The Art Of welcoming The art of welcoming in the Middle East and in Asia does not follow local customs, but instead prioritizes a highly international approach. What is your view on the French art of welcoming? In France, 90% of the products that I serve are French. And yet, when I look at the […]
Interview with Aldo Melpignano, General Manager of Hotel Borgo Egnazia On a recent trip to Hotelspa Forum, I had the privilege of meeting with Aldo Melpignano, who helped me discover Hotel Borgo Egnazia. Located in Puglia in Italy, Hotel Borgo Egnazia has created an authentic art of welcoming to help people achieve wellness and discover […]
In May 2018, the iconic Hotel Martinez reopened its doors following 18 months of work, including 4 months in which the establishment was closed to the public. This construction work entailed a true rebirth for this iconic hotel, which has been in service since 1929. A new positioning, new image, new brand: this is an […]
I recently had the privilege of meeting with Sir Rocco Forte, the paterfamilias behind the luxury hotel group under his name: Rocco Forte Hotels. He helped me discover the unique art of welcoming at Rocco Forte Hotels. Many affluent travelers now want more in a hotel. They want some expertise on the destination and the […]
I was recently at ILTM, which brings together many of the finest hotel groups from around the globe. At the occasion, I was able to discover Trump Hotels. What is the history behind the brand? Our first hotel in our portfolio was Trump Central Park in New York. It’s been open for 21 years now. […]
How do you envision the future of luxury? The habits of our clients change very often. The strength of a brand or a company is to adjust very quickly and be very agile. In order to do so, you first need to grasp the expectations of the guest, meaning you need to spend some time […]
Service Professions: “Japan and Service” in Partnership with the association O’Service This organization led by Denis Courtiade is devoted to restoring meaning and value to service careers. The organization holds as its objective to unite agents working in the French service profession to better advise service professionals of today and the future. Today I’d like […]
The art of welcoming guest … Welcoming friends, family, clients, partners—all of these form occasions for an exchange of sensual and intellectual pleasures that, in France, bring out the best in standards, beauty, refinement, rituals, and sophistication, not to mention lightheartedness, excellence, and courtesy. This page is aimed at sharing the various codes, customs, signs, […]
The staff team: The heart of the Palace Experience I recently met with François Delahaye, General Manager of the Dorchester Collection. Like a fine symphony maestro, he leads the hotels in the Collection: Plaza Athénée, the Meurice in Paris, The Dorchester in Londres, The Beverly Hills Hotel and the Bel-Air Hotel in Los Angeles, Hotel […]
Interview with Lindsey Ueberroth She is the Chief Executive Officer of Preferred Hotels & Resorts and a member of its Board of Directors. Since joining the company in 2004, Lindsey has helped solidify the position of Preferred Hotels & Resorts as an iconic global hospitality brand, a preferred partner for independent hotels, and a trusted […]
Is there such a thing as a distinctly French style of hospitality? It was around the 19th century that the first Palaces appeared. In Paris, Hotel Meurice ranks among the oldest (it was established in 1835). In the 19th century, it was the only hotel available for welcoming wealthy travelers in Paris until the […]
Compared to the past, our lifestyles tend to undergo change more rapidly. The trend of the moment quickly becomes outdated. The codes that are in one day are replaced the next. What was true two years ago is no longer true today—and particularly so in the world of luxury hotels. Globalization has imposed its standards […]
Xavier Destribats, Chief Operating Officer at The Americas at Kempinski Hotels Xavier Destribats oversees operations in The Americas, a fast-growing region of strategic significance for Kempinski, as a Member of the Management Board of Kempinski Hotels SA. In this role, Xavier has dual responsibility: on the one hand, strengthening the company’s position and building momentum in […]
I’ve meet Josh Lesnick when he was the president and CEO of Associated Luxury Hotels, the parent company of Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI) and WorldHotels. He left the company to pursue other options. He is a 30-year-plus hospitality industry veteran ! Can you introduce WorldHotels? We operate two businesses. First we have WorldHotels, which has a nice luxury […]
I recently had the privilege of meeting with Ralph Radtke and we’ve shared our hotel vision during the ILTM show. He was named General Manager of the Ciragan Palace Kempinski a few years ago. Do you have any advice for students to wish to enter the hospitality industry? If you decide to go into this great […]
Interview with Monique Dekker, General Manager of the Park Hyatt Vienna On a recent trip to Vienna, I had the privilege of discovering the Park Hyatt Vienna. It is a wonderful recent addition to the Park Hyatt portfolio, with a unique quality: it is the first Park Hyatt to open in a historic, refurbished building. […]
Ralph Radtke, a man with nearly 40 years in the hotel industry across 15 different countries to his name, is a sizeable reference guide for this industry. Following a noteworthy career path as General Manager of Sofitel, Director of Operations in Accor Hotels in Luxembourg and a nomination to Vice President across 15 Sofitel hotels […]
…and what it means to be a palace in 2020 A true Palace is one that brings together under one roof the best talents. Everything must be in place on site in order to deliver the best products and services. For instance, when it comes to food, it must have a bakery, a pastry chef, […]
Neil Jacobs is the CEO at Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas. With over three decades of experience in the operation, development and transactional side of hotels and spas, Neil is passionate about wellness, sustainability, inventive design, food and experiential travel. What are some upcoming projects for this year? We have lots in wellness. We launched an […]
Denis Courtiade is the manager of the Restaurant at the Plaza Athénée as well as the President of the organization Ô’Services. The organization ensures the promotion of service careers in restaurants. As DELPORTE Hospitality will be a partner of the organization O’Services, I will be publishing interviews with the main figures of the organization. I leave you […]
Matthew Upchurch is a travel industry visionary with a lifetime of experience in numerous sectors of the field; he has led Virtuoso to become the top luxury travel network in the world. Matthew was named to the American Society of Travel Agents Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Cruise Lines International Association Hall of Fame in […]
