Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - (Page 14) 14| Properties Personalities Ritz-Carlton takes its time with the aging process » BY JEFF HIGLEY young t 25 years old, The RitzCarlton Hotel Company has the cachet of a wiser, more seasoned veteran. But as the brand celebrates its silver anniversary, its executive team is looking ahead to a graceful and youthful aging process that includes more growth, the indoctrination of a new sister brand and the possible launch of a Ritz-Carlton cruise line. But as he looks ahead, Simon F. Cooper, president and chief operating officer, can’t help but look to the past. “We’re not making a big deal out of [the anniversary] to be honest because people on the street think we’re a lot older, and that’s because of Cesar Ritz,” Mr. Cooper says. “You’re going back to the late 19th century, with Paris, London and the Ritzes of Europe, which the traveling public is well aware of. The brand has been around for 140 years, but Ritz-Carlton as a global luxury hotel company, that’s 25 years.” The management company was established in 1983 with the acquisition of The Ritz-Carlton, Boston, and the rights to the name Ritz-Carlton. The company was led by Horst Schulze until 2001, when Marriott International acquired it and selected Mr. Cooper, a company man, to lead it. It has 70 hotels worldwide. Mr. Cooper says he can’t identify a single defining moment for the brand. “As we sit here, in the next 24 hours, there will be 500,000 defining moments,” he says. “For example, I look at the probably 50,000 guests in our hotels around the world. If each of those guests staying in a Ritz-Carlton today only have 10 interactions [with our employees], that’s 500,000 defining moments. All of us in this company have the opportunity frequently either to enhance the brand, meet expectations or undermine the brand. The reality of our business is that our ladies and gentlemen on the ground have many more opportunities than I do.” Mr. Cooper’s hospitality is evident during an interview, in which Mr. Cooper enters the room and immediately asks Allison Sitch, corporate director of public relations, if she would like some coffee. Not all CONTINUED ON PAGE 18 ver ALL SIMON COOPER PHOTOS BY NESHAN NALTCHAYAN Luxury Hotelier | February 2008 | www.LuxuryHotelier.com http://www.LuxuryHotelier.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 Editor's Letter Publisher's Letter Inform Network Forever Young Evolution for Jumeirah Insight Diamond in the Rough Amenities Televisions Art in Residence Yield Management Development Wine Lists Marketing to Locals Update Advertisers Index Editorial Index Source Listing Dossier Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 (Page Cover1) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 (Page Cover2) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 (Page 1) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 (Page 2) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 (Page 3) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Editor's Letter (Page 4) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Editor's Letter (Page 5) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Publisher's Letter (Page 6) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Publisher's Letter (Page 7) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Inform (Page 8) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Inform (Page 9) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Inform (Page 10) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Inform (Page 11) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Network (Page 12) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Network (Page 13) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Forever Young (Page 14) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Forever Young (Page 15) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Forever Young (Page 16) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Forever Young (Page 17) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Forever Young (Page 18) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Forever Young (Page 19) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Evolution for Jumeirah (Page 20) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Evolution for Jumeirah (Page 21) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Insight (Page 22) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Insight (Page 23) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Diamond in the Rough (Page 24) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Diamond in the Rough (Page 25) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Diamond in the Rough (Page 26) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Diamond in the Rough (Page 27) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Diamond in the Rough (Page 28) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Diamond in the Rough (Page 29) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Amenities (Page 30) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Amenities (Page 31) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Televisions (Page 32) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Televisions (Page 33) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Televisions (Page 34) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Televisions (Page 35) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Art in Residence (Page 36) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Art in Residence (Page 37) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Art in Residence (Page 38) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Art in Residence (Page 39) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Art in Residence (Page 40) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Art in Residence (Page 41) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Yield Management (Page 42) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Yield Management (Page 43) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Development (Page 44) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Development (Page 45) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Wine Lists (Page 46) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Wine Lists (Page 47) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Marketing to Locals (Page 48) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Marketing to Locals (Page 49) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Update (Page 50) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Update (Page 51) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Editorial Index (Page 52) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Editorial Index (Page 53) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Source Listing (Page 54) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Source Listing (Page 55) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Dossier (Page 56) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Dossier (Page Cover3) Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - Dossier (Page Cover4)
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