Reflections: Kurt Wachveitl

By Staff -- HOTELS Magazine, 8/1/2006

Kurt Wachveitl, general manager, The Oriental, Bangkok

I don’t work at the Oriental, I live! This has been my motto for the past 38 years, and it will continue to be so for years to come. This is my home, my hobby, my greatest pride and joy—it is the journey of my life.

We are celebrating our 130th anniversary —years in which The Oriental Bangkok has

become an institution linked with the history of Thailand. And even as we celebrate the history and heritage of The Oriental, we are aware a hotel must move fast and be open to trends to be successful in this extremely competitive business.

Passion is paramount in running a legendary hotel like The Oriental. The rewards are plentiful, such as when you receive a complimentary letter from a guest, when you win awards and when you have more than 1,000 dedicated employees who have spent their entire working lives at The Oriental. At the end of the day, when a 12-hour day is not painful, and it is fun to go to the office every day, how can you stop the carnival?