also embracing the diversity of its people . Do you have light and airy colors within your lobby ? Are food options incorporating the Latino flares of Puerto Rico , Cuba , the Dominican Republic ( and others )? Are the guest rooms decorated in a way that says to the guest “ I am at a phenomenal beach resort in Miami !” How are you making the feel of the destination completely different from Chicago , Paris , Los Cabos , etc .? Ultimately , what we are looking for here is the conscious effort to help the specific location / destination of the property come to life for the guest . Along with the brand culture , the culture of destination needs to have the proper attention and needs to be maintained daily . Guests love to feel their destination brought to life by a hotel / resort thus the best properties in the world , place great emphasis on this aspect .
The Culture of Service
Here we begin to delve into the true essence of a property ; their ability to create memories through their service experiences . By far the most challenging culture , it is also the most exciting ! Once a guest has booked a room , the only thing left is to arrive and begin the journey … and that journey comprises of multiple service experiences . Hotels / Resorts need to create the type and level of service they wish to impart to their guests . They then need to execute , and this execution must be consistent and relevant . Are you a luxury hotel / resort ? Full or limited service ? Do you cater to families or are you adult only ? Does your location offer VIP service or perhaps being pet-friendly ? Once again , it truly does not matter what types or which levels of service you offer ; what does matter is that every single guest interaction you provide , is the most memorable experience possible for your guest . These days , people want to have stories to tell , memories to share , and photos to post online . And these all stem from the exceptional service that has been provided during their stay . This takes a great deal of work , timing , practice , and most of all , training … which leads us to our final culture .
The Culture of Development
Whereas the other three cultures are more about the guest and the amazing moments they are provided , this final culture is entirely about the hospitality hosts ! Of all the places I have been fortunate enough to visit and of all the experiences I have been able to not only receive but observe , the very best properties have built an incredible foundation of learning & development for their staff . These hotels / resorts made it a priority to infuse learning into every facet of their location . The communication , feedback , coaching , line-up meetings , on-property training courses , outside keynote speakers , and multiple other examples ), all helped to create a caring workplace . This culture showed every employee how important their development was to the success of the property and when you put this type of emphasis and value on your staff , they return that attitude and behavior to the guest . Inclusive cultures of development remove all silos within hotels / resorts and instead , create powerful synergy between all divisions . Although slightly biased , I would argue that this is the single most important culture to have at your property !
These four cultures of a hotel / resort offer a unique look into the lifeblood of any exceptional property . While this is just a snapshot of these four concepts , there are many more details and examples you may wish to explore . Take some time to evaluate your property using these , to determine how strong or weak your four cultures are . Look for opportunities to expand or grow your culture as it relates to the overall guest experience , and you should see a significant return on your investment . Culture defines identity and individuality – ask yourself , how do you want to be defined by your guests and the staff who provide their experiences ?
About the author Jason O . Raimondi , President & Founder of JOR Hospitality Solutions began his career in 1995 and has cultivated his 20-year career in hospitality characterized by dedicated leadership roles and exceptional experience in learning & development . Throughout this time , he has had tremendous opportunities at The Walt Disney Company , Loews Hotels , Hilton Hotels & Resorts , InterContinental Hotels Group , and Forbes Travel Guide . During his time at these world-renowned companies , he oversaw entire training operations , traveling the world as an auditor , consultant , and executive trainer verifying luxury services at over 100 hotel , restaurant , and spa destinations . In 2019 , he launched his own hospitality brand which includes everything from exceptional service training to onboarding design and implementation as well as emotional intelligence workshops , service standards design , and organizational change .
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