Luxury Hotelier - November 2007 - (Page 24)

24| Personalities The Waldorf=Astoria, is quick to define what luxury is not: Trendy. “Trendy is a concept that doesn’t have substantive training, education or quality behind it,” he says, referring obliquely to the recent proliferation of brands offering themselves up as luxury. “There’s a lot of faux luxury out there, but these companies can’t get into training and they will fail.” Sustainable luxury, he counters, is reputation, and reputation is built on excellence in service, training and maintenance. So in a world with so-called luxury hotels on every corner, how does he keep his eye on what differentiates the hotels on his roster? Mr. McManus prides himself on knowing how to keep up with the luxury consumer’s ever-changing desires. “He has instilled a spirit of innovation and constant evolution. The root of everything is hiring the right people,” Ms. Kaplan says, referring to both Leading as a company and the values it expects of its membership. No doubt about it, Mr. McManus is steering his ship with a deft hand. The brand explosion, coupled with an everwidening definition of luxury, has spawned a chameleon-like new luxury consumer who can’t be defined by the old standard demographics. The common element is customization. “Younger people want experiences that are real and personal,” he says. “The most distinctive change I’ve noticed in seven years has been customization. The cookiecutter approach doesn’t work anymore.” While he encourages Leading to respond quickly to the evolution of its customer, Mr. McManus remains faithful to his personal convictions of what luxury is, and he’s determined to keep that essence alive at the properties bearing the company’s logo. “I never want to stay in a hotel where [the staff] calls me by my first name,” he says. “The absence of good manners and the use of vapid clichés makes my skin crawl. It’s too familiar. “You can be elegant, welcoming and warm without being automatic.” Legacy Mr. McManus is proud of the fact that he has helped Leading adopt the same values in its employees that the organization prizes in its membership; he rewards creativity and innovation and still inspires loyalty to the brand’s roots. His transition from his current role to a new one is part of the company’s succession plan and goal to always keep the business fresh and dynamic. “It’s exactly what I want to do,” he says. “We’re at a point where we’re finishing our most profitable and satisfying year as a company,” he says. He will remain active on the company’s board of directors, particularly involved with Leading’s joint ventures. Talk turns to legacy. His, he hopes, is one of innovation. He’s proud that he took an established brand that was underperforming and created a vehicle Luxury Hotelier | November 2007 | www.LuxuryHotelier.com http://www.LuxuryHotelier.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Luxury Hotelier - November 2007

Luxury Hotelier - November 2007 Contents Editor's Letter Publisher's Letter Inform: News and Notes Network: People Personalities: Traditional Innovator Insight: Smith Travel Research / The Bench Insight: Ypartnership Properties: A Front-Row Seat to Moscow Properties: Northern Star Inspire: Outdoor Showers Deliver: Wellness and Fitness Protocols: The Real Deal Insight: Cornell University Innovate: In-Room Technology Development: Global Project Pipeline Indulge: Coffee and Tea Insight: Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne Connect: Regional Marketing Update: IH/M&RS Luxury Product Collection Dossier: Davide Bertilaccio of The Rocco Forte Collection’s Le Richemond

Luxury Hotelier - November 2007

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