The Value of Hamptonality Personalization

An Interview with Ashish Verma, An Interview with Vice President Luxury Division for Dream Group Shruti Gandhi Buckley, Global Head, Hampton by Hilton Hampton by Hilton Ordu, Turkey overseeing The Chatwal New York Entrance of The Chatwal New York (left); Sanctuary (above)

EDITORS’ NOTE In September 2017, which has clearly been the market especially China, the broader Asia-Pacifi c area EDITORS’ NOTE Ashish Verma was Is your competitive set more Often, F&B in is subsidized in a way Hilton named Shruti Gandhi Buckley leader for as long as I can remember. and Latin America where the desire and need previously with the Lowell Hotel in geographic based on location or do because it was more of an ancillary amenity to the to her current post. She joined Hilton The opportunity seemed to be, if I can’t for quality and consistently branded hotels is New York, where he served for seven you focus on properties throughout rooms product. This meant F&B wouldn’t make earlier that year as Vice President, beat them, I might as well join them, growing. years as General Manager. Prior to the the city? money unless there were big banquet spaces. Strategic Initiatives, Focused Service and that is exactly what I did. I also don’t want to dismiss Europe and the Lowell, he served as General Manager Geographically, we have no other When Mr. Chatwal entered the hotel busi- Brands. Buckley previously served What is so intriguing about this Middle East, where we have had exponential at the famed Windsor Court Hotel in luxury boutique hotel in the vicinity. ness, he overturned that mindset and, through his as vice president and global brand brand is that not only is it the market growth. As a result, we feel there are several New Orleans and has held senior We’re fortunate in being in the heart of leadership, vision and reputation, he builds solid manager of ’s and clear category leader today, but it countries where we have an opportunity to grow positions with luxury hotel compa- Manhattan, within the most convenient partnerships with food and beverage entities. It Fairfield Inn & Suites and Protea has been for so many years – it has an Hampton’s footprint even further. nies including Orient Express walkable distance to the best of shop- has become a success model for the company and Hotels brands. Previously, she held incredible strength and legacy behind How do you defi ne Hampton’s target Hotels, Millennium Hotels, ping, dining, theater, parks and muse- an example for the industry. He made sure that marketing and brand manage- it, year over year, of consistent perfor- customer? International Corporation and Oberoi ums. Our compset is a mix of hotels. our food and beverages makes a profi t. Specifi cally, ment positions with leading organi- mance. When we look at the brands out The target guest for Hampton is fairly broad Hotels International. He earned a There is always a push and pull lounge offerings are particularly profi table due to zations including Nestle, Unilever, Shruti Gandhi Buckley there across all tiers in hospitality, that is in the sense that we have specifi c amenities and Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Ashish Verma between rate and occupancy. Is the high beverage revenues. Estée Lauder, Chanel and National a diffi cult objective to achieve. services that both support our business travelers political science and economics from focus more on driving occupancy or As someone who is very focused on the Geographic. Buckley earned her Bachelor of Now, I’m challenged with ensuring we main- as well as our leisure travelers. It can also vary Punjab University in Chandigarh, India; a grad- driving rate in the luxury segment? guest experience, does technology take away Science degree in business administration from tain that strength and leadership position going based on the individual market and where the uate degree in Hospitality Administration from the With us, it’s defi nitely the rate. Raising occu- from or enhance that experience? the University of California at Berkeley forward, and this is also intriguing. hotels are based. Oberoi School of Hotel Management in New Delhi, pancy is easier, but we can dilute the brand that It depends on how we use it and guide the What is the secret to Hampton’s con- What has really helped move the brand is India; and a Master of Business Administration way, and it doesn’t help the profi tability. I believe man or woman behind the machine. The latest COMPANY BRIEF As the number-one ranked sistent leadership? that consumers and guests see this brand as meet- from IMHI Cornell-ESSEC in Paris, France. the only way to increase sustainable profi tability is technology is something that guests are increas- franchise for the past eight years according to There are several key components to its suc- ing a variety of their needs. through ADR. ingly expecting, even in luxury, and especially Entrepreneur®, Hampton by Hilton (Hampton.com), cess. Certainly, having a great leader in place prior Our target guests are those no-nonsense PROPERTY BRIEF Located in the heart of Man- Fortunately, since I joined The Chatwal, among the younger generations. They want their including Hampton Inn by Hilton and Hampton to my coming into this role has really helped to visitors. They are looking for a straightforward hattan on 44th Street, The Chatwal New York we’ve seen some steady growth in this area. convenience and, in some way, they want to be Inn & Suites by Hilton, serves value-conscious and move the brand forward into a place of strength. approach and they don’t want to be nickel-and- (thechatwalny.com) is the most centrally located We are focused on the unique elements of the more independent. Yet, I don’t believe we can quality-driven travelers with more than 2,275 Hilton has also made a real commitment to dimed. They want quality, consistency and luxury boutique hotel. A landmark building by accommodations – the terraces, specialty suites duplicate the personalization of a human connec- properties with nearly 230,000 rooms in 18 coun- ensuring consistent investment in Hampton year value. In addition, they’re looking for a warm and architect Stanford White, and designed by the and many experiences where we can create tion, but we have incorporated all the expected tries and territories. High quality accommodations after year. It’s a brand that has been a market genuine service approach. The Hampton culture famous Thierry Despont, this 76 guest rooms value through packages and by partnering with technology and more. and amenities, such as complimentary Wi-Fi, free, leader in many areas – it was the fi rst to intro- and service is not just an approach, but it’s truly a and suites (many with terraces) iconic jewel Broadway promotions. We have highlighted As booking lead times have become much hot breakfast and On the Run™ breakfast bags, duce complimentary breakfast into the tier and the movement which has been the key differentiator boasts numerous custom amenities, such as the uniqueness of The Chatwal in the heart of shorter, has it made forecasting more diffi cult? contribute to Hampton by Hilton ranking as a fi rst to introduce the Hampton Guarantee. These for the brand. This is the one brand out of our Georg Jensen designware, Christofl e silverware, Manhattan and will continue building higher We make a budget, stick to it and don’t deviate leader in its segment. Hampton by Hilton Team innovations have helped the category evolve and portfolio that our competitors have not been able Bernardaud porcelain, Assouline books and rates. from it. Indeed, leisure travelers are making plans Members deliver friendly, authentic, caring and have continued to position Hampton as the brand to touch. Asprey amenities. All rooms are state of the art, How critical is it to be able to accommo- more impulsively. Even business trips are being thoughtful service defi ned as Hamptonality. Each that sets the bar, understands its consumers and Will you elaborate on the investment with TOTO washlets, Intelity iPads, and custom date guests with such a strong suite offering? planned on short notice. We have removed the Hampton by Hilton hotel offers complete satisfac- evolves in a way that meets their needs so they that Hampton puts into its people? Alpaca throws. The hotel offers Mercedes house The affl uent guest traveling with family will idea of forecasting and refer to it as pace instead. tion with the 100 percent Hampton® Guarantee. stay loyal to the brand. Hampton invests in its top performing lead- car and butler services for all guests. expect luxury accommodations like our specialty We maintain the budget with the goal of exceed- Hampton by Hilton is part of Hilton Honors, the Another very important aspect of the brand ers through “Ambassador U,” which is designed suites with terraces. We also don’t want to offer ing it. award-winning guest- for Hilton’s is its fi nancial performance. This great loyalty from to equip our strongest General Managers with the Many hoteliers have expressed it being a predictable accommodations. We want a charming, Does the GM role differ based on the size 14 distinct hotel brands. Hilton Honors mem- consumers has enabled the brand to achieve tre- tools, training and structure to intentionally evolve challenging time for growth with new creative and thoughtful product, and we offer that of the hotel? bers who book directly through preferred Hilton mendous fi nancial success and great returns for culture, “pay it forward” within the brand and help supply and other factors occurring in the with our distinct suites. It does. My own education and business acu- channels have access to instant benefi ts, includ- our owners. us inspire even more Team Members to shine. New York City market. Where do you see Our suites are in high demand because of men prepares me for whatever type of operation ing a fl exible payment slider that allows mem- We’re 33 years old and still command almost Additionally, Hilton recently introduced Thrive@ the business today? their design, space and the views, from the many I oversee and I always try to utilize opportunities bers to choose nearly any combination of points a 20 percent RevPAR premium over the category Hilton, a philosophy that ensures our associates If a property has a niche and if its product city exposure suites to the more discreet ones. They to drive a profi table business. In smaller hotels, we and money to book a stay, an exclusive member and double-digit RevPAR premiums over key have balance in their lives. Hampton strongly and services have something unique about them, provide the opportunity to step out and dine al need to carefully decipher the key elements of the discount that can’t be found anywhere else, free competitors in our category. This makes it a really believes in this. As a result, our associates can take the more desired it will be and the more it will be fresco, which justifi es our expectation on the rate guest experience. In larger hotels, personalization standard Wi-Fi and digital amenities like dig- exciting place to be. better care of our guests. viewed as a leader in its market. side, and the fact that we have 29 suites helps the is relatively more diffi cult to attain but still can be ital check-in with room selection and Digital Key How much opportunity is there for When you’re consistently the market There is much more supply in New York, ADR as well. achieved. (select locations), available exclusively through growth and are there particular markets where leader, how important it is to continuously and there is a bit of fl attening in demand, espe- We have worked hard to make our suites the From guests’ perspectives, I believe it’s per- the industry-leading Hilton Honors app. you see opportunities? improve? cially from international markets. Airbnb is a crown jewels of The Chatwal. sonalization that adds true value. We have close to 2,200 hotels in the United It’s about continuing to remind people that, factor, and not just for the lower and mid-tier, What are the keys to being successful For those interested in entering the indus- What excited you about the opportunity to States, so we have a strong penetration, but there although we’re the market leader, it is always but somewhat for luxury too. However, if we with food and beverage? try, should the focus be more on schooling or lead Hampton by Hilton? are certainly always opportunities to grow. about keeping our fi nger on the pulse of what focus on our niche and offer a differentiated We’re fortunate that our visionary Chairman the service mentality? There were a number of things I found excit- In the U.S., we primarily serve urban is happening beyond the walls of our infrastruc- product, then we can create a unique experi- and Founder, Mr. Chatwal, has a lot of experience Mentality. It’s about enjoying what it takes to ing about coming to lead a key brand. Having gateway cities and secondary urban markets. ture. We keep an eye on competition, even out- ence. I won’t say there is abundant growth, in food and beverage. He has owned hundreds of make someone else’s day, which is an art. If that worked at a key competitor for many years in We also have our attention focused on global side the industry, to determine what we might be but there is carefully designed growth for a freestanding restaurants, and his focus has always aptitude is there and, additionally, someone studies the same tier, I spent years observing Hampton, growth in some of the key international markets, able to leverage.• special hotel. been to make sure that F&B in hotels is profi table. hospitality, then they will succeed.• 116 LEADERS POSTED WITH PERMISSION. COPYRIGHT © 2018 LEADERS MAGAZINE, INC. VOLUME 41, NUMBER 1