ACE HOTEL GROUP ACE PRESIDENT BRAD WILSON TALKS ABOUT EVOLVING MANAGEMENT STYLE , REVIVAL POST-COVID , AND WHAT LATE FOUNDER ALEX CALDERWOOD WOULD SAY .
A few months after the conversation , there is light at the end of the tunnel as one of the hottest lifestyle brands prepares to open in July an Ace in Brooklyn , New York , with Toronto and Sydney still on track for late 2021 . In early May , Ace further reccitated itself by reopening Ace Hotel New York .
Here are some of the highlights from the opened-ended interview with Wilson , who has remained steadfastly positive and said he has been rolling with the punches each and every day . “ My big hack to keep morale up was just telling myself , at least I don ’ t run cruise ships ,” he joked . in some ways the minibar is more critical during COVID than it ever has been . That ’ s actually been shown true because minibar revenue per occupied room is way up .
Hotels : How else are you looking at your job differently ?
Brad Wilson : We ’ ve really focused much more toward communication , inclusiveness and transparency . People just need that for their stability right now . If you don ’ t at least know there is a plan , even if that plan is going to change , it creates an insecurity . And there is definitely more inclusivity here due to , obviously , the Black Lives Matter and political stuff going on . We realized that we can make a very positive statement because we are actually a very diverse company … Sometimes , you can be inclusive and not realize that you haven ’ t expanded it broad enough for everybody . So , we ’ ve been spending a lot of time just talking and sharing those kinds of feelings .
HOTELS : How has the pandemic changed your management style ? Brad Wilson : It require a tremendous amount of patience and balance , because as they say , everything changes … But then you realize , now you have to go back and understand how to really embrace this customer . Because they ’ re still your customer , right ? You still have to provide an experience . That customer still has to come and feel really well taken care of and feel like they enjoyed their stay and it wasn ’ t just a survival thing .
I watched too many hotels early on in the pandemic deplete too many amenities – not because they really had a COVID risk , but it was just sort of across the board , ‘ let ’ s get things out .’ Some hotel companies removed minibars . Now in my mind , that ’ s exactly opposite of having any consideration for your customer who doesn ’ t feel safe wandering around the city to find a snack and a bottle of water . I think
Façade and a suite at the Ace in Kyoto , Japan