| | 8 HOSPITALITY BUSINESS REVIEWMAY 2025IN MY OPINIONTHE POWER OF HOSPITABLE HOSPITALITY Hospitable HospitalityYou might be thinking "wow! That sounds redundant." And while it might sound that way, it's so vital to our ability to create memories as hoteliers that we need to say it twice! How do we create an environment bursting at the seams with hospitable hospitality? There are some key ingredients to highlight: The Human Touch While the whole world is talking about AI and its ability to change life as we know it, I'll boldly stand up and say that we (humans) remain to be the most important component of hospitality. Sure, AI can ask us the reason for our visit and inquire about the drinks that make us happy or the type of turndown service we prefer, but does it feel the same as when another human takes the time to care so deeply about your experience that they've noticed your favorite drink and offered it to you first thing in the morning with a smile and a chat? No, because artificial intelligence is programmed to do just that, but humans, we're not. It takes an extra step. It takes a genuine caring for others to want to make someone's day or create a lasting impression and that feeling, that connection, is what stays with us long after our vacation has ended. When I think back on my most memorable travel experiences, every journey includes people who are attached to that memory. There's Richie from Los Cabos who made sure that from the moment we stepped onto the property, we felt like family. Not a single day of our six night trip went by that we didn't have bottled water waiting for us when we woke up, never having to worry about safe drinking water. That made me feel comfortable and at home. Then there's Alexander and his Team of mixologists who brought the dramatic scenery of Positano to life with the love and dedication that they poured into every cocktail that I sipped poolside. There are many more, but the last that I'll mention are Effie and Thia Koula, mother-in-law and aunt-in-law of a childhood friend, whose passion for living off the Chios land and love for creating homemade seaside meals for their families, were so beautifully engrained in me that even the most breathtaking beaches of Greece could not replace this memory.Human connection is what unites us. We are naturally inclined to seek out other people, to find similarities that relate to one another, to intrinsically wonder about the cultures of our neighbors near and far, to build communities and to come together in times of need. People seek connection, people seek people and By Victoria DelVecchio, Hotel General Manager, CitizenM HotelsVictoria DelVecchio
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