How do you get your guests excited about your brand?
Luxury Collection is one of the most unique hotel brands in the world. Every hotel is indigenous to its locale and delivers luxury that is based on authentic experiences. The SLS Beverly Hills is a modern luxury destination designed by the visionary Philippe Starck. It challenges tradition with modern comforts and iconoclast style that takes you on an epicurean journey with our award-winning Chef, José Andrés. There are even over 77 different chandeliers throughout the hotel. Every detail has a story and that’s what keeps our guests excited and engaged.
What is the best way to engage with them? Is it a one size fits all or do you tailor to different demographics?
Just like our hotels, every guest is different. One size fits all is a thing of the past, in my opinion. Guests are more sophisticated and are slowly moving away from what is known as traditional luxury. They want to be able to feel, touch and experience luxury. The robotic approach is fading away. Social media is a big component of our engagement strategy. We have a daily SLS salute that offers complimentary shots for all guests. We even have a scavenger hunt for our little travelers that takes them on a journey throughout the hotel. Every associate is trained to be a local expert and offer experiences that are indigenous to Los Angeles. We want our guests to feel like they are a key part of the hotel and the Los Angeles experience. That’s one of the reasons why we have tremendous amount of repeat business.
How do you create a motivated team?
Just like our guests, the new generation of talent is driven by experiences. One size fits all approach does not work with them either. You have to make sure that the team is in love with the hotel and the brand. The way they tell the story needs to be authentic. We have a daily “authentic moments” meeting that focuses on “out of the box” ways of servicing our guests and familiarizes the team with our hotels around the world.
I also believe in having a fun office atmosphere. It is ok for people to talk, joke and just have a good time. At the end of the day, we spend more time at work than we do at home. The better the mood in the office, the more productive the team gets.
We celebrate wins together, do monthly outings and quarterly potlucks. The more we win, the more fun we have. It’s that simple!
How important are your food & beverage offerings to your marketing strategy?
Our food & beverage offering is the most important component of our marketing strategy. The hotel features a two Michelin starred and Five Star Forbes restaurant, SOMNI. In addition, it features The Bazaar by Jose Andres, which has a Michelin plate. We have a separate PR team for the F&B outlets. For example, when Michelin Guide came out and SOMNI received two starts, we saw a spike in website visitations and bookings for the hotel. There is no doubt that F&B can be a driver for hotel business. It’s proven for our property.
