Heading what is arguably the world’s most iconic hotel is a tremendous responsibility, but Tony McHale, general manager of Burj Al Arab in Dubai, is not fazed.
“Every morning I wake up excited, energized and filled with a bit of trepidation at the endless possibilities that Burj Al Arab offers,” said the very-English boss of the 202-suite hotel that rises like a giant spire-topped sail above a man-made island 300 feet (91 meters) by bridge from Dubai’s mainland.
McHale’s first visit here, shortly after leaving Mandarin Oriental London, was in October 2014, when he moved in for a couple of days to figure out the ambience and personality of the 15-year-old hotel. When he started work this past January, he warned his bosses at Jumeirah that he would not start implementing any ideas for 90 days. He needed to understand the hotel’s journey.
Now McHale is working according to his own 2020 plan (coinciding with the Dubai World Expo 2020). Already he is tweaking the hotel’s restaurants. First up is Al Mahara — where guests dine next to more than 1,500 fish swimming in a double-ceiling-high aquarium — to be lightened and brightened. Another urgent initiative is to extend average length of stay, currently just under three nights but kept down by mostly Chinese selfie enthusiasts who merely stay one night.
McHale preaches training that instills the idea that every single person can make a difference every day. He promotes his team (the Burj Al Arab contingent at the Ultras May 18 in London will be led by Jumeirah President and CEO Gerald Lawless and a female butler in Arab dress). In all, Burj Al Arab has an employee force of 1,400 from 80 countries, but the hotel’s truly global market mix means McHale needs Mandarin and Russian speakers on duty 24/7 as butlers, chauffeurs and chefs as well as manning guest services and housekeeping.
According to McHale, 2016 will see the arrival of both sea- and fresh-water outdoor pools with an additional beach, cabanas and a restaurant.
“It is the honor and highlight of my career to be in charge of the legacy of the world’s most luxurious hotel,” McHale said.