights from this collaboration. Thank you again for your consideration. I am confident that many years of fruitful contribution and mutual success are on the horizon.

Keep evolvin’ Assia Riccio Founder & CEO Evolvin’ Women

Our socially responsible solution A social enterprise at heart, we create and manage initiatives in developing countries that enable organisations to offer skill development placements to unemployed women from rural areas, where political, economic or social circumstances have prohibited or limited their access to professional development and full-time job opportunities.

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A PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES PRO-BONO PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT TO OWNERS AND DEVELOPERS OF ECO-LUXURY HOTELS & RETREATS.

Dear Friends & Colleagues Warm greetings from HoteliersGuild’s Member Services

In 2020, we

shall further concentrate on our professional relationship with independent owners and operators of private luxury hotels & retreats

a deeper understanding of all you can get out of your membership with HoteliersGuild It is very important to us that you have

So without further ado, let us point your attention to our

SENIOR HOTELIERS INITIATIVE that offers certain pro-bono services to independent colleagues and provide you a few more tips to take full advantage of your HoteliersGuild membership

submit introductions to hoteliers who may be interested to join our private society. And for your information, we may also consider favorables grants for nonmembers upon availability of one or more of our Senior Please also note that you are welcome to

Hoteliers partners! Do contact us, and we’d be happy to answer any questions you may have!

And, of course, we are happy to assist members with our private executive search and staff exchange programs in place with international member hoteliers

1 to become a member go to wholeworldwater.co

https://www.wholeworldwater.co

EDUCATION is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world “I love your approach and the focus on noble causes.” says HoteliersGuild member Paul Bruce-Brand, GM of The

“The Click Foundation is very much part of our DNA at Ellerman House. It is a literacy programme which we started and presently have over 70 000 kids on the program in 98 schools. See the link Click Foundation – teaching our nation to read, one child at a time.”

E l l e r m a n H o u s e , C a p e To w n .

78% of Grade 4 Learners Can't Read for Meaning. The Click Foundation deploys online English literacy programmes in underprivileged primary schools across South Africa. The programmes offer young learners the opportunity to work at their own pace through fun and enjoyable activities, navigating their learning journey by means of

ArtAngels Initiative

“It was a wonderful privilege to open the doors of Ellerman House to our friends and supporters of the 11th ArtAngels event: a celebration of South African art, food and wine. This year’s event raised a staggering R2.7 million that will be used directly to address the literacy crisis and support the arts in South Africa. Once again, we have been overwhelmed by the generosity of spirit that surrounds this initiative – from the artists who so graciously donated their magnificent works to assist us in raising funds, to our suppliers and sponsors who gave of their time and services to support this event and to our many guests who continue to support ArtAngels and the work of the Click Foundation. Our gratitude cannot be adequately expressed here.”

THE LAMPI FOUNDATION “Through eco-tourism, Wa Ale pledges to annually donate 20% of net profits and 2% of room revenues from Wa Ale to the Lampi Foundation”

Shinta Mani’s community activities began in 2004 with the opening of the Shinta Mani Hotel and Institute of Hospitality on the grounds of Shinta Mani Angkor, a boutique hotel owned by Mr. Sokoun. This innovative program, which received international recognition for its efforts, trained underprivileged Cambodians in aspects of worldclass hotel operations on a free of charge basisproviding them the skills to secure employment and a brighter future