GOSTELOW REPORT—“As soon as the Peace Agreement between Israel and UAE was signed August 13, 2020, we reached out to UAE via social media and quickly got bookings from Dubai,” said Yaron Liberman, general manager of the 50-room The Norman, in Tel Aviv, Israel.
A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, this one-off independent property has had brand recognition worldwide since its opening in June 2014. The building, its design, its offering, all complemented by central location on Nachmani Street, less than 10 minutes from the Mediterranean, helped ensure that, pre-lockdown, 60% of guests were from the United States (typically mid-50s age group, overall 65% repeats and 2.5 nights’ average stay).
The Norman was converted from two adjacent mid-1920s Bauhaus residences, both three floors high. Designer David D’Almada gutted the interiors in favor of maximum glass and light.
One immediate feature on entering is a two-floor vertical poem, words written in 1956 by moviemaker Norman Lourie, after whom the hotel is named: “In the beginning there was nothing but the murmur of the sea, sand dunes in Galilee…” Rise to the rooftop, to the outside pool, look down to the hotel’s garden, and to the residential area around, and you actually feel as if you are starring in a movie.
“Just as I fell in love with all this when I was appointed back in 2012, our guests, and our staff, do too. We select rather than hire our 200-strong team. I am personally involved, choosing for personality more than experience to achieve higher employee satisfaction, which leads to higher guest satisfaction and bottom line,” Liberman explained.
There are a few olim chadashim, foreign Jews experiencing Israel, but 90% of the about 35 new recruits a year come straight from military service. Although these get substantial governmental travel privileges after a mere six months’ work, Liberman proudly reported his average length of tenure is three years (“and then, after traveling the world, some come back to us,” said ‘The Hugger,’ as he is known to many, who otherwise call him Yaron). After only three months on the job, a Norman recruit has a full overnight stay, in-house with dinner and breakfast included.
“Our team needs fully to understand a guest experience. Our 10 beliefs, established just before opening, include ‘the answer is yes; now tell me the question,’ and ‘it is an honor and privilege to be a host.’” Another is that culinary art is sacred, he said, adding that by not being kosher, The Norman can offer hot and freshly cooked meals every day.
Yaron Liberman said military service taught him commitment, discipline and responsibility (at age 12 he had toyed with becoming a doctor, to help people, but he diverted to hospitality with the same goal).
“I want my team to understand others. As well as daily briefings, we have extended Thursday roundtables for heads of department, to discuss satisfaction, be it guest, or staff, or financial. We deliberately veer out of the box, so to speak,” he continued.
Military service has also given him ability to confront challenges. With the hotel closed and no immediate re-opening in sight, he allows noisy construction from 7 a.m. till 7 p.m. Another building across Nachmani Street will become The Norman Residences, with seven long-stay apartments, all at least 800 square feet, plus a proper spa, a bigger gym, a Norman Collection concept store and a café.
“It is also the perfect time, now, for me to perfect my Arabic. I did learn it in the Army but when guests arrive from Dubai I greet them in their own language,” he said.