HOW TO RUN A GREAT HOTEL

I recently spoke with Enda Larkin, author of a new book called 'How to Run a Great Hotel.....everything you need to achieve excellence in the hotel industry'.

I asked him about his motivation for writing such a book. Enda explained that during the Celtic Tiger, many investors assumed that hotels were as easy to run as they were to build. They were, he said, preoccupied with short-term returns, driven by the need to service debt. He added that the current crisis has provided a sharp, if painful reminder, that issues like location, viability and customer focus do still matter. Professional hoteliers he said, have had to watch in frustration, as competitors who cared little for quality seemingly did quite well. We know those days are over and Enda pointed out that inconsistent offerings, no matter how cheaply priced, will not survive in the long term.

His book is targetted at the professional hotelier and covers four key themes - direction setting, leadership, employee engagement and customer satisfaction. It also contains useful and comprehensive checklists which can be applied immediately. Thus, it is as much a practical guidebook as a general read. Students will also benefit greatly from reading it. It is my experience that good books need to be digested slowly and re-read often. This is one such book.

Enda is Director of HTC Consulting, a Geneva based firm specialising in hospitality & tourism.