Even if you’re not an avid watcher of Gordon Ramsay’s Hotel Hell or Alex Polizzi’s The Hotel Inspector, you’ll have an understanding that being part of a hotel management team isn’t easy. It requires years of experience within the industry, gathered up through steep learning curves and supportive mentorship.
To help stand out from the competition and leave your mark in an industry that’s constantly evolving, here’s a list of great reads to get you started. Take a look and see which title speaks to you most?
Without Reservations: How a Family Root Beer Stand Grew into a Global Hotel Company by Bill Marriott and Kathi Ann Brown
If you’re wanting to learn from the big players in the industry, take a read of Without Reservations by Bill Marriott Jr. You’ll probably recognise the name of this author, as he is the son of J. Willard Marriott, the founder of the Marriott Corporation. This corporation is the parent company of one of the world’s largest hospitality, hotel chains, and food services company.
Although it was his father’s business, Bill joined the Marriott Corporation in 1956. Eight years later in 1964, he was then elected Executive Vice President and as a member of the Board of Directors — within the same year, he was made President of the company. This projected a bright future for the businessman, as he went on to become the Chief Executive Officer in 1972, and Chairman of the Board in 1985; this was the same year that his father sadly passed away. Although he is no longer CEO, he remains as Executive Chairman and continues to bring wealth of experience to the business and has been grateful enough to share his knowledge in this book.
Although the title of this book alludes a discussion around building an empire, it’s not all about that. From this, you’ll gain a great deal of industry insight, family and company history, personal philosophy and more. It’s definitely a self-help book for those looking to leave their mark in the hospitality industry, and there’s a guarantee that any reader will feel somewhat accomplished when finishing the final chapter…
The Heart of Hospitality: Great Hotel and Restaurant Leaders Share Their Secrets by Micah Solomon
Customer service has undoubtedly become the main focuses for businesses across any sector, but this book pulls the focus on hospitality. As each generation has a growing set of demands, it’s important for hoteliers and restaurant managers to deliver a service that is as personalised as possible. Many people believe that there is no set answer to creating an impeccable customer experience as this can depend on circumstance, and while this may be true, writer Micah Solomon gives the perfect solution: offering readers stories of industry leaders.
Micah Solomon, who is a leading customer service expert for Forbes, brings in a range of expertise from across the sector. Virgin Hotels CEO, Raul Leal, discusses how they created an innovative, future-friendly hospitality approach while Craft Restaurant Top Chef, Tom Colicchio opens up about how it’s important to create a customer-centric experience in a chef-centric restaurant.
But they’re not the only industry leaders you’ll hear from. From a hotelier point of view, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts Chairman, Isadore Sharp talks about creating an unsinkable company culture, Danny Meyer of Union Square Hospitality talks about employability, and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company President, Herve Humler looks at luxury travel. There’s so much to learn from the experts, and if you’re looking to mirror their success, this book is a great place to start.
100 Tips For Hoteliers: What Every Successful Hotel Professional Needs to Know and Do by Peter Venison
If you’re looking to find everything about hotelling in one place, this is where you should start. 100 Tips For Hoteliers: What Every Successful Hotel Professional Needs to Know and Do by Peter Venison is the perfect fast-paced read for anyone looking to learn more and implement their actions quickly. If you haven’t read this one already, it’s labelled a must-read by those working in hospitality and tourism and is usually featured on the curriculum of any hotel school.
Peter’s experience exceeds expectations too, which makes him a great source of information for anyone looking to forge a successful career in the industry. The author has previously held the positions of European Personnel Director with the Hotel Corp. of America, General Manager of the Carlton Tower Hotel, the Deputy Managing Director of Southern Sun Hotels, President of Hotel Properties of America, and more. If this is the kind of person you’d benefit learning from, pick up this book on your next trip to the bookstore.
Despite covering a lot of different areas of running a hotel, this read is full of practical advice for each part of your journey. Although it was published back in 2005, a lot of the information within the book is just as relevant today – you’ll begin to understand the humble background of the author who was originally a desk clerk to planning your own resort and everything in between. As a kind gesture, know that the proceeds from the sales are donated to the Duke of Edinburgh Cup charity!
Article brought to you by Where The Trade Buys, a UK-based leading book printing company.
