Swissôtel The Stamford in Singapore
– allowing guests to rent rooms by the day .
Luxury essentialism : We ’ re seeing a shift away from wasteful extras that traditionally have filled hotel rooms . We ’ re now offering less , but better – from artisan bottled cocktails in the minibar to in-room gourmet snacks from local suppliers and high-quality brands .
H : Who has been your mentor and what is the best piece of advice you have received ? MH : My parents have been my mentors throughout life . I have been fortunate to have their guidance and advice in both my personal and professional life , and I appreciate that .
Professionally , I have not really had a mentor . However , one leader that had a big impact on me was Clive Scott , general manager of Sofitel Melbourne on Collins . I worked with Clive as his executive assistant manager , and during that time I learned a lot from him .
The best piece of advice I received early in my career was always to be one step ahead of your boss ; anticipate their needs and you will do well . H : What ’ s your hotel pet peeve ? MH : Complacency , when seemingly simple daily tasks are taken for granted and just the bare basics are done with little care and attention to detail . In this business of happiness , we have to excite and delight our guests and give them reasons to return . When we do just the basics , we have failed not just our guests but ourselves because we ’ re not fulfilling our roles as hoteliers .
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