Special RepoRt : Leadership
Once that realization dawned , the backbone of the Praktik concept was born . There was no question that Trénor would have to tick all the boxes for those budget-conscious but savvy travelers to bite . “ I definitely stick to offering the best location , tasteful and meaningful design , and local flavor ,” he says . And he knew that delivering all that on a budget tight enough to fall into the 1- or 2-star bracket was going to take more than just cutting out big ballrooms and avoiding conspicuously high staff-to-guest ratios . He had to find a way to craft a bold identity that celebrated , rather than tried to overcome , the hurdles to achieving his dreams .
Step one was channeling the need for each hotel to be unique into playful designs that capitalize on the “ happy ” that Trénor built into his list of brand descriptors ( he also adds location , affordable , stylish and experience ).
Guests checking into the aptly named Hotel Praktik Garden might get a view of lush greenery , but they ’ ll also encounter a cheeky rendition of the concept – a value-engineered “ garden ” of potted plants behind the desk . Hotel Praktik Bakery breaks new ground for travelers looking for an authentic , local hotel experience . Instead of entering via the usual staid reception area , guests open the door to Hotel Praktik Bakery and step into a fully functional artisanal bakery run by one of the city ’ s best-loved bakers , Anna Belsolá , who heads the city ’ s Baluard Bakery .
The skill set Trénor gained from working with AC Hotels by Marriott mastermind Antonio Catalán ( Trénor decided to franchise the first hotel he took over under the AC umbrella ) came in handy when it came to making the Praktik concept work
“ AC tAught me to forget About hierArChies . hAving employees who CAn Cover different funCtions builds up motivAtion As the AssoCiAtes get to understAnd their ColleAgues ’ tAsks muCh better And empAthize with their situAtions .”
– José María Trénor behind the scenes . “ His passion and capacity to go into detail in the operations field inspired me ,” Trénor says .
Good thing , since keeping staff size down isn ’ t about just asking more from each employee . “ AC taught me to forget about hierarchies . Having employees who can cover different functions builds up motivation as the associates get to understand their colleagues ’ tasks much better and empathize with their situations ,” he says .
Marching to his own beat since Praktik ’ s inception in 2007 and the development of five hotels in Spain , Trénor is setting his sights on a bigger stage . “ We should be in every important city in the world ,” he says .
Hotel Praktik Bakery in Barcelona www . hotelsmag . com April 2015 HOTELS 39