Leading during the pandemic :
LAGNIAPPE
Leading during the pandemic :
LOTTE HOTEL SEATTLE ’ S VICTOR CAGUINDAGAN
By KATHAKALI NANDI
Korean hospitality is heavily reliant on face-to-face interaction and backing away from human connection was not an option for the Koreanbased hospitality brand when it first opened Lotte Hotel Seattle in September 2020 .
“ We realized that people were craving for more human interaction during this time and that we can still provide that in creative ways without them feeling uncomfortable ,” Lotte Hotel Seattle General Manager Victor Caguindagan says . “ We discovered that the slightest form of making our guests feel special and at home creates the biggest impact .”
The 189-key hotel is the third U . S . property of Lotte Hotels & Resorts and the first Lotte brand hotel in North America . To be one of the first leaders to introduce the brand to the U . S . is a great honor , Caguindagan says . “ This is the time that employees need more than a leader , they also need a cheerleader . Servant leadership has never been more alive than during this time .”
Caguindagan recently spoke to HOTELS about opening during a pandemic , how he managed his team and , based on his experiences , what consumer trends he sees ahead .
HOTELS : Lotte Hotel Seattle opened last year amid the pandemic . How has the hotel ’ s performance been so far ? Victor Caguindagan : On the business front , we have seen our occupancy steadily improving and have seen increased production from varying segments as some travel restrictions decline . The hotel has gained a long list of recognitions since opening over a year ago . We were awarded Top Ten Best New Hotels in the U . S . by the readers of USA Today . We became the number one hotel on Tripadvisor seven months after we opened . We were also the first hotel in Seattle and Washington State to be certified by Forbes and Sharecare on our health and security practices against COVID-19 . Earlier this year , we were chosen as the most romantic hotel in Seattle and have also been certified as a Great Place to Work . Most recently , we landed on Top 10 Best Hotels in the Pacific Northwest by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler .
H : What has been your biggest
94 hotelsmag . com January / February 2022