With nearly 25 years of experience under her belt in the hospitality industry, Gabrielle Marnewick has seen trends come and go. But one thing she says has remained the same is the need to recruit the right people who embody the brand.
She believes in this so much that she has inducted every employee who worked under her.
“It doesn’t matter if you are the casual housekeeper or my 2IC, it’s very important that I maintain that personal interaction and connection to make sure they understand and embody the culture,” says Gabrielle.
As General Manager for Home Suite Hotels Rosebank she is part of the team that launched their first “home away from home” in Rosebank, Johannesburg, followed by two other launches in Sea Point and De Waterkant, Cape Town.
“I am very lucky to work with a great team who not only make the hotel look good on paper but in real life too.”
How it all started
Hospitality came quite naturally for Gabrielle. “I think that it’s something that’s in your blood. You do have to have a natural willingness to be either a people pleaser or a willingness to serve and I think that’s a natural talent that I’ve always had.”
Gabrielle joined the industry at the ripe young age of 19 through an internship programme secured with Protea Hotels before moving to African Pride, Melrose Arch Hotel.
This was a turning point in her career, as she watched the hotel distinguish itself as a ‘truly hip hotel’ when no other hotel had managed to do so.
“African Pride, Melrose Arch Hotel was a highly individualistic place with a huge emphasis on personalised service and care. All of this in a luxuriously beautifully designed concept Hotel.”
Gabrielle stayed on with the trailblazer team growing the brand and gaining her stripes. After a long stint with the brand, she went on to become the General Manager of the Protea Fire and Ice Hotel – a position she held for eight years.
Gabrielle shares her wealth of knowledge learnt over the years.
The more things change, the more they stay the same
GM: Hoteliers always used to be very reluctant about guest feedback because it was always recognised as a platform for people to complain and that’s evolved. People have gone forward in actually trusting what a stranger has to say about a product.
Hotels that have been swift to pivot based on feedback have always outperformed those that don’t. But at the end of the day, you’re still working with people and the human error aspects.
So there will always be that, but you just need to make sure that you are connecting with your guests and listening to what they’re saying. Essentially making sure that they’re also being recognised, and know that somebody is paying attention to what they have to say.
Choice is King
GM: What the industry offers now compared to back then is choice. Not just where to stay, but how to choose your stay, how to book your stay. The convenience, the flexibility. In the past, hospitality would offer a product, and guests would have to fit into that.
Nowadays the product needs to also evolve and change and adjust and fit a variety of other people’s needs. We need to fit into a diverse portfolio because we don’t just want one type of guest. We have an array of travellers and you need to anticipate their requirements.
Which are more popular – chain or boutique hotels?
GM: It is all about preference. However, we have seen a huge shift born out of Covid-19, where people are looking for a more residential experience where they can be more independent and in control of their full journey.
A boutique hotel like Home Suite Hotels for example, is geared more towards this to give the consumer the choice as I briefly mentioned above.
What do guests really want?
GM: In the past guests were most concerned about the quality of sleep and breakfast on offer, but now WIFI has overtaken that. Location is also everything. I guess that is our Suite Spot. Not only do we offer the Hypnos beds which I believe set us apart, but we are also fully fibred and perfectly located in the suburbs where you get the best of both worlds.
You’re close enough to the hot spots, but you are still in a more secluded space with 24-hour security. With Covid-19, people also don’t want to feel claustrophobic and want space, which our rooms offer.
But at the end of the day, true success lies in the people at work. Regardless of where you are located or how well designed your rooms are, people want to feel welcomed, taken care of and heard. They want authentic brand ambassadors who are genuine and warm and embody what your website says on every level, adds Gabrielle.