Dancing at the Fountain: In Conversation with World-leading Hoteliers

Dancing at the Fountain: In Conversation with World-leading Hoteliers is a unique book of conversations and interviews by Conor Kenny, a leading hotel and hospitality learning and development expert. The hoteliers interviewed in the book include: Kiaran MacDonald, The Savoy Hotel, London; Philippe Leboeuf, Mandarin Oriental, Paris; Nathalie Seiler-Hayez, The Connaught Hotel, London; Michael Davern, The K Club, Ireland; Bernard Murphy, Gleneagles, Scotland; Greg Liddell, The Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona; Luc Delafosse, Hôtel de Crillon, Paris. Between them, these seven hoteliers have run some of the world’s most iconic and well-known hotels: Āman Resorts; Carlyle Hotel, New York; Claridge’s, London; Connaught Hotel, London; Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, Arizona; Fairmont Waterfront, Vancouver; Fancourt, South Africa; Gleneagles Hotel, Scotland; Hotel Burj Al Arab, Dubai; Hôtel de Crillon, Paris; Hôtel du Louvre, Paris; Hôtel Lutetia, Paris; Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong; Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona; Mandarin Oriental, Paris; Sandy Lane, Barbados; The K Club, Kildare; The Ritz Hotel, London; The Savoy Hotel, London; and Waldorf Astoria, Beverly Hills. Their stories are unique, sometimes emotional, always deeply personal and absolutely absorbing: greeting the great and the good, from presidents and heads of state to pop celebrities; quelling rioters by serving them breakfast; hosting the Ryder Cup golf tournament; dealing with bomb threats and possible evacuation of an entire hotel the morning Nelson Mandela is due to arrive; managing egos; opening new hotels and reviving the old, while still keeping the spirit that made them great. While all of the interviewees share the distinction of managing the best hotels in the world, their career paths are as individual as their stories. Unsurprisingly, hard work features in the hoteliers’ meteoric career rises – as does a focus on service, attention to detail and a love of people, guests and staff alike. Their insight on the future of luxury hotels also makes compelling reading from a rarely-heard source. The book will make fascinating reading for anyone interested in a glimpse behind-the-scenes of the very best hotels in the world. It will be especially valuable for today’s hotel managers as well as upcoming hoteliers who want to understand how the best hotels are run and what took these seven people to the very top of their industry. The book provides a unique perspective on the world of luxury and caring for the rich and the famous through the eyes of those who run some of the world’s iconic hotels.