Best and Westin

One hotel that continues to remain popular in Tokyo is The Westin Tokyo, located amid the greenery of Ebisu. With its European flavor, the hotel has been a drawcard for Japanese people through the best and worst of times. Next year, the hotel celebrates its 20th anniversary.

The Westin Tokyo has 438 guest rooms and suites, five restaurants, two bars, one lounge, Le Spa Parisien and 12 function and meeting spaces of various sizes. Overseeing the hotel’s operations is Dietmar Kielnhofer. Born in Rottenmann, Austria, Kielnhofer has degrees from the School of Hotel Administration in Heidelberg, Germany; Cornell University, School of Hotel Administration, New York; and the University of Leicester, England.

Kielnhofer started his career in the hotel industry as an apprentice cook at a small hotel in Austria and has gone on to work at hotels in Switzerland, Germany, Spain, South Africa, Turkey, Malaysia, Israel, England, Thailand, Indonesia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Vietnam. He took over as General Manager of The Westin Tokyo in July 2011.

Japan Today editor Chris Betros visits Kielnhofer at The Westin Tokyo to hear more about the industry.

Have you always wanted to be in the hotel industry?

Yes, ever since I was a little boy. I was fascinated by the dynamic of the industry.

What got you hooked?

What really intrigued me was good food and that’s how I started my hotel career, as a cook at a small hotel in Austria. I really learned a lot and cooking is still a passion for me. Even now, I cook almost every weekend at home in Yokohama.

You came to The Westin Tokyo just after the disaster in 2011. That must have been a difficult time.

I am very lucky because I have seen Japan survive its worst after the earthquake. Consumer sentiment was negative and there was an atmosphere of pessimism. The outlook for the economy didn’t look very encouraging. Then 2012 was marginally better and we had examined our strategic direction. But 2013 has been a great year. I think the election of a new prime minister last December has been good for the economy. In the short term, it has worked for us. The big question on everybody’s mind is: Is it sustainable?

How do you think the proposed sales tax hike to 8% next April will affect the hotel industry?

Not a day goes by where the topic of the sales tax increase doesn’t come up. I think nobody knows what will happen on April 1. If history is a judge, then not much will change. When it went up from 3% to 5%, everybody expressed disappointment and one month later, it was back to normal. I think there will be a short period of uncertainty where people will adopt a wait-and-see attitude.

In terms of how we cope, Japan is already an expensive country, so how much more can we impose on consumers? Our pricing policy is based on supply and demand. What we don’t want is to antagonize customers and price ourselves out of the market and be perceived as greedy. Japanese are quality-driven people and are probably the most sophisticated consumers in the world. What they don’t want is an extra 3% tax with nothing in return. So what we have to do is offer added value for money.

How much of your business is from Japanese?

On weekends, approximately 80% of our business comes from Japanese. Going back to 2011, most of our foreign business dropped off after the earthquake, but the Japanese business kept us going, particularly in our food and beverages department. This year, the yen has weakened, bringing more travellers to Japan. Europe and U.S. are important markets, as are Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea.

How much of your revenue comes from food and beverages?

In our hotel, the F&B (food and beverage) component of total revenue is bigger than room rentals.

To what do you attribute the appeal of The Westin Tokyo?

It’s our European heritage, the way the hotel is designed. I hear this feedback all the time. About 90% of our business in restaurants comes from Japanese and they have a strong affinity with the European design. There are several fine hotels in Tokyo and they have outstanding products, but there is not much to differentiate between them. The Westin Tokyo is unique because of its design and set-up. We offer a European experience with strong focus on uncompromising quality of service. The instinctive interior design under the leadership of Bent Severin was characterized by a European neoclassic style that has stood the test of time. Over the last 20 years, our customers have paid homage to design features that set the standard for quality and style. The European infused lobby and public areas soon became the focal point for meeting customers who frequented Ebisu.

Is the hotel popular with weddings?

Yes, many people love and admire our wedding style with the atmosphere of European authentic elegance. In the near future, we will introduce new attractive programs.

I’ve heard the Christmas tree in the lobby is popular for wedding photo shoots?

Our Christmas tree is in big demand for photo shoots. We have had people call us and ask when the tree goes up so they can use it for a backdrop for their wedding photos. The train and teddy bears look very European. People love what we have here.

How do you market the hotel?

We prefer a combination of press releases, advertorials, advertising, email campaigns social media and naturally word of mouth. We also use social media to engage with our customers. We have a big data base that lets us have regular interaction with customers to let them know what activities are taking place in the hotel. Online reservations are increasing, especially for restaurants.

How is the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) business?

We have all the facilities and can accommodate gala dinners. Japan is an attractive tourist destination but unfortunately it is very expensive to get around. When I was working in Thailand and Bali, for example, we had plenty of incentive parties. You can do them on the beach or in the jungle. We would have meetings during the day and wonderful affordable cultural shows at night. Starwood (which owns the Westin brand), has a very strong sales network and we have regional sales offices all over the world. We do have an in-house sales team working with regional offices for leads. But our core business is definitely in Japan.

Next year is The Westin Tokyo’s 20th anniversary. What are you planning?

Throughout the year in 2014, we will have all kinds of events. You will be able to see details on our homepage and through the media very soon.

Is the hotel industry a popular industry to work in? What qualities make a good hotelier?

I think it is popular and certainly a mobile labor market. To work in this industry, you need to have the ability to please customers, and have an outgoing and pleasant personality. You have to have passion for what you are doing. The rest we can teach you.

What is a typical day for you?

It depends on the day. Sometimes I am in the office 60% of my time and 40% out; other days it is less. I do conference calls, webinairs, reports and emails take up more time than I wish. Part of my job is also to spend quality time with associates by talking with them about their concerns.

How important is it for a GM to be in the lobby greeting guests?

It’s very important to greet our guests upon arrival with personalized service, but it is equally important to bid them farewell. The global concept of Westin is “Wellness”. Our innovative programs ensure our guests are well rested, well-nourished and well cared. At Westin, guests leave feeling better than when they arrived.

How do you like to relax when you are not in the hotel?

I like to go to the gym, go biking, skiing in winter and play tennis if I can get a court. I am an outdoor-driven person.

Do you like to see what your competitors are doing?

Yes, I like to see what they are doing well and whether there is anything we could adapt. Most of the GMs at foreign hotels know each other. We meet on a regular basis. There is no envy and we all have our issues to solve. I appreciate a competitive situation. It keeps us on our toes.

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