SPECIAL REPORT : HOTELIERS OF THE WORLD
To know Georg Rafael is to gain an appreciation for the art of luxury hotelkeeping . His presence exudes an innate sense of style as well as natural warmth and grace . Perhaps more importantly for a hotelier , hospitality is in his blood , and along with an entrepreneurial spirit , it fortuitously took Rafael at age 16 from his home in East Berlin to running the elevators at the Hotel Römerbad in Badenweiler , Germany . Along his illustrious career path he worked beside Conrad Hilton at the Palmer House in Chicago , in 1968 became InterContinental ’ s youngest GM in Dusseldorf , and in 1971 joined Bob Burns and later Adrian Zecha to create one of the world ’ s first true global luxury brands , Regent . The penultimate highlight , he says , came in 1986 when he put the Rafael name on the hotel door in Munich .
In fact , when Rafael started Rafael Hotels in the 1980s , he used “ The Art of Hospitality ” to define his company ’ s philosophy . To him it first means having a dedication to the guests , and by doing so showing the same dedication to one ’ s own responsibilities , as well as to professional standards and what must be a natural enjoyment of the profession .
He took that approach all along the way and even later , when he served on the board of directors at Mandarin Oriental , Orient-Express , Aman , Kimpton , Beaufort and Taj hotel companies . That attitude also helped teach some of his “ students ” — such as previous Hotelier of the World award winners Alberto del Hoyo ( Beverly Hills Hotel ), Patricia Tam ( Halekulani ), Raymond Bickson ( Taj Hotels ) and Natale Rusconi ( The Cipriani ).
“ Georg taught me what it means to be a true hotelier ,” says Bickson , who as a child first met Rafael when he was the opening GM of The Hawaiian
Regent Hotel and subsequently spent the first 25 years of his career under his guidance . “ Perfection with warmth and a smile ; authentic and sincere service from the heart ; and caring for his managers and staff alike made Georg the type of mentor that you would jump through hoops to make sure the guests were treated with the same respect and care .”
To say it was overdue for Georg Rafael to win HOTELS ’ 2012 Independent Hotelier of the World
Rafael became InterContinental ’ s youngest GM when he opened a hotel in Dusseldorf , Germany .
would be an understatement . But for one the world ’ s most elegant hoteliers , an understatement seems appropriate .
“ The legacy of Georg Rafael in the hotel industry and as a gentleman is well established ,” says Zecha , currently chairman of Amanresorts , Singapore . “ He is also the best friend one could ever have . I should know as he has been my partner and friend for 40 years .”
Complete conviction After growing up in a hurry in 1940s war-torn Germany , Rafael first tasted the hotel life when his uncle took him to the Baur au Lac and Brenners Park hotels . He liked watching the staff and thought maybe he should do this .
Luckily , his mother had the foresight to let him go from East Berlin in 1952 at age 16 to start what turned out to be his apprenticeship . Once he got started , Rafael says he never considered doing anything different . “ It is my life with total conviction ,” he says of the hotel business . “ I love the interaction with colleagues and guests .”
Early on , Georg worked at fine hotels in Paris and Geneva and eventually earned his degree from Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne , coincidentally sitting alongside what turned out to be another great hotelier and HOTELS award winner , Kurt Wachtveitl from the The Oriental in Bangkok .
In 1959 , he left for America working as the night auditor learning English with the fabled Conrad Hilton at the Palmer House in Chicago . “ My appetite for entrepreneurship resulted from meeting people like Conrad Hilton and the top guys of InterContinental in South America ,” Rafael says of his early days in the business .
After a few years with InterContinental at stops in Montevideo , Uruguay , and Caracas , Venezuela , then-brand president Robert Huyot gave Rafael , still in his 20s , an opportunity to become a general manager . In 1968 he became the youngest GM for InterContinental , in Dusseldorf , Germany .
Having married the love of his life , Rosie , a few years earlier , Rafael was ready to make his mark . “ She has loved me , and while sometimes critical of my business decisions , she never interfered ,” Rafael says of their 47 years together . “ She has always been 100 % supportive and the person who has had the most impact on my life .”
While in Dusseldorf , he hired the spa director from Okura to open a
26 HOTELS November 2012 www . hotelsmag . com