Treviño presented the Two Roads Hospitality team with their brand core values in mid-January, during the company’s Two Roads Summit at Terranea Resort in Southern Calif. “Each of the brands is going to deliver these values in its own way,” he says. “Thompson may do a sophisticated edge to them. Joie de Vivre’s spin may be a little more playful, Destination will likely take a more traditional approach.” He also wanted to be sure that the values were all-inclusive, so employees at all levels could incorporate them into their work.
This type of flexibility is so important, because Treviño believes that diversity is really key to the hotel industry’s success. “This is something I learned when I was hopping from hotel to hotel at Ritz-Carlton,” he says. “I’ve never seen the type of diversity we have in hospitality in any other industry. We have an incredibly diverse workforce and we need to celebrate it and be all-inclusive. Unless our values are understood and able to be implemented by our entire workforce, what good are they?”
Good Advice
Jorge Treviño, executive vice president of brand operations at Two Roads Hospitality, has some advice for hoteliers looking to better define their brands.
Immerse yourself in the location. “No matter where you are and no matter what type of hotel you’re opening, you need to understand the local community and embrace it. You need that community to participate in creating an authentic experience for your guests, because they—the guests—can sense when the experience is not real.”
Stay current. “You don’t want anything you’re doing to become routine. Think about beverage trends. Yesterday, everyone was all about microbrews. Today, it’s bourbon. Tomorrow, it may be mezcal. You really need to keep up with the times and be sure you’re not just offering the culture of the area, but the current culture.”
Cater to locals. “When you’re catering to the local community with your bars, restaurants, and nightlife, that’s when you’re going to be successful. Guests can feel the energy of local people. And, if a tourist happens upon your bar when out with a friend, she’s going to want to come back to your hotel, and possibly even stay there, the next time she’s in town. That’s when the magic happens.”
