I love the movie 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' for many reasons, the beautiful whimsy of the landscape, the craftsmanship of the camera work, the skill of the actors, the audacity of the script, but it is the romance of our hotel industry, that is portrayed so acutely in this masterpiece of film, that I love the most. The eccentric guests, the legendary staffers, the rundown palace, the glorious hospitality, the ever turning wheel of fortune, the camaraderie of co-workers - it is all captured here.
If you started as a dishwasher, a bellhop, a busboy, or a kitchen commis and made your way through the labyrinth career ladder then you know these characters with all of your heart. You too became one of the brotherhood and sisterhood of the hospitality industry. Friendships for life that are in your pores and anchors your DNA. Your smile is forever tattooed with that welcoming charm, that open warmth that you extend to all. Wherever you go in your travels the professionals you meet are always just 2 degrees of separation from someone you worked with or for. ‘The Society of the Crossed Keys’ is there to hasten your journey, book you a private table, secure a suite during the convention.
What is different than the movie is the ownership. There are more REITs and fewer baronesses in the boardroom. There are more inspectors looking for standardization, more job combinations and cuts. However, despite all of the commoditization of our properties we are still a community of individuals with a loyalty to each other and a devotion to the art of service.
When you walk into a lobby on the other side of the world you are always at home.
If you started as a dishwasher, a bellhop, a busboy, or a kitchen commis and made your way through the labyrinth career ladder then you know these characters with all of your heart. You too became one of the brotherhood and sisterhood of the hospitality industry. Friendships for life that are in your pores and anchors your DNA. Your smile is forever tattooed with that welcoming charm, that open warmth that you extend to all. Wherever you go in your travels the professionals you meet are always just 2 degrees of separation from someone you worked with or for. ‘The Society of the Crossed Keys’ is there to hasten your journey, book you a private table, secure a suite during the convention.
What is different than the movie is the ownership. There are more REITs and fewer baronesses in the boardroom. There are more inspectors looking for standardization, more job combinations and cuts. However, despite all of the commoditization of our properties we are still a community of individuals with a loyalty to each other and a devotion to the art of service.
When you walk into a lobby on the other side of the world you are always at home.
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