TOP TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR PROFESSIONALS!

Commandments are those revered principles that guide us on to the right path, nudge us back into action and advise us on the universally respected do’s and don’ts.  Every time we hit a roadblock – the external ravages on our time or the internal gnawing that end up being so detrimental to our productivity, it makes sense to reflect on the professional commandments to be the guiding light in times of professional overcast-ness.

Here is a quick list of Top Ten Commandments to breathe new energy into your work lives and to help you revisit your work practices in order to make your professional ride less bumpy and more rewarding. One wise tip – this is a list that we should be sensible and astute enough to keep.

      Pic. courtesy - Armene

     SMILE WHEN SPEAKING ON THE PHONE

We, as hoteliers, have been told the importance of the above innumerable times. And this does not just hold good for Guest Relations or Sales staff. It applies to all – whether you open doors, carry luggage, devise strategies, cook award winning meals, pour the glass of expensive wine or sit in the corner office managing the entire show.

It is a proven fact and a golden rule of training that people can ‘see’ you smile over a telephonic conversation. And smiling when speaking on the phone (and in these times on Skype, chats, Vimeo or what have you) is a surefire clincher for a deal and the super glue that has the propensity to seal your business relationship.

Whether you are a PR person, a journalist, a service provider, a client, a telecaller, a smile is the perfect bridge over which you should lug your professional wares; even when dishing out something that may not be too palatable.

     

            

    REPLY / RESPOND / REVERT

No matter how busy you are and which chair you fill up, there is just no excuse for you not to reply to anything addressed to you. In fact, it is plain bad manners if you don’t.

I once had a boss who would respond to everybody on every message that he received – himself and not through his secretary – even as he ran one hell of a busy show at work. One great lesson I learned from him – as long as you respond, even with a word or a line you have covered a lot of ground.

And today, with all those smart phones, palm tops, voice-controlled software occupying our communication space, there is just no getting away from minding this facet of our professional p’s and q’s.

                                                               Pic. Courtesy - idasouth

      

     BE COURTEOUS

Actually, what triggered the thought process for this piece was a brief and hugely curt (impinging on rude) exchange with a career consultant. Yes, you heard me right! A consultant who earns his bread and butter from dealing with clients in an extremely people-centric job profile! The person on the other side had given out her name as the contact person to a job posted out; which means that she was willing to receive queries or had been put in this role by her superior – in both cases it was her job to handle such queries. Our conversation started with an abrupt verbal whack of a crude ‘Yes’ as the manner of addressing a phone call and stayed largely monosyllabic in content and monotonic in character. The result of this acerbic dialogue was, as expected, unpleasant – the lady with her un-lady like and unprofessional behaviour teased out the aggressive side of me, put herself in a spot where she could have been flagellated, set the unfriendly tone for the conversation which she would have difficulty in retracting, formed an image of her in my mind that told me that either she was not happy with her job or with what she was asked to do or simply that she was not a happy and pleasant person in the first place.

In the area of hospitality, we are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen; as the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company so beautifully describes. And this holds true for every service sector; actually to the non-service ones too. I am reminded of the patriarch of the Indian hotel industry, who I have had the pleasure and privilege to work with and who would always address me in his rich baritone as ‘Ms. Dhir’ – an employee on some rung on the executive ladder in one of his hotels. He set a fine example and chalked out a wonderful template to be emulated by all his employees, whichever of his hotels they worked in, in whatever country.

If you are taking the trouble to step out from the cozy comfort of your hearth and go out into the big bad and competitive world of work – to make a name or living or moolah or all – you owe it to the world and your professional persona to be courteous, always, even when your patience, intellect, wit and wisdom are sorely tried. There is just no other way, buddy.

     

             

     BE GRATEFUL

In the professional cosmos, attitude enjoys the same pride of place as does aptitude. And your attitude will be defined to a large extent by this basic approach to life. You have a job, a good job that pays you well, recognizes your contribution and allows you to grow; then there is a lot going for you to be grateful for. In the cosmic sphere of work and in life itself, it pays to be karmic and somewhat spiritual about the station you are placed in and the destination you are driving towards.

What the heck, in today’s times of global recession and retrenchment, just having a job that pays is one hell of a reason to be grateful for.

A sense of gratitude will keep you grounded and help you not be a stuffed shirt that nobody ever likes. Besides, the attitude you throw into the Universe always comes back to haunt or enchant you, as the case may be.

Pic. Courtesy - Godfrey Phillips India

BE A CORPORATE SOCIAL CITIZEN

With the shrunk global boundaries and innumerable bridges built on the information superhighway and business networks, you cannot just keep yourself isolated in your corner of the office in that part of the world.

With protests playing out on Twitter, causes finding windows of visibility on Facebook, issues being thrashed out in intellectually stimulated forums on LinkedIn, stay aloof at your own risk.

Now, much more than before, there is enough opportunity for us to align ourselves with causes that speak to us and in the process get our organizations involved. Being responsible and conscientious as an individual paves the way; and getting all that corporate muscle of your organization behind you provides a remarkable fillip to the causes espoused.

Warren Buffet, Bill and Melinda Gates, Azim Premji, Oprah Winfrey are known as much for their philanthropic pursuits as for their business acumen and for appearing on the lists of World’s most famous, most influential and rich. With such examples before us, why wouldn’t we want to join the league! 

NO WATER COOLER MOMENTS OF ADDING TO THE GRAPEVINE

We have been told by our mothers first and then by our bosses, that what goes around comes around. If you dish the muck out, it is bound to splatter on you.

No matter how much relief, momentary pleasure or feeling of getting back to somebody this nasty habit brings, we should resist this sordid escape route from stress and look out for brighter, more positive and fruitful avenues to make it a win-win situation.

I cherish the reputation I have built on honesty, integrity, hard and clean work. I am not willing to compromise that and I am, certain, no well-bred professional worth his salt would wish to. 

When we have so many positive and exciting choices available to vent out our ire – social media for one; when there are discussion forums where we can share our feedback and learn from others’ experiences in a positively motivated manner away from the pettiness; then why would I want to be known as the person who cannot be trusted, who has a weak mouth and a weaker gut.

POLISH UP THE ABC OF MY BEHAVIOUR

My behavior is a reflection of my personality. My behavior is a wholesome whole of the subsets of my thoughts, prejudices and beliefs. With this monumental legacy straddling on my behavior, I cannot afford to shortchange it for something less exemplary. Besides, I can only control my actions guided by my behavior and cannot be held responsible for other’s reactions. Hence, I better learn to keep my yard clean first.

Here’s my crisp ABC -

Enthusiasm in my Attitude – as it helps me be more productive, is infectious, assists me in sailing through choppy seas at work and rise and shine even when it’s overcast.

Buddy Up with the team and bulldoze to tease out the best talent in all so that the common pool of excellence always strives to create, innovate and perform remarkably. 

Compassion in my Character – It is an age old Tao that I have no business to judge others unless and until I have walked their unique paths. Just as in life, in the sanitized sanctum of office too, we need to show compassion to our peers, our subordinates and yes to our bosses as well.

BE RESPONSIBLE

For my words, for my actions, for my portfolio, for my team and its actions. And never think of passing the buck. With responsibility come great rewards, greater recognition and a far bigger sense of accomplishment.

When we get into our careers, we always anticipate an upward growing graph which is the barometer of what we learn along the way and more importantly, how much and of what value we contribute back. It is being responsible that puts us in a happily receptive place for greater heights and hurrahs.

  
BE CLEAR IN MY COMMUNICATION

No adding to the confusion. No being verbose, needlessly. No increasing the information overload without the gravitas. No using unnecessary jargon.

Whatever be your line of expertise and choice of vocation, clarity in communication is one of your biggest assets. It helps you be unambiguous and be clearly understood. Plus all that headache and loss of time you save yourself from when something is said and something completely else is unwittingly grasped. What a nightmare of an office situation that is!

BE A SOLUTION SEEKER TO THE PROBLEM AND NOT BE THE PART OF THE PROBLEM

There are enough of us releasing hot air in meetings, raking up issues on email, taking to the equivalent of temper tantrums at work; instead of bringing calm to a turbulent situation, soothing out frayed nerves, bringing sense to the table, giving solace to team members and generally being the ‘sweep soul staff’ who could endeavour to keep the place clean, harmonious and balanced on an even keel.

There will always be problems at work – personnel-related, business-centric, performance (or the lack thereof) – led, market-induced, competition-created, economic, political, even ethnic or religiously motivated. What will make you stand out as a leader will be your accent on these situations, the ability to right the wrong, the perspicacity to influence others, to assist the management to steer to more stable waters and above-all to add to the bottomline as problems unhandled or mishandled are directly proportional to business adversely affected.

Have a wonderful journey on your careerway and continue to be the star, both as a person and a professional!

Picture courtesy - Google Images and www.deviantart.com 

**********

Top Ten Things a Professional Should Have Close By!

Work life in a hotel is an over loaded zone - in respect to its impact on us, both physical and psychological. Once we become hoteliers there is little else that occupies our mindspace; it is that engulfing, in terms of job interest and inclination. On the flip side, it is an all-consuming role with its 24-hour, a place-that-never-goes-to-sleep nature.

With high levels of excitement, energy, challenges, commotion, frayed nerves and roller coaster days, it makes sense to be in an ever-ready position at all times, endeavouring to make the best of every situation and present the most competent ‘you' to everybody and everything. Here follows a list of things that you should always keep around you at work. After all; opportunity, luck and success are the closest cousins of positive outlook, openmindedness, talent and hard work.

1.    Toothpaste and Brush — When you work in hotels, you are forever entertaining. A breakfast meeting with the visiting dignitaries, a Press lunch, High Tea for a charity do, drinks with an artist you are planning an event with, dinner with the foreign FAM group. With this sort of agenda, you are also showcasing your specialty restaurants and bars to the invitees. So, what do you do, when in the need to promote your hotel, you have OD'ed on garlic, galangal, lemongrass, scallion, wine, mojito? You take cover in your two-minute dental routine, making yourself more liveable with yourself and more importantly others.

2.    Mirror — I and my good looking French boss were alighting in the elevator from his third and a quarter mezzanine floor ivory tower to the Lobby to meet the internationally recognized hot shot Travel editor. Boss man stole a few quick glances in the elevator mirror to straighten his tie and neaten up his hair before we disembarked to meet the doyen. The man would not have had a hair out of place for this meeting or any other.
As hoteliers, we are constantly in the limelight, welcoming heads of state, movie stars, sporting legends, artists, media into our fold. In other walks of life too but much more so in the hospitality industry, one must always be spruced up and look the role at all times.

Therefore, get a mirror hung on the back of your office door. And if you still have some time to get an office of your own then keep a hand mirror in your bag or drawer.

Pic. Courtesy - Facist, Deviantart.com

3.    Back scratcher — An itch is one thing that is not in your control. It could be started by an extraneous or internal trigger that you have no power over. And when the itch strikes you, you must attend to it. Here's one situation that cannot be postponed even by the finest procrastinator. And there is that certain spot on your back that even the thinnest of us cannot reach.

That's where a good, sturdy Back scratcher comes in handy. I picked a nice, wooden one with the hand shaped rather well from Singapore all those years back and it has stood me in good stead for a long long time, saving me from embarrassment and giving me instant relief.

4.    Smile — This is the most important of all. Hotel jobs are amongst the most stressful, round-the-clock and drive-you-crazy jobs. And yes, thankless too. The boss, nay bosses will always be on your head, the peers and subordinates will make the road tough to negotiate and the customers — those demanding set who you will displease at your own peril — will want everything here and now. Hence, the best recourse is to have a bag full of smiles stashed away in your pocket, ready to be pulled out and plastered on your face regardless of how you feel within.

The best part of even fake smiles is that they soon become real sweeping both your demeanour and mind with a feel-good mental broom.

5.    Outfit — As a hotelier, especially in all front-of-the-house functions, you invariably have an event to organize and attend several times in a month - from GM's cocktails to formal dinners and events of larger scale. Keep a change of formal dress, pieces of jewellery and shoes close-at-hand for a quick turnaround.  
Also, mentioning ‘face repair' kits and signature fragrance might seem redundant but it completes the picture.
In hotels, you don't have the luxury of coming home to doll up and return. So keeping all this accessible will ensure that you stay looking like your high profile brand, your confidence level is on a high and that the entire evening goes smooth and glitch-free.

For the men too, a change of shirt, dressy cufflinks, jazzier tie take you a long way in becoming an impressive Brand Ambassador.

Also, in today's times of SARS, H1N1 and what have you, you would be wise to keep an effective sanitizer conveniently tucked close by.

Pic Courtesy - Forfirestop, deviantart.com

6.    Shoes — A hotel job is double edged. You have to not only think and work sharp but also look your snazziest best, at all times. As most stylists have had us believe, from the pre-industrial revolution times, it is high heels that lend a lot of poise to your gait, which in turn spruces up your entire look and injects a lot of self-confidence. But constant use of heels and for all these long hours is akin to the torture of ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre' proportions. The quick fix solution — change into comfy shoes as often as you can during the day; definitely in the confines of your office.

As for men, shoe bites and corns are a very man thing which can wipe the panache off the most suave hotelier.

7.    First aid kit — It happened to me several years back. Thankfully, I was in my office and not in the Lobby, conference room or entertaining a VIP guest. Wonder what the agent or carrier was, but I was definitely the target of the allergy that broke out in me for the first time in my life. After frantic calls to the family physician and the Hotel doctor, I sent my very able aide to fetch me a couple of tablets of Allegra. At times, it has been an inexplicable bout of headache or the need to sooth down the digestive tract after an unwarranted onslaught.

Keep a little first aid kit with things that come in handy for sharp, stunning paper cuts, headache, stomachache, allergy, a soothing eye drop to bring relief from staring at the computer screen for all those long hours… you get the drift!

This could also become a ‘force of attraction' pulling other colleagues into your lair, if they want an easy solution and do not wish to trot down to the hotel infirmary.

8.    Book of wisdom — Move over caffeine! This is the best pick-me-up that I can advocate for. Personal problems, professional woes, a creative low, feeling high-strung, rap from the boss, foul play by a colleague, a customer crisis, media behaving maniacally or plain boredom that strikes at that odd hour in the day — this little pocket book packed with gems from other people's life and learning serves as the best antidote to lift up your spirits, pull up your fallen face and energize you instantly. It fosters all the composure and calm needed to handle a high pressure job. And yes, it makes you wiser too.

9.    Rolodex — A rolodex or in today's times, its virtual avatar, is the most important and trusted ally whilst you are combating all kinds of forces on your office battlefront. From vendors, consultants, media, guests, government, stakeholders to agencies and crisis handlers, you are all the time dealing with ladies and gentlemen of all shapes, sizes and walks of life in this extremely people-centric industry.

An updated, dynamic rolodex is your best friend and mate. Just as an old, outdated one will turn you into deadwood floating aimlessly on the stagnant, murky waters of no-growth and underdevelopment!

10.    A step firmly on the fifth plank of Maslow's Pyramid — Skip the Hollywood sham. In the world and working life, good guys do not finish last. It is quite on the contrary. It pays to be good, genuinely so; because what goes around does come around.

So, go ahead and self-actualize yourself by lending a hand to the boss, team member, junior, that fella from another department; lending a sympathetic ear, mentoring, training, helping meet the deadline, advising or whatever else it takes to make you the ‘good guy.'

Guess who picks up all the people points and gathers all the good wishes when you are that guy in the dock!

Picture courtesy - Google Images 

Top Ten Professional Resolutions for Hoteliers

The onset of a New Year seems to be the perfect time to revisit old ways, make promises for new systems and actions and to fill oneself with an overload of hope, wishes and resolves. It has become a universal human habit that as we get set to bid farewell to one eventful year and usher in a brand new one into our lives, we get busy making lists of our resolutions or simply making lists of points stating why we detest making resolutions, which in any case are broken within the first month of the New Year. But there are some resolutions that we would break at the risk of putting our lives – both personal and professional — in a quandary.

Here is a quick list of Top Ten Professional Resolutions to breathe new energy into your work lives and to help you revisit your work practices in order to make your professional ride less bumpy and more rewarding. One wise tip – this is a list of resolutions that we should be sensible and astute enough to keep.

1. Smile when speaking on the phone

We, as hoteliers, have been told the importance of the above innumerable times. And this does not just hold good for Guest Relations or Sales staff. It applies to all – whether you open doors, carry luggage, devise strategies, cook award winning meals, pour the glass of expensive wine or sit in the corner office managing the entire show.

It is a proven fact and a golden rule of training that people can ‘see’ you smile over a telephonic conversation. And smiling when speaking on the phone (and in these times on Skype, chats, Vimeo or what have you) is a surefire clincher for a deal and the super glue that has the propensity to seal your business relationship.

Whether you are a PR person, a journalist, a service provider, a client, a telecaller, a smile is the perfect bridge over which you should lug your professional wares; even when dishing out something that may not be too palatable.

2. Reply/Respond/Revert

 

No matter how busy you are and which chair you fill up, there is just no excuse for you not to reply to anything addressed to you. In fact, it is plain bad manners if you don’t.

I once had a boss who would respond to everybody on every message that he received – himself and not through his secretary – even as he ran one hell of a busy show at work. One great lesson I learned from him – as long as you respond, even with a word or a line you have covered a lot of ground.

And today, with all those smart phones, palm tops, voice-controlled software occupying our communication space, there is just no getting away from minding this facet of our professional p’s and q’s.

 

3. Be courteous

 

Actually, what triggered the thought process for this piece was a brief and hugely curt (impinging on rude) exchange with a career consultant. Yes, you heard me right! A consultant who earns his bread and butter from dealing with clients in an extremely people-centric job profile! The person on the other side had given out her name as the contact person to a job posted out; which means that she was willing to receive queries or had been put in this role by her superior – in both cases it was her job to handle such queries. Our conversation started with an abrupt verbal whack of a crude ‘Yes’ as the manner of addressing a phone call and stayed largely monosyllabic in content and monotonic in character. The result of this acerbic dialogue was, as expected, unpleasant – the lady with her un-lady like and unprofessional behaviour teased out the aggressive side of me, put herself in a spot where she could have been flagellated, set the unfriendly tone for the conversation which she would have difficulty in retracting, formed an image of her in my mind that told me that either she was not happy with her job or with what she was asked to do or simply that she was not a happy and pleasant person in the first place.

In the area of hospitality, we are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen; as the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company so beautifully describes. And this holds true for every service sector; actually to the non-service ones too. I am reminded of the patriarch of the Indian hotel industry, who I have had the pleasure and privilege to work with and who would always address me in his rich baritone as ‘Ms. Dhir’ – an employee on some rung on the executive ladder in one of his hotels. He set a fine example and chalked out a wonderful template to be emulated by all his employees, whichever of his hotels they worked in, in whatever country.

If you are taking the trouble to step out from the cozy comfort of your hearth and go out into the big bad and competitive world of work – to make a name or living or moolah or all – you owe it to the world and your professional persona to be courteous, always, even when your patience, intellect, wit and wisdom are sorely tried. There is just no other way, buddy.

4. Be grateful

 

In the professional cosmos, attitude enjoys the same pride of place as does aptitude. And your attitude will be defined to a large extent by this basic approach to life. You have a job, a good job that pays you well, recognizes your contribution and allows you to grow; then there is a lot going for you to be grateful for. In the cosmic sphere of work and in life itself, it pays to be karmic and somewhat spiritual about the station you are placed in and the destination you are driving towards.

What the heck, in today’s times of global recession and retrenchment, just having a job that pays is one hell of a reason to be grateful for.

A sense of gratitude will keep you grounded and help you not be a stuffed shirt that nobody ever likes. Besides, the attitude you throw into the Universe always comes back to haunt or enchant you, as the case may be.

5. Be a corporate social citizen

 

With the shrunk global boundaries and innumerable bridges built on the information superhighway and business networks, you cannot just keep yourself isolated in your corner of the office in that part of the world.

With protests playing out on Twitter, causes finding windows of visibility on Facebook, issues being thrashed out in intellectually stimulated forums on LinkedIn, stay aloof at your own risk.

Now, much more than before, there is enough opportunity for us to align ourselves with causes that speak to us and in the process get our organizations involved. Being responsible and conscientious as an individual paves the way; and getting all that corporate muscle of your organization behind you provides a remarkable fillip to the causes espoused.

Warren Buffet, Bill and Melinda Gates, Azim Premji, Oprah Winfrey are known as much for their philanthropic pursuits as for their business acumen and for appearing on the lists of World’s most famous, most influential and rich. With such examples before us, why wouldn’t we want to join the league!

6. No water cooler moments of adding to the grapevine

 

We have been told by our mothers first and then by our bosses, that what goes around comes around. If you dish the muck out, it is bound to splatter on you.

No matter how much relief, momentary pleasure or feeling of getting back to somebody this nasty habit brings, we should resist this sordid escape route from stress and look out for brighter, more positive and fruitful avenues to make it a win-win situation.

I cherish the reputation I have built on honesty, integrity, hard and clean work. I am not willing to compromise that and I am, certain, no well-bred professional worth his salt would wish to.

When we have so many positive and exciting choices available to vent out our ire – social media for one; when there are discussion forums where we can share our feedback and learn from others’ experiences in a positively motivated manner away from the pettiness; then why would I want to be known as the person who cannot be trusted, who has a weak mouth and a weaker gut.

7. Polish up the ABC of my behaviour

 

My behavior is a reflection of my personality. My behavior is a wholesome whole of the subsets of my thoughts, prejudices and beliefs. With this monumental legacy straddling on my behavior, I cannot afford to shortchange it for something less exemplary. Besides, I can only control my actions guided by my behavior and cannot be held responsible for other’s reactions. Hence, I better learn to keep my yard clean first.

Here’s my crisp ABC —

Enthusiasm in my Attitude – as it helps me be more productive, is infectious, assists me in sailing through choppy seas at work and rise and shine even when it’s overcast.

Buddy Up with the team and bulldoze to tease out the best talent in all so that the common pool of excellence always strives to create, innovate and perform remarkably.

Compassion in my Character – It is an age old Tao that I have no business to judge others unless and until I have walked their unique paths. Just as in life, in the sanitized sanctum of office too, we need to show compassion to our peers, our subordinates and yes to our bosses as well.

8. Be responsible

 

For my words, for my actions, for my portfolio, for my team and its actions. And never think of passing the buck. With responsibility come great rewards, greater recognition and a far bigger sense of accomplishment.

When we get into our careers, we always anticipate an upward growing graph which is the barometer of what we learn along the way and more importantly, how much and of what value we contribute back. It is being responsible that puts us in a happily receptive place for greater heights and hurrahs.

9. Be clear in my communication

 

No adding to the confusion. No being verbose, needlessly. No increasing the information overload without the gravitas. No using unnecessary jargon.

Whatever be your line of expertise and choice of vocation, clarity in communication is one of your biggest assets. It helps you be unambiguous and be clearly understood. Plus all that headache and loss of time you save yourself from when something is said and something completely else is unwittingly grasped. What a nightmare of an office situation that is!

10. Be a solution seeker to the problem and not be the part of the problem

 

There are enough of us releasing hot air in meetings, raking up issues on email, taking to the equivalent of temper tantrums at work; instead of bringing calm to a turbulent situation, soothing out frayed nerves, bringing sense to the table, giving solace to team members and generally being the ‘sweep soul staff’ who could endeavour to keep the place clean, harmonious and balanced on an even keel.

There will always be problems at work – personnel-related, business-centric, performance (or the lack thereof) – led, market-induced, competition-created, economic, political, even ethnic or religiously motivated. What will make you stand out as a leader will be your accent on these situations, the ability to right the wrong, the perspicacity to influence others, to assist the management to steer to more stable waters and above-all to add to the bottomline as problems unhandled or mishandled are directly proportional to business adversely affected.

Have a great year and continue to be the star, both as a person and a professional!

Picture courtesy - Google Images and www.deviantart.com 

TOP TEN THINGS LUXURY GUESTS ABSOLUTELY WANT! PART 2

In Part One of the article we looked at the Top Five traits of a premium Luxury Hotel. As it is said, ‘God is in the small things.' The same applies to fine attributes that top level luxury travellers seek from the hotels they wish to frequent.

Let's look at the remaining five needs of a Luxe traveller -

6.  PRIVACY AND SECURITY

Even in normal, run-of-the-mill hotels guests hate to get buzzed incessantly by housekeeping or the valet or Front desk. The constant interruptions, all in the name of good service, are more of a nuisance; impinging on guest privacy taking away majorly from the work or R&R that the guest has checked into the premises for. But in the case of luxury hotels, the guests pay the top dollar actually for privacy and a sense of space and solitude. Both Paolo Sagina, the luxury hotelier (Hotel Director at Kalidria Thalassa Spa Resort & Alborea Luxury Lodge in Italy) and Mary Gostelow, the venerable luxury traveller (of Gostelow Report and girlahead.com fame), put a premium on "seclusion and privacy."

Susan Kurosawa, Travel Editor of The Australian says "there's a new austerity and sense of restraint among today's high-end travellers. Luxury is now all about what isn't there, including too many fellow travellers."

Two of the top most things that high-profile jetsetters desire most, indeed, are - exclusive treatment and the highest level of privacy. In case of celebrity guests privacy is of paramount significance. Sir Gordon Sumner loved his stay at The Imperial in Delhi for the hotel assured him anonymity. The privacy privilege continued till the time he was interrupted by a fellow guest while enjoying his drink at Patiala Peg who was eager to know if he was THE ‘Sting' to which the legendary singer turned back and replied ‘No, that's my twin brother.'

This amusing anecdote apart, the tour operator had instructed the hotel amply about the strict do's and don'ts of handling the VIP guest, the Excom had met and conferred and the operational team had been thoroughly briefed; all to ensure that Sting enjoyed a hurdle free incognito stay and that he came back to the hotel each time he transited Delhi.

One of the thumb rules of privacy and exclusivity is that the Hotel signs on a self-established rule of secrecy - something that the VIP guest cherishes to the utmost. From the doorman to guest relations, Sales coordinator to the PR person - nobody utters a word about the stay or leaks a hint to the Press - an aspect that the Celebrity guest appreciates hugely and rewards the hotel with his / her repeat visits. Plus, imagine the word of mouth that the guest spreads amongst his famous friends about this beautiful place that has truly become his home-away-from-home.

Along with privacy, security is a terribly important factor in the scheme of things existing in the world today. Gautam Anand, Vice President - Operations Planning & Pre-opening Services, Hotels Division, ITC Limited, says, "In the current environment of global terror threats, guests demand a secure environment. Security must be maximized with an attention to discretion, so that guests feel safe, but not imposed upon. The security staff must be trained to be polite at all times, so that every interaction with a guest is peaceable and pleasant."

Jenny Knight, a well-known London based journalist, nails the topic rather well when she states, "As gadgets and gyms become more common, qualities like space, peace and privacy are being seen as true luxury."

7.   THE AWESOMENESS OF THE PRODUCT AND THE AMENITIES

 "To me luxury lies in the experience not in the quality of soaps or the thread count of the bed sheets. Today traveller wants to experience a country, its people and culture. I have stayed at many fine hotels, but at times it is the smallest or simplest gestures that create the strongest emotions. Luxury hotels tend to think (especially in Asia) that by having imported soaps and fancy stereo systems they are doing something special. But for many uber luxury travellers, that is what they may have in their normal lives. I have found that the more the money traveller has, the more excited he gets by simple authentic experiences," puts Rajeev Kohli, Joint Managing Director of Creative Travel Pvt. Ltd., very aptly.

Varun Sharma, the host of popular TV show ‘Inside Luxury Travel,' is floored by "spectacular welcome amenities." Sagina makes sure that his resort is kitted out with "signature bath products and tailored amenities." Anoothi Vishal, an established and prominent Indian Food & Travel writer, is won over with "Good bath amenities in big bathrooms, a splendorous pillow menu, essential oils kept for relaxing in the night, comfortable and clean towels--- eco chic does not apply and basic things like good tea and coffee selection in the room."

Nigel Bolding, Publisher of The World's Best Hotels, rues the fact that "so many otherwise great hotels seem to ignore simple things like ease of use of in-room lighting and access to plugs. Also great bathrooms - with ergonomic functionality and two basins [his and hers] is a real luxury allowing guests to spend time and pamper themselves in the bathroom."

"It must be a fresh and exciting product and must always stay relevant," asserts Sandeep Walia, Vice President for Ritz Carlton, Bvlgari and Edition Hotels for Europe.

Kurosawa wants her luxury abode to present sensible choices and expects it to pamper her with "Quality toiletries, including plenty of hair conditioner for female guests; good hairdryers, not those ridiculous wall-mounted whoosh-whoosh models; bedside lights that can be turned off from the bed, and individually, so you don't disturb your partner; pillow menus with plenty of varieties; well-designed space with power points in easily accessible spots and good mattress and bedding - the Sofitel MyBed is the benchmark."

Gostelow gets upset if the hotel fails to offer a "24-hour gym with a Pilates ball." For Julia Gajcak, PR and Marketing consultant, too, "24 hours gym hours and knowledgeable trainers" is a pre-condition. Julia Gajcak lists out her other musts - "Mini bars that can be stocked according to the guest's favourites. Also, complimentary business center access with several Apple computers and PCs plus quality printers." 

Amit Oberoi, General Manager - Shangri-La's Boracay luxury Resort & Spa, is amazed at how a lot of hotels claiming to be luxury places find even the brass tacks difficult to deliver. "Luxury means total cleanliness in the room and public areas; everything must look brand new and completely sanitized. The accommodation must be functional, especially things like clear cable TV, accessible plug points and switches, AC control. The retail options on the premises must showcase local products," Oberoi insists. "Several guests expect a Food Safety international accreditation like HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points)," pitches in Anand.

When asked to define luxury in brand and product Sheila Donnelly-Theroux, CEO, Sheila Donnelly & Associates, desires, "Fresh fruit, bottled water, a beautiful flower; an abundance of plush towels and seasonal bath amenities by local artisans; great 24/7 laundry and valet service and 1-hour pressing; a massage at any time of the day, especially when arriving from overseas; a hotel car that might be available from time to time and secret special and delicious local products in the mini-bar."

From a luxury hotelier's point of view Gautam Anand suggests, "Luxury hotels really shine in their amenities, offering world class toiletries, branded bath & room linen as well as artisans' chocolates or at least a corbeille de fruits. Not only does the room need to be bigger, but the bath and room areas must also be seamless. Space planning is essential."

"Please avoid annoying repeating musical announcements often used when the guest turns on the TV. Guests will find the premium services if they want them, without the audio assault. Also it should be a natural to tie in the entertainment centre to the property management system. The guest should be welcomed by name on the screen, should be able to view their bill, order room service (with pictured menus), see hotel information /activities, tie into an "event network" if desired by the planner, check-out and more," Anand further adds.

And here's some fantastic advice from Corbin Ball, an international speaker, consultant and writer who has been voted one of "The 25 Most Influential People in the Meetings Industry" this year and whose Company helps clients worldwide use technology to save time and improve productivity. With regard to luxury properties Ball identifies the following - "A working office is essential part of the guest room experience. Therefore, a workable desk and an adjustable, ergonomic (Hermann Miller Aeron-like) chair are essential. I particularly like the split level desk that rolls out to provide more space with the lower counter level at a good height for keyboard inputting. Provide at least four transformer-friendly outlets at desk-height for guest to plug in phones, iPads, computers and other gadgets. Please don't make us crawl under the desk to find them! Also, provide an adjustable reading light with an easy to find switch. Although wired room phones will be used with decreasing frequency (guests are using their own phones), speaker phone functionality on the desk phone is a nice touch. Also provide an electronic telephone wake-up service using the phone keypad. This is usually faster and more reliable than a "human interface." Guests are bringing their own entertainment systems (computers, video players, iPads, Slingboxes, cameras, etc.) and will wish to use the TV for playback. Provide a variety number of AV input sockets (VGA, HDMI, 1/8" stereo, RCA video) mounted at counter height near the entertainment centre as well as easily accessible transformer-friendly power outlets to plug in the above devices. A wireless keyboard using the TV for internet access is a nice luxury for some travellers, although this will be decreasingly used as most business travellers are relying on their own mobile devices for this purpose. Finally, a Blu-ray/DVD player and stereo audio/home theatre system are welcome additions to luxury rooms as long as there is sufficient sound insulation between rooms."

8.  THE WOW FACTOR

 There are hotels with the poshest address stamped on their gilded envelopes. There are hotels that have been touched up admirably to infuse fresh life into their reputed pasts. There are also modern marvels with the finest of mortar and marble carted in from all over the world to create their personality. There are hotels atop famous mountain cliffs or carved out of black lava (Four Seasons, West Hawaii) or ancient caves (Cappadocia Cave Resort and Spa, Turkey). There are luxury places that robe themselves in bespoke linen and dress their staff in famous designer threads. There are lodgings that reek of history from every nook and cranny and then there are futuristic abodes that seem to be out of a sci-fi setting. In the name of luxury, there are hotels that will have you dine underwater with sharks swimming overhead or present you with a gold leaf covered dessert on a silver platter or fly in a known opera singer to croon for you on your anniversary or have you take the conjugal vows while securely fastened together to the bungee rope for a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Special places of stay have that ‘X' factor that makes them first among equals. "They have nice small touches that make you feel wanted," says Bolding. Rajeev Kohli shares a small, simple incident that took his breath away with its subtle thoughtfulness. "I stayed at the iconic Oriental hotel in Bangkok three years ago. I was lazing by the pool in the afternoon and all of a sudden I was served a little arrangement of Thai spiced olives and a shot of a fruity mojito with a small sign that said something like enjoy your afternoon. Was it an expensive service, no? But it was an unexpectedly thoughtful treat."

Sandeep Walia feels it is "Location, Location, Location. Prime location with excellent views plays a key role."

"Design that reflects the destination, even with subtle touches," opines Kurosawa.

Luxury hoteliers and guests alike agree that it is often the stellar software of the workforce that makes these places more special. Great places have a great set of staff that happily goes beyond the brief whether it is the Concierge taking that extra pain to find a seamstress or suit maker or the General Manager repairing an ordinary piece of luggage with his own hands, the latter actually happened to me at the Marriott in Washington DC.

Andreas Augustin of The Famous Hotels of the World fame wants the hotels to "tell me the story about their place. They should give me a sense of where am I, what is the specialty of this hotel in this particular country/city."

Julia Gajcak thinks that a luxury hotel can bowl over its guests "if it provides great local offerings such as access to private viewings at a museum, access to a top fashion designer, entry to a film set, after hours shopping, backstage passes to top entertainment event." Gautam Anand feels "a shuttle between the Hotel and Airport is a huge WOW, for first time guests."

"It is all about the atmosphere," says Gautam Anand. "Atmosphere refers to the overall impression a luxury hotel leaves its visitors with. The level of service, available amenities, attention to detail and even the building design, decor and landscaping must combine to create a pleasantly memorable visit. In addition, a signature lobby fragrance and indoor air quality are important," elaborates Anand.

Kohli regales us with yet another lovely stay story that impressed upon him the difference between the fluff and the finest. In his words, "A few years ago, I and my wife were on a break in California and had a few days to spare in San Francisco. I didn't want to stay in town as had done that many times before, so I googled romantic options and came across something called "The Inn Above Tide." It was a small boutique hotel on the water in Sausalito overlooking the SFO skyline. Every room had a small fireplace; evenings had wine and cheese service in the lounge. No fancy restaurants, no large lobbies. Very small, intimate hotel that made you feel at home. And it was not cheap. Could have stayed cheaper at the Grand Hyatt or the likes in the city, but this departure from the cookie-cutter definition of luxury is what appeals to the experienced traveller."

9.  VALUE FOR MONEY

It is an established fact that the more money people have, more judicious they get about spending it. The filthy rich, be it the late Leona Helmsley, Buffet or Gates, they detest squandering their millions and like to see their dollar deliver to the last cent. They know what they should be paying mega bucks on - presidential suites, logo-embossed luggage, the larger experience; but hate to see it wasted on vacuous spend such as inflated mini bar items, unnecessary taxation, frills that are frivolous. 

Luxury travelers hate to be taken advantage of and like to be served to the optimum for the top bills they pay. Both Nigel Bolding, the veteran publisher of ‘The World's Best Hotels' and Varun Sharma, who has made a home out of the Luxury hotels he covers for his highly popular travel show ‘Inside Luxury Travel' say that "Value for money or differently put, not being ripped off is an extremely important consideration."

"Reward / loyalty points, complimentary room upgrades, complimentary pickup/drop to airport, discount cards in local up market stores are fabulous ways to stretch the guest's dollar in a well-strategized retention/recognition framework," advises Varun Sharma.

10.  TIMELINESS

 Increasingly time is being seen as the premium commodity of luxury - be it reduced time taken to travel, communicate or do work. Every new innovation seems to be geared up to bring us an X satisfaction in Y time and sooner the better.

Life at luxury hotels is the same. The standard of service is measured by the timeliness of its delivery unless or until the guest himself wants to languidly laze over a brunch or a spa treatment. Tardiness shown by staff is seen as a strong contra indicator and defeats the basic principle of luxury espoused by such establishments.

Amit Oberoi puts it in hotel-management Plain speak when he says that "the staff should not have a sense of urgency when providing their starred service."

Mary Gostelow, the doyen of luxury travel, is quite categorical when she emphasizes, "I want what I want and when I want it and that is completely non-negotiable with high-end hotels."

The fascinating concept of luxury hotel living is perhaps best described by Susan Kurosawa, who says, "Instead of gold taps and silly trimmings, we want privacy and sanctuary. The biggest accommodation trend is towards walled private villas with petite gardens, plunge pools and ultra-discreet service. We long for the same level of stylish sequestration as celebrities escaping the scrutiny of fans and press. Luxury is also about a rediscovery of comfort. We have survived the edgy all-white minimalism of the 90s and now we want cozy comforts such as pillow menus and sink-into sofas and all the expected accoutrements of our homes but with the bonus of in-room dining, butler-drawn baths and views of an exotic elsewhere." 

TOP TEN THINGS LUXURY GUESTS ABSOLUTELY WANT! PART 1

How do you define luxury in hospitality? Is it the history or reputation, location or view, brand value or affiliation, star employees or infrastructure and furnishings, the period furniture you sleep and rest on, the crystal ware, silverware, precious metal flatware you eat and drink from, the finest fittings and fixtures that assist you as you relax or conduct your usual business. In reality, the luxury world of hoteliering is all this and more.

While all of the above attributes make the luxury brand stand apart from competition also within their genre, the bottom line for top-of-the-line luxury rests on the time-tested virtues that truly are very basic in the business of hospitality – cleanliness, efficiency, very well-trained and knowledgeable staff such as the battery of personal Jeeves who delight the guest with their immaculate butler service, latest technology, 24-hour services – yes, all those things that we thought were common but are hard to come by if the hotels do not have their brand operating standards and value cum service systems worked out right.

 Whether it is the Forbes Travel Guide or the Preferred Group or The Leading Hotels of the World, each of these Hotel affiliation/recognition companies send out inspectors (many a times even mystery shoppers) to rate the star properties on these deliverables. The expectation from a luxury product is that it will score a perfect ten on each of these parameters quarter over quarter.

When I used to work for The Imperial in Delhi, I wrote the marketing tagline for the historically significant Brand – Elegant, Exclusive, Exceptional – and these three terms pretty much sum up the essential traits of an ultra-luxury hotel.

I decided to ask some of the stalwarts and experienced professionals from the hospitality and travel industry; people who advise Hotel Groups, consult on Boards, strategize for the Companies they represent, define and develop the concept of luxury and in the process experience it firsthand 24X7. To get a well-rounded picture, the cross section of people I have spoken to fall on both sides of the horizon – those who devise and deliver and those who are delighted by the enchanting dispensation of luxury. And this is what they all seemed to opine, almost unanimously.

So what are the truly bench-marking facets of a consummately luxurious hotel? In no particular order, the Top Ten would be:

1.    RECOGNITION

 More than a decade back I was travelling to New York and was going to be staying at The Pierre, then managed by Four Seasons, in New York’s Manhattan district. I was flying into Newark Airport and since I was on a shoe-string budget I decided to bypass the 80 USD cab and instead go for public transport. I am sure The Pierre was not quite used to it but here I was alighting at the porch of the super deluxe hotel from a ramshackle bus struggling with my unbranded luggage. I was met grandly by the impressive Doorman who gently ushered me in and effortlessly whisked away my luggage to the almost invisible valet. Once in, I was given a lovely reception by the Front Office staff, greeted by whoever I encountered by my name and escorted to one of their Premier suites. I was booked as a VIP guest and the staff at the luxury hotel made sure that I was treated like royalty – from name recognition at all times and by all staff that I had an interface with to notes by the General Manager to a tray of different petit fours each night at turndown to special consideration of my eating habits to the Concierge tailor-making my city and walking tours. The experience has been so memorable and delightful that I have often given its example as an industry benchmark every time I have written or spoken on the subject of luxury hoteliering.

An ex-boss and a veteran hotelier, who has spent his life working for the finest hospitality brands worldwide, recounted a Four Seasons’ template of Recognition during one of the training sessions. It is said that both guest and employee recognition are really big ticket items at the premium hotel chain where all Excom members are supposed to know the names of not only all the hotel employees but also their spouses and the family dog. Just imagine, to what lengths they would be going to offer recognition to their guests!

“Recognition from staff” rates very high for Varun Sharma, the host of Inside Luxury Travel – a television show that focuses on high-end travel, airs in over 160 countries, in 18 languages and is beamed into 390 million homes worldwide. In fact Sharma goes a step further to suggest that what could also be really special would be the “recognition of hotel brand partners;” something I can assure you will definitely sweep the guest off his feet. Julia Gajcak, PR and Marketing consultant formerly with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, says that it is quite non-negotiable that the “Staff must recognize guests and use guest names while on property.”


Likewise, Nigel Bolding, Publisher of The World’s Best Hotels, opines that “Attentive service / recognition / welcome back” are great clinchers for extending a luxurious service to the guests and ensuring repeat patronage.

Guest Recognition through guest mapping by different layers of the hotel staff – from concierge and guest relations, Sales, PR and F&B to the GM and in some cases the Owner is a wonderful strategy that creates a pronounced guest-oriented environment, makes sure that the Hotel staff is familiar with its guest list and keeps the guests happy. “Luxury hospitality, globally, has set standards for experiential excellence – where guests are made to feel pampered in ways that are designed not only to ease the discomfort of being away from home, but to actively encourage the desire for newer experiences. Being the recipient of hospitality is an immersive experience and demands that facilities and services are rendered in discreet and seamless ways, while making each guest feel special. On a large scale, offering such a standardized experience, infused with the most critical component of hospitality – warmth and personal attention, then becomes a matter of rigour and discipline,” says Gautam Anand, Vice President - Operations Planning & Pre-opening Services, Hotels Division, ITC Limited.

“At a five-star hotel, each guest is expected and is dealt with warmth and dignity with usage of accurate name and credentials. This is enabled for the staff either by Guest History or Face recognition technology. At luxury hotels a concierge is king and is empowered to ensure you get what you want when you want it, “asserts Anand.

The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company believes in ‘Creating Memories’ and rendering ‘Wow Experiences,’ shares Sandeep Walia, Vice President for Ritz Carlton, Bvlgari and Edition Hotels for Europe. According to Walia it is much more than “personalized service, greeting guests by name in every interaction, ensuring that the greeting is warm and sincere and knowing what they like to eat and drink. It boils down to providing the Wow factor during the guest’s stay.”

For Sheila Donnelly Theroux, CEO, Sheila Donnelly & Associates, a premium Public Relations Consultancy, a luxury hotel stay must translate into “happiness” which she says is “a balance of perfection, discretion and recognition.” For Donnelly-Theroux “handwritten welcome from the General Manager and a personal hello to guests” goes a long way in ensuring Guest Recognition.

But the concept of Guest Recognition is described the best by Timur Senturk, a highly seasoned luxury hotel expert and currently the Managing Director for The Shanghai Tower J Hotel part of the new National Chinese Luxury Hotel Group. Senturk feels that to provide the finest level of Recognition, the hotel needs “To deliver on the mantra - Remember me, Recognize me, Give me what I want, When I want it. The brand must evoke in the guests the emotions of: ‘I am proud to be a customer here,’ and ‘It is perfect for me.”
Senturk seals the guest-hotel relationship with his fantastic analogy with Apple products and their brand following. He says that even in the context of hospitality the guests must feel "I cannot imagine a world without this brand/hotel."

“Exclusive invites to hotel brand events is a great way of recognizing special guests,” states Sharma.

2.    PERFECT BRAND AMBASSADORS DELIVERING THAT PERFECT SERVICE

 A hotel is much, much more than the richly constructed shell, the branded hardware and the awe-evoking infrastructure. It is actually the people who work towards presenting the brand service standards in the best way possible. And this is truly the most important discerning factor when sifting chaff from the real grain. “The hotel brand must engage guests through unique, memorable and personal experiences that transcend luxury hospitality and create indelible marks in their lives,” offers Senturk.


It is a fact that an old, time-warped little inn in a village in Italy can be as luxurious a stay as the sparkling, gilded monstrosities in razzmatazzy Dubai. “Luxury is many things to many people. There can be no one size fits all and that's why I think most hotels tend to go with the conventional. The true innovators are those who question the conventional and create a sense of awe for the guest. It’s easy to pamper by throwing money on physical things like pillows, towels and rugs. But to create that human connection is a luxury very few can perfect,” asserts Rajeev Kohli, Joint Managing Director of Creative Travel Pvt. Ltd. – one of India’s best known luxury travel companies.

A hotel that aspires to be top-of-the-line luxury endeavours to train its staff to a level of benchmarked excellence on a pre-defined template of superior standards that embody its brand value. Paolo Sagina, the Hotel Director at Kalidria Thalassa Spa Resort & Alborea Luxury Lodge in Italy, says that the luxury hotel staff must be trained to offer “exclusivity of the whole experience” and work towards making the guests “feel at home.”

More important than the owner or the General Manager, it is the direct interface employees such as the Airport representatives, chauffeurs, doorman, valet, bellhop, concierge, housekeeping, butlers and servers who are the real brand ambassadors of the hotel and who, at all times, must live and breathe the same code of work ethics and tenets as set in the brand operational philosophy. “Another thing luxury guests pay for is intuitive service: staff that reads the guests and offers the type of service they want. For business travelers that may mean quick, efficient “no frills” service, whereas for first-time leisure travellers that may involve going the extra mile to enhance their experience,” says Daniel Edward Craig, the hotshot global Hotel and Travel Industry Consultant.

Nigel Bolding believes that the coup de grace lies in the “sense of arrival. Everyone arrives at a hotel slightly stressed and in doubt as to whether the reservation is still in place. Any hotel has 30 seconds to impress and if it goes well the rest of the stay does.” Bolding believes that The Dorchester, having spent $ 500,000 in this area, has got the perfect formula down pat to create the finest first impression.

Mary Gostelow of Gostelow Report and girlahead.com fame is one of the world’s most prolific luxury travelers spending over 300 nights a year in top hotels. She demands that for a luxury hotel guest there has to be “absolutely no waiting” and a flawless delivery of spotlessly remarkable service.

The Doormen at Raffles and The Oberoi, the Bell girls at Peninsula and The Imperial, the valet at Island Shangri-La, the Les Clefs d’Or decorated concierge at some of the finest hotels around the world, the awarded chefs lording over their Michelin-starred restaurants, are all icons that have made an example out of providing legendary service to their hotel guests.

For a whole lot of luxury travellers, this front line direct-in-contact staff is the most important element of the hotel software and perhaps its biggest ambassador.

Anoothi Vishal, an established and prominent Indian Food & Travel writer, seeks out “an efficient and quick room service.” Gostelow puts a premium on “unobtrusive housekeeping.” For Sagina “travel concierge services” is a nice touch. Susan Kurosawa, the irrepressible and hugely experienced travel editor of The Australian with two decades of luxury industry exposure under her belt, tilts the balance just that tad bit in favour of “discreet butler service.”

But the employee number one who really seals the deal is a “top notch, smart concierge” as Julia puts it. Nigel Bolding too is charmed by “good concierge who can take care of anything.” And for Andreas Augustin, President, The Most Famous Hotels in the World, “a great and competent concierge desk” is a big step towards making the hotel really famous and coveted. Amit Oberoi, who manages the Shangri-La's Boracay luxury Resort & Spa, reiterates that “the concierge must always be confident and efficient.”

Also, Donnelly-Theroux states that “the charmer concierge should be equipped to get you what you want, including the insider scoop on local attractions and culture.” Oberoi believes in showcasing “comprehensive / One-stop shop concierge services” at luxury properties.

Julia Gajcak reasserts the importance of “knowledgeable drivers who are safety conscious.” And for hotels that cater to an increasingly growing international clientele Julia says that “staff with strong language skills is an absolute must so that they can converse with not only the British and the Americans but also the Russians, Japanese, Chinese and German.”

In order to create a cohesive exercise towards guest orientation, it is imperative that the training is immaculate, briefings are vividly elaborate and there is an open system of sharing and reiterating information pertinent to the guests. “Staff should be briefed well about the guests to guarantee smooth service,” says Andreas Augustin.

Defining the concept of Brand Ambassadors, Sandeep Walia affirms, “It is about People - ladies and gentlemen actually delivering the service need to be the very best in the industry as they are the heart and soul of the hotel. They represent the hotel and the brand.”

Timur Senturk strongly feels that the hallmark of a luxury hotel spearheaded by the scintillating service of its brand ambassadors should be such that the guests feel, "The brand is a name I can trust, it delivers on its promises and treats me fairly."

Senturk says that “the foundation of the guest-hotel relationship should always be defect-free, anticipatory service. And if ever there is a problem, the FIRST person has to fix it!” This is what is called service of the highest standard that can only be given by perfectly trained and attuned staff through a world-class stencil that programs them to be always ready and willing to go beyond the brief.

3.    PERSONALIZATION

 Stay at luxury hotels is all about getting as far away from the cookie-cutter culture as possible and to treat every guest as the special one. Again, The Pierre example comes to mind. Once inside the haloed precincts of the ultra-luxe hotel, each guest is treated specially by every staff member, be it the Doorman, the Concierge, Housekeeping attendant, the Food & Beverage Director or the General Manager.

There are hotels that take personalization to a different level – The Oberoi offers personalized stationery to its Belvedere Club members; at Montage Beverly Hills, the US guests get to lay their heads on customized pillows embroidered with their initials; just as they do at the ITC luxury hotels in India. “Personalized service” is a key factor for hoteliers such as Sagina, Walia and Senturk. Julia Gazcak says that “check-in and check-out directly in the guest room,” is a great value-add to personalization. “A personal butler may seem very spoilt but I love the experience of one!” states Anoothi Vishal.

A dynamic, well-kept Guest history is the strongest tool in the Hotel’s armoury for keeping the high profile guests happy and loyal to its brand. From your favourite Earl Grey tea, the movies that need to be stacked up in your suite before your arrival, the choice of fruits that must fill up the fruit basket or the kind of flowers that should deck your temporary abode, your food allergies, your favourite Valet who must be made available specially for you at your every visit to even ensuring that a Yoga teacher is brought in specially for you or a particular brand of sparkling water stocked in the pick-up limo or your mini bar……….the guest history records each and every thing about you that will go a long way in making your stay all that special and privileged. One of the best software strategies up a top notch hotel’s sleeve is a clean, livewire guest history that is shorn off all dead wood and to which all key operational staff pays keen attention.

This not only ensures repeat guests but also that the guests do not walk over to competition. Andreas Augustin adds that “a perfect guest history records throughout the group, with the individual differences in mind.” Walia agrees strongly that “same level of service has to be non-negotiably offered in each hotel under the same brand.”

Personalization stems from well-defined Best Practices in service standards such that the service is quick and one that meets the request pointedly, at all times. Sandeep Walia asserts that “the up marketness of the brand is reflected in its eagerness to anticipate the guest needs, which could be as basic to demand yet critical to provide as the room location wherein some guests may prefer the view, some the closeness to the elevator and others the direction in which the room is located. This sort of guest demand may play havoc with the inventory planning but is one hell of an important factor in keeping the guest happy.”

Gautam Anand says that the two most prominent services that deliver great level of personalisation are “Flexible Check-out - with most international flights arriving and departing in contravention of the 12 noon norm, several guests appreciate this courtesy and an Efficient Travel Desk - Guests are appreciative of immediate facilities for their travel needs – locally and in case of emergency/impromptu travel plans.”

4.    TECHNOLOGY

 In today’s ‘webbed’ world, a luxury hotel’s standard of excellence is gauged by the superior level of technology it offers its constantly-connected guests. That the internet connectivity is smooth, superfast, Wi-Fi, without any glitches and free is expected to be a given at the plushest of luxury-laden retreats. And the jury is “in” on this with Sharma voting for “complimentary internet,” Gostelow, Vishal, Kurosawa and Bolding stating “free and instant connectivity” as one of their top most needs. Augustin is quite unequivocal when he says, “there just has to be free permanently connected super fast internet and NO DISCUSSION ABOUT FEES.”

“Free basic Wi-Fi broadband internet access (with a minimum of 500kb/second download) is needed in the guest rooms and lobby. Although some luxury properties are clinging to internet fees as a profit centre, internet access is increasingly viewed by guests as utility similar to lights and water,” says Anand.
Sagina is clear about offering “high speed WiFi connection and IPod docking station” at his resort.

According to Sandeep Walia, technology sets a benchmark for an above par hotel with the property “being ahead of time in terms of electronic communication, Wi-Fi speed, updated and upgraded technology in the room.”  Amit Oberoi is proud of the fact that his hotels offer “uninterrupted Wi-Fi access in all areas - no loss of connection from the room to lobby; what’s more even our cars and boats have Wi-Fi.”

“I think that more than anything guests want comfort and convenience. The definition of this varies according to the purpose of travel. For business travellers, and increasingly for leisure travellers too, a big part of convenience is fast, reliable wireless internet access,” avers Daniel Craig. For Donnelly-Theroux “iPod stations and tech toys on the room service menu are a nice touch.”

“Helping travellers get oriented to the hotel and destination is important too. For leisure luxury travellers there are all sorts of Internet resources and mobile applications available for travellers to plan trips on their own, but with all the review sites, resources and opinions out there it can be a time-consuming and confusing process. Luxury hotels must help travellers cut through the noise and find the perfect local restaurants, activities and services for each guest. The best way of doing so is by offering a variety of do-it-yourself resources (on the website, mobiles apps and in-room) combined with the services of a seasoned and well-connected concierge,” adds Craig.

The erstwhile Chief Executive of the UK’s Barratt Group, David Pretty says: "Tastes evolve and change. People's idea of luxury still includes elements of space, comfort and quality, but increasingly involves sharp design, and cutting-edge technology."

“Make logging onto the Wi-Fi network easy. Opening the browser and clicking “OK” is all that it should take. As mobile devices are being used for internet access with greater frequency, hence make the logon screen readable in smaller formats as well,” advises the quintessential Hotelier Gautam Anand.

“Better yet, use autosensing technology and provide a mobile web log-in page optimized for a smaller screen. As multiple devices are being used (I regularly have both my laptop computer and my iPad on simultaneously), the ability to use them under one account regardless of location is needed as well,” Anand further adds.

5.    DINING DELIGHT

 Food is truly the winning factor for most hotels – smart, simple, sensible selections for certain meal times of a business traveller and elaborate, exquisite and enchanting for those on the languorously leisure downtime. The restaurants (including room service) offering their culinary artworks are certainly the places to showcase award-winning talents of the hotels’ food & beverage team. There are several luxury hotspots that are known exclusively for their food craft and kitchen talent.

Luxury hotels, by virtue of being iconic in image and astral in brand personality, just must offer dining options that delight their varied clientele – those awe-inspiring signature dishes, the mesmerizing wine lists, ingredients specially flown in, fantastic concepts painstakingly created, creative presentations that promise to stay on the guest’s mind and above all culinary talent that is simply the best in the world.

Paolo Sagina says “luxury hotels must provide a gastronomic experience par excellence to its guests.”
Mary Gostelow, having criss-crossed around the globe to stay in some of the world’s finest properties, laments the lack of attention to quality. “A truly luxurious hotel will always get its basics right to the last ‘T,’” asserts Gostelow who expects “freshest of orange juice, strong and flavourful coffee and real bread with masses of nuts in it” from these haloed havens of hospitality.


Nigel Bolding roots for “a good bar and restaurant that makes you feel comfortable even as a single man or woman.” Both Andreas Augustin and Susan Kurosawa emphasize the focus that luxury hotels must give to its in-room dining. Andreas says that “hotels must cater for a super fast room service with finger food as sometimes you have no time for an elaborate dinner, but you are simply hungry.” Kurosawa feels strongly about “In-room dining that ranges beyond the expected club sandwich and soup of the day; and includes vegetarian and gluten-free dishes too.”

“A great hotel is one that ensures the same standard of F&B quality even in its room service, also guaranteeing timeliness and optimal temperature,” maintains Oberoi while speaking on behalf of one of the world’s best kept luxury chain of hotels.

According to Julia Gajcak, “a variety of cuisine options ranging from Indian, Japanese, Italian, French, Thai, Lebanese……….to cater to a jet setting guest list with widely exposed palates, great selection of international wines that are not outrageously priced and good vegetarian food choices make for a winning formula.”

“I was at a luxury resort in the Maldives this summer and in the afternoon one of the attendants just walked into the pool with a tray of chilled fruit sticks. It was so wired and funny yet so simple and effective,” recounts Rajeev Kohli reiterating that often it is the simple thoughts and ideas and the tiny gestures that set a leader apart from the hoi polloi.

“To be a cut above the rest, luxury hotels, besides housing multiple dining establishments, must also have a 24/7, round-the-clock restaurant, an elaborate, well-crafted menu of comfort food, a highly responsive in-room dining that even offers gourmet room service for guests at any time of the day or night, Wine cellars stocked with the most exclusive and sought-after labels and an outstanding outlet through which connoisseurs have access to gourmet chocolates, cheeses and pastries,” adds Anand.

The next five points will be covered in PART 2 of this article.