Interview with Remco Groenhuijzen, General Manager of Sofitel Legend the Grand Amsterdam
True to its name, the Sofitel Legend the Grand Amsterdam is one of Amsterdam’s most legendary 5-star hotels, dating back since 1578. Having welcomed such guests as the de Medicis back in the day, the hotel is deeply anchored in the history of Amsterdam. Today the hotel is operated under the Accor Sofitel label, allowing […]
The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai and its family-oriented offerings
At the latest ILTM event in Shanghai, I had the privilege of discovering and stay at the Ritz-Carlton Pudong, which is unquestionably one of the city’s finest hotels. Opened in 2010 during the Shanghai World Expo, the Ritz-Carlton Shanghai offers an ideal location in the heart of the city, topped off by a spectacular panoramic […]
The Art of Welcoming at the Ritz-Carlton Kyoto
I attended the 2017 edition of the ILTM Conference in Cannes, where I had the occasion to discover some extraordinary hotel brands. One of these was the Ritz-Carlton in Kyoto, Japan. Nestled along the banks of the Kamogawa river and featuring spectacular views of the Higashiyama Mountain, the Ritz-Carlton Kyoto offers the classic Ritz-Carlton service […]
The Art of Welcoming at the Raffles
I attended the 2017 edition of the ILTM Conference in Cannes, where I had the occasion to discover some extraordinary hotel brands. Luxury hotel brands often play a fine gamble between maintaining a core brand identity through a historically iconic collection while seeking to reinterpret and translate that identity into new locations around the world. […]
Security in luxury hotels: What are the risks? What are the solutions?
The past two decades have seen a global increase in catastrophic events (terrorism, natural disasters, etc.), giving rise to growing public demand for an approach that takes security into greater account. This trend has not spared luxury hotels, which have found themselves obliged to adopt ever higher levels of security and resilience. So what exactly […]
The Art of Welcoming at The Peninsula Chicago: Interview with Maria Razumich-Zec
I met with Maria Razumich-Zec, General Manager of The Peninsula Chicago. Mrs Razumich-Zec joined the Peninsula Group as General Manager of The Peninsula Chicago in 2002 and was promoted to the position of Regional Vice-President – USA East Coast in 2007, with regional responsibilities covering The Peninsula Hotels in Chicago and New York, and Quail […]
The Art of Welcoming at the Ryokan Collection
I discovered the Ryokan Collection, the world’s first consortium of luxury ryokans, which are traditional Japanese inns and small luxury hotels. These small, family-run inns, many of them clustered in hot spring towns throughout Japan, have, over the centuries, developed Japan’s special art of hospitality, called omotenashi. Today, there are over 50,000 ryokans throughout Japan […]
The Restoration of the Raffles Hotel Singapore
I attended the 2017 edition of the ILTM Conference in Cannes, where I had the occasion to discover exciting developments in the luxury hotel world. One such exciting development is the long-awaited renovation of the legendary Raffles Hotel in Singapore. Below you will find my interview on this subject with Christian Westbeld, General Manager of […]
The Art of Welcoming at Leela Palaces
I attended the ILTM Conference in Cannes, where I had the occasion to discover some extraordinary hotel brands. Luxury hotel brands often play a fine gamble between maintaining a core brand identity through a historically iconic collection while seeking to reinterpret and translate that identity into new locations around the world. One excellent example of […]
The Art of Welcoming at Worldhotels
I attended the 2017 edition of the ILTM Conference in Cannes, where I had the occasion to discover some extraordinary hotel brands. Luxury hotel brands often play a fine gamble between maintaining a core brand identity through a historically iconic collection while seeking to reinterpret and translate that identity into new locations around the world. […]
The Art of Welcoming at Peninsula Beverly Hills
I met with Offer Nissenbaum, the Managing Director of Peninsula Beverly Hills. Mr. Nissenbaum has held this position since December 2007, before which he was Regional Vice President of Operations for the NYC-based Omni Hotels, overseeing eight properties on the East Coast. Most recently, Offer received the coveted “Hotelier of the Year” Award by Virtuoso, […]
Palaces according to TAJ Hotels
I attended the 2017 edition of the ILTM Conference in Cannes. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet hoteliers from all over the world and discover new ways of imagining the art of welcoming. In France, we often take the notion of 5-star hotels and Palaces for granted. To the French ear, the term ‘Palace’ […]
The Growth of the Four Seasons Hotels
I attended the 2017 edition of the ILTM Conference in Cannes, where I had the occasion to discover exciting developments in the luxury hotel world. Luxury hotel brands often play a fine gamble between maintaining a core brand identity through a historically iconic collection while seeking to reinterpret and translate that identity into new locations […]
The Art of Welcoming at Anantara Hotels and Resorts
I attended the ILTM Conference in Cannes, where I had the occasion to discover some extraordinary hotel brands. Luxury hotel brands often play a fine gamble between maintaining a core brand identity through a historically iconic collection while seeking to reinterpret and translate that identity into new locations around the world. One excellent example of […]
New Developments in Europe Announced by the Mandarin Oriental
I attended the 2017 edition of the ILTM Conference in Cannes, where I had the occasion to discover exciting developments in the luxury hotel world. Luxury hotel brands often play a fine gamble between maintaining a core brand identity through a historically iconic collection while seeking to reinterpret and translate that identity into new locations […]
Sustainability for luxury hotels according to Onno Poortier
I attended the 2017 edition of the ILTM Conference in Cannes. The conference brought together some of the world’s leading hoteliers and experts in hospitality to collectively work through the biggest themes and challenges facing the industry. One issue that I have been very passionate about over the years is the subject of sustainable development […]
Maintaining the Brand Integrity of AccorHotels
I attended the 2017 edition of the ILTM Conference in Cannes, where I had the occasion to discover exciting developments in the luxury hotel world. Luxury hotel brands often play a fine gamble between maintaining a core brand identity through a historically iconic collection while seeking to reinterpret and translate that identity into new locations […]
The Art of Welcoming at Banyan Tree Shanghai on the Bund
Interview with Glen Cook, General Manager of Banyan Tree Shanghai on the Bund Named after the Banyan tree that is celebrated for providing shelter to weary travelers in Thailand, Banyan Tree is perhaps better known today as a unique brand bringing together a family of luxury hotel and resort brands. Since its beginnings in Thailand, […]
Introducing KHOS™ by Rosewood
During my time at the latest 2017 edition of the ILTM Conference in Cannes, I had the pleasure of attending Rosewood Hotel’s annual announcement of the group’s latest news and developments in their hotel projects. I was particularly thrilled to hear the group’s announcement of the very latest label addition to their hotel portfolio. Below […]
Digital Technology at Langham Hotels
I attended the 2017 edition of the ILTM Conference in Cannes. Over the course of the program, I sought out numerous hoteliers and hospitality experts to discover the latest emerging themes and challenges in the luxury hotel industry. One theme that has fascinated me over the years is the subject of digital technology. It is […]
Digital Technology in Worldhotels
I attended the 2017 edition of the ILTM Conference in Cannes. Over the course of the program, I sought out numerous hoteliers and hospitality experts to discover the latest emerging themes and challenges in the luxury hotel industry. Below you will find my interview on the subject with Markus Mueller, Vice President of Global Marketing […]