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And here we are… days from 2022! As the year draws to a close, my mind likes to enjoy a quick meander back across the months, trying to get a sense of things. How did 2021 compare to 2020? Have we found any fresh stability for the industry yet? And, if I’m honest, I’m not […]

During my time at hotel school, we were forever being reminded that the magic words for any new hotel were ‘location, location, location’. But, in light of recent events, I wonder if it has changed. Shouldn’t we be thinking about ‘people, people, people’? It’s no secret. As we start to rebuild the industry, we’re struggling

“We often talk of saving the planet, but the truth is that we must do these things to save ourselves.” – David Attenborough The pandemic made it crystal clear that what happens in one part of the world impacts another. Borders have not kept COVID at bay: We are totally interconnected. And it’s now more

The following interview with Liv originally appeared on the Hertelier website: https://www.hertelier.com/post/5-wellness-trends-in-luxury-hotel-operations-with-liv-gussing-burgess We chatted with Liv about what should be on our radar with all the changes taking shape in hotel operations in a post-pandemic world. Before we get into wellness and luxury trends, tell me about your first job as a butler in the

My four-year-old stood confidently in front of her class and announced: “My mother’s job is to say hello and good-bye to all the people who come to visit her hotel.” She then placed one hand on her hip and extended the other, pretending to shake someone’s hand. “Welcome to Amandari” she said, beaming. In this

I recently did some brand work for a small luxury hotel group. My task was to uncover what they were all about and then articulate what made them different. I discovered an amazing, nimble group that truly went above and beyond for their guests. However, while the elves ran around sprinkling magic all over the

I have recently been speaking at several hospitality-based events and, in sharing my journey, I got to thinking back over my career and why I joined luxury hospitality in the first place. The seeds of my story were clearly planted in my nomadic childhood, spanning continents and cultures. As the daughter of a Swedish father

Creating a service culture that delivers exceptional customer experiences is essential in order to build long-term loyalty. But what is the yellow brick road to building such a culture? How do hotels create a framework that leads to WOW moments? One of my favourite WOW stories took place with Mandarin Oriental Tokyo many years ago.

Over the last few years, there has been an explosion of hotels and entrepreneurs offering new and creative ways to deliver luxury hospitality. My personal journey started at The St Regis in New York City where I donned black tails and white gloves, serving guests as a Maître d’Étage (butler). Newly renovated, the hotel oozed