New General Manager Enjoys Competition
By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter
When Park Hyatt Seoul first opened up its doors in 2005, skepticism grew as to whether or not it could survive the fierce competition of other already established hotels.
Yet, gradually, it has developed into a unique ``boutique’’ hotel, offering customized services for high profiled guests.
The hotel’s general manager believed that such competition has been a key factor in motivating them to work harder, providing better services for individual guests.
``I think there is always competition and a little healthy competition is always good,’’ Adrian Slater said during an interview with The Korea Times. ``What we have certainly found is that once people experience their product and they enjoy it, they don’t usually go away.’’
The hotel’s differentiated strategy is well illuminated in the fact that its lobby is located on the top floor of the 24-story building to offer more privacy and security.
``We are a boutique hotel, and being a boutique hotel, you are catering boutique customers who want a little bit more privacy and to be a little bit more discrete like personal attention not over the top. That’s what we do very well in this hotel,’’ he said.
Its successful marketing has been especially well received internationally, winning many accolades from prominent international publications.
The hotel was named on the ``2006 Best of Asia’’ as one of the best places in Asia in the May issue of TIME in 2006. In the May 2006 issue of Conde Nast Traveller, it was also named among the ``130 Hot Hotels in the World.’’
Appointed as the new general manager last month, Slater promised to develop the hotel’s uniqueness to better upgrade customized services, using his lengthy experiences in the hotel business.
He joined Hyatt in 1987 at Hyatt Regency Auckland and has filled a variety of management positions including executive assistant manager of Food and Beverage at Hyatt Regency Incheon and general manager of Jeju's Hyatt Regency.
Developing his career at the tender young age of 16, he has now become the one of the youngest general mangers in town.
As to the secrets of his youthful success, he said the hospitality business is a ``people business’’ and knowing how to deal with people is most important.
``If you can respect the culture differences, the people and accept them for who they are, what they have and be able to pull that together in a useful way, that’s the key to success,’’ the 37-year-old hotelier said.
When talking about the vision of the hotel, he also pointed out that the same philosophy can be applied _ knowing customers is the most important.
``What we will be doing here is we want to enhance our product. It’s very much about what customers want. I talk to customers daily in the lobby, on the way to a restaurant, on the elevator and make their life comfortable in our hotel,’’ he said.