Georges Midleje is general manager at the Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco Resort & Spa in Castelvecchio Pascoli, Italy. HOTELS spoke with him about, among other things, his love for guests and how hotels are like a great game of soccer.
HOTELS: Describe a typical day in your life.
Georges Midleje: As most everyone in the business can tell you, there’s no such thing as a typical day. I do start each morning with a skim coffee and fette biscottate. Then it’s off to walk my dogs around the block to a nearby field. In the evening, I unwind with a good cigar and glass of red wine from my favorite local biodynamic winery.
H: Is your career path the one you thought you’d be following?
GM: I always knew that I wanted to be in the hospitality industry and got started at the age of 18. I wanted to work in city hotels and went for an interview with the GM at the Savoy Hotel London. He asked me where I saw myself in this career, to which I responded that by age 38, I wanted to be in his shoes, leading a grand 5-star hotel. I did not get there at 38, I got there at 36. Be it luck, opportunity or just being at the right place at the right time, it’s an accomplishment I am proud of.
H: Where do you find inspiration outside your industry?
GM: Sports. More specifically, soccer, and the teamwork required to be victorious. This is an example that I always use when I meet with my heads of department — I always tell them that much like soccer, communication and teamwork are fundamental in the hotel business.
H: What’s one prediction you’re willing to make about your discipline in the coming year?
GM: As trends keep pointing towards localization and travelers seek to experience a destination’s culture on a deeper level, I think some hoteliers will have to get personally involved in that process — step out of their comfort zones, invest time in getting to know their guests. We host complimentary biodynamic wine tastings on property every Wednesday and Friday night, and as long as I am not traveling, you will find me chatting with guests — most of the time laughing … loudly!
H: Who inspires you?
GM: Simply put, our guests. To me, hospitality means making a guest feel at home.