MANAGING DIRECTOR ’ S LIFE
HOTELS : How are you disrupting your field ?
MARY GIULIANO : Being in the Las Vegas megaresort market for my entire career , I remember the first time experiencing a lifestyle hotel in New York City . I was absolutely captivated by how the entire lobby area came to life in the evenings . The bar and lounge were so busy that people were filling up all the spaces , including the front desk , having a great time … Since then , it has been a passion of mine to identify ways to create such experiences in Las Vegas with most hotels in excess of 1,500-plus guest rooms . Over the past decade it has been inspiring to find opportunities in marketing campaigns or space renovations to break away from typical ‘ big box ’ initiatives , to personalize and create connections with our guest experiences in a destination of sensory overload .
MARY GIULIANO
Contributed by ERIN SUND
MANAGING DIRECTOR HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO LAS VEGAS
As the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas , Nevada , relaunches as the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in late 2020 , newly appointed Managing Director Mary Giuliano will use her decades of hospitality and gaming experience to ensure a successful transformation . Previously GM for the Vdara Hotel & Spa , she has volunteered at and led several local nonprofit initiatives .
HOTELS : How does being a resident of Las Vegas influence your ideas and goals of your hotel ?
MG : What our destination is really lacking is a true lifestyle hotel brand . With the transformation of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas into Virgin Hotels Las Vegas , we ’ re going to be able to fill that void , launching an integrated resort with an extremely intimate feel . Given that we ’ re located a little off the Strip , we also want to really embrace locals like myself , welcoming them in for everything from staycations to entertainment offerings and business meetings .
HOTELS : What are you reading right now ? What websites do you check regularly ?
MG : I ’ m in the process of finishing Richard Branson ’ s autobiography , “ Losing My Virginity .” It ’ s been such a fabulous read about an incredible human , and his stories are captivating . As for websites , I ’ m a curious person by nature so Google is my friend , and you ’ ll find me constantly looking things up . I ’ m also always clicking through our competitive set ’ s websites and industry publications .
HOTELS : Describe a typical day .
MG : As a leader , especially one that is new to the property , connecting with the team daily is my top priority . It ’ s been an interesting time as we prepare to close for a complete renovation and rebranding , so it ’ s somewhat a balancing act between now and looking forward to the official Virgin Hotels Las Vegas launch . Communicating with the team as we undergo this transition is a pivotal part of my daily role .
HOTELS : Why is mentoring and volunteer work meaningful to you ?
MG : I ’ ve been fortunate to be surrounded by great people across so many sectors , from the entertainment teams to the casino employees . I learn something every day from the people I work with , and I love having the opportunity , in turn , to help prepare people for what ’ s next , not only in their careers , but also in their personal lives . As for my volunteer work , every organization I ’ ve worked with I ’ ve felt a personal connection to and giving back to the community where I ’ ve lived for 25-plus years feels completely natural .
64 hotelsmag . com October 2019