Der Schlusspunkt: Royalty and The Ritz

Aug 30, 13 | 12:03 am 

The great Hotels of the world provide a private retreat for Royalty away from their usual palaces and homes.  Often designed with famous and often royal guests in mind, Hotels fill a special role not only to provide the comforts afforded to other guests, but also security from the public and in more recent times the media.

On 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Al-Fayed left one of the most famous Hotels in the world, the Hotel Ritz Paris and were both tragically killed in a car accident, pursued by the paparazzi.  However the Ritz has a long history of Royalty, in 1705 a private residence was constructed on the site and occupied by several noble families, before becoming the Hotel de Gramont, and subsequently the Hotel de Lazun.

Advice to Graduating Hospitality Students from a Seasoned Hotelier

Aug 16, 13 | 12:08 am 

By feature writer Matthew Stephens

When I graduated from the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School, I was hungry to prove that I had what it took to “make it” - determined to become a GM. The Hospitality Industry is one of the largest in the world; it is competitive, full of aspiring GM’s, some willing to support your growth, others wanting to cut you down at every opportunity. Times have changed since I graduated and you can guarantee that change in all areas of the industry will continue to be at the heart of managing a successful business for all of us.

I would like to share a few life lessons and experiences with you today that I have learned since I sat in your graduating seat:

Exceptional Customer Service Is Always Voluntary

Aug 14, 13 | 12:06 am 

By feature writer Steve Curtin

In an earlier blog post titled What is customer service?, I offered an 18-word definition of customer service containing seven unique elements that we'll be exploring one-by-one in greater detail over the coming weeks.

Too often, customer service is viewed as a department, a designated employee's job role, or someone else's responsibility. Because of this limited view of customer service, many employees are content to simply execute a series of mandatory job functions until the end of their shifts-blissfully unaware of the myriad opportunities forfeited to make lasting positive impressions on their customers.