Hotels + Public Money This story is about how institutional work taught me that trust is built when reality and representation remain aligned. Years later, I entered institutional advisory work. It was a very different world from hotel operations. Instead of guests, employees, and owners, I found myself working with international financial institutions, donor-funded development […]
The Empty Castle This is another story about the “Highest-and-Best-Use” (HBU) for hotels. When people imagine hotel consulting, they usually picture boardrooms, PowerPoint presentations, and strategy workshops. Interim management represents another, far more practical side of hotel consulting. It is often the solution hotel owners turn to when an organisation needs experienced leadership without permanently […]
The Gourmet Restaurant That Happened to Have Rooms This story is about the “Highest-and-Best-Use” (HBU) for hotels. Forget about “location, location, and location” and possibly licensed branding. It’s all about market positioning, and you really do not need a licensed brand for this. The hotel was a little gem just outside the city center and […]
The Credit Policy This story is about how systems and processes taught me that sustainable improvement is measured by what remains after you leave. Another country. Another hotel. Another culture. In that particular environment, petty theft and corruption at scale were part of daily life. At the time, people would sometimes say, “If you don’t […]
The Revenue Experiment This story is about how curiosity taught me to look beyond the obvious. While serving as Front Office Manager at a large hotel catering predominantly to leisure groups, I became fascinated by distribution. At the time, revenue management – both in terms of systems and culture – was still emerging. Convincing management […]
The Flooded Hotel This story is about how uncertainty taught me leadership. Another country. Another hotel. Another lesson. I was Night Manager of a high-profile hotel frequented by celebrities, heads of state, and captains of industry. A Sales Manager had approved the use of fireworks in a ballroom. The sprinkler system activated. The hotel began […]
The Overbooked Hotel This story is about how a crisis taught me to be calm. I had built an early career in luxury hotels where discretion was valued above publicity and where guests occasionally reminded you that the world was larger than the building itself. Being young and, arguably, naively stupid, I became increasingly fascinated […]
The Dishwasher This story is about learning respect. As a trainee in food and beverage, one of my responsibilities was serving coffee and tea during the hotel Food & Beverage Management meetings. It was an ideal place to observe. Around the table sat the General Manager, the Director of Sales & Marketing, the Chief Accountant, […]
Growing Pains in the Restaurant This story is about how perseverance is often learned long before competence arrives. One of my earliest memories in hospitality dates back to my trainee period at a classical grand restaurant, one of the most prestigious dining establishments in town. This was not merely a restaurant in the modern sense. […]
Numbers in the Ballroom This story is about how numbers helped me to channel my curiosity. Growing up, my biggest anxiety was around numbers. I still remember receiving a Chinese abacus during “Sinterklaas”, a Dutch festivity before Christmas during which children receive presents. As the photograph shows, I had absolutely no idea what to do […]