The General Manager of the Rembrandt Hotel Bangkok talks about the challenges and joys of running a hotel in Thailand
| A VETERAN of the hotel business, Swedish expat Eric has over 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry and has worked in Africa, Greece, the Maldives, Spain and France, before taking up his post as General Manager of the Rembrandt Hotel Bangkok in 2008. Raised in Europe as well as Africa, his other roles in tourism have included Chairman of the Tourism committee of JFCCT (Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand), Director of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, Director of the South African Chamber of Commerce, VP of the National Committee of SKAL Clubs in Thailand, and Director of PATA Tourism Committee. Eric earned his degrees at Grenna College, the University of Malawi, and Stockholm University. He has been a resident of Thailand for over three decades. |  |
I have always been passionate about hospitality and knew as a teen that I wanted to pursue a career in hotels (my second choice was to become a diplomat).
It is difficult to say when I got my first big break. Some would say that it was when I was born, but others when I became GM for the Rose Garden Resort (now Sampran Riverside resort) in 1986. I am fortunate to have been involved in Thai tourism since the 1970s, and I have seen the industry grow from infancy and childhood, into adolescence and adulthood.
The highlight of my career so far was when the Six Senses Hideaway Samui was awarded the Conde Nast Best Hotel in the World award in 2008. I helped to open the resort in 2004, and ran it with my team until 2008, when I left the resort to open the first Six Senses resort in Europe, in Spain.
To be a successful GM you need to know that a team makes a good hotel, not an individual. Hospitality is a ‘people business.’ Passion for people and team work are the most important aspects of hospitality – plus attention to detail. You should also understand and learn from your guests and coworkers how to improve a guest’s experience, and never ask of others what you would not do yourself.
I joined the Rembrandt Hotel Bangkok in 2008 after returning from Spain. I had known the Rembrandt since it opened and it was always a hotel that I liked. It had, and still has, soul.
We are independently run from all the hotel chains, but still manage to stand out in the crowd. Our restaurants, whether Thai, Mexican, Indian, Italian or Spanish, are outstanding. It is unusual to have so many award winning restaurants in one hotel.
This year the hotel celebrates its 22nd anniversary. We will mark the occasion with religious rites in the morning, followed by special ceremonies to award our long-serving associates in the afternoon.
We constantly change and update the hotel and it is a never ending project. At the moment we plan to renovate the corridors, add a bar to Rang Mahal, build a new jewelers, upgrade the plumbing, and implement many other projects which will keep the hotel current and fresh.
The most challenging aspects of my job have involved dealing with the economic downturns we have faced since the airport closure in 2008, and ensuring we remain on par with the ever increasing competition. The most enjoyable aspects of my job, meanwhile, involve dealing with our team and our guests.
The best advice I’ve ever received? Well, I like Mahatma Gandhi’s statement: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” And every day I learn something new – from people, books, and life in general – so there’s great advice all around.
The motto I find most inspiring is: “Turn your can’ts into cans, and your dreams into plans,” by Kobi Yamada.
The Rembrandt Hotel Bangkok, 19 Sukhumvit Soi 18, Tel: 02 261 7100
www.rembrandtbkk.com
It is difficult to say when I got my first big break. Some would say that it was when I was born, but others when I became GM for the Rose Garden Resort (now Sampran Riverside resort) in 1986. I am fortunate to have been involved in Thai tourism since the 1970s, and I have seen the industry grow from infancy and childhood, into adolescence and adulthood.
The highlight of my career so far was when the Six Senses Hideaway Samui was awarded the Conde Nast Best Hotel in the World award in 2008. I helped to open the resort in 2004, and ran it with my team until 2008, when I left the resort to open the first Six Senses resort in Europe, in Spain.
To be a successful GM you need to know that a team makes a good hotel, not an individual. Hospitality is a ‘people business.’ Passion for people and team work are the most important aspects of hospitality – plus attention to detail. You should also understand and learn from your guests and coworkers how to improve a guest’s experience, and never ask of others what you would not do yourself.
I joined the Rembrandt Hotel Bangkok in 2008 after returning from Spain. I had known the Rembrandt since it opened and it was always a hotel that I liked. It had, and still has, soul.
We are independently run from all the hotel chains, but still manage to stand out in the crowd. Our restaurants, whether Thai, Mexican, Indian, Italian or Spanish, are outstanding. It is unusual to have so many award winning restaurants in one hotel.
This year the hotel celebrates its 22nd anniversary. We will mark the occasion with religious rites in the morning, followed by special ceremonies to award our long-serving associates in the afternoon.
We constantly change and update the hotel and it is a never ending project. At the moment we plan to renovate the corridors, add a bar to Rang Mahal, build a new jewelers, upgrade the plumbing, and implement many other projects which will keep the hotel current and fresh.
The most challenging aspects of my job have involved dealing with the economic downturns we have faced since the airport closure in 2008, and ensuring we remain on par with the ever increasing competition. The most enjoyable aspects of my job, meanwhile, involve dealing with our team and our guests.
The best advice I’ve ever received? Well, I like Mahatma Gandhi’s statement: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” And every day I learn something new – from people, books, and life in general – so there’s great advice all around.
The motto I find most inspiring is: “Turn your can’ts into cans, and your dreams into plans,” by Kobi Yamada.
The Rembrandt Hotel Bangkok, 19 Sukhumvit Soi 18, Tel: 02 261 7100
www.rembrandtbkk.com
