Traveling the world exposes you to the rich tapestry of cultures, cuisines, and languages, however, one of the most delightful surprises can be the humorous signs found in hotels and restaurants. These signs, often lost in translation or intentionally witty, provide a chuckle or a moment of amusement for weary travellers. Here’s a collection of some hotel and restaurant signs from around the globe. The Optimistic Innkeeper In a Swiss hotel, guests were greeted with a sign that read, “Our wines leave you nothing to hope for.” A testament to the confidence the Swiss have in their vineyards or a ..read more

In recent times, the term ‘ultra luxury’ has become very fashionable, judging by how many resumes feature or refer to ‘ultra luxury’ employers. With all due respect to these applicants, some of their employers wouldn’t know luxury if it hit them in the face with a fluffy towel! During my research (and I’m always good to go deep for vital details), I found the term luxury stipulates “a luxurious accommodation experience to the guest that comes with a high price, justified or not, and in some cases subject to location and the availability of infrastructure”. In many destinations hotels can crea ..read more

The art of selling wine encompasses much more than simply stocking quality bottles. It’s about creating an experience, educating your staff and customers, and understanding the nuances of pairing. It can be easy to forget the basics, so here are some reminders to help you enhance your wine sales with simple, yet effective strategies. Educate Your Staff Ensure that your staff are knowledgeable about the wines on offer. Conduct regular training sessions where they can learn about the different grape varieties, regions and pairings. A well-informed server can provide recommendations and answer c ..read more

Why recruiters go to Hell! The ever-present question about mortality and the life thereafter becomes more relevant with oncoming age and being a recruiter…and no this is NOT a religious or spiritual perspective here, rather the reality of an occupational hazard in the life of a hospitality recruiter… Well, where do I start and where does it all start? The client’s brief: In most cases a client has a specific idea of what his new employee should be all about and that is not restricted to the following: – age range, (some countries in Asia now have age limits for obtaining work permits, others ..read more

A new year means a period of reflection, and this New Year that reflection led to a review of past assignments we had worked on 10+ years ago. I was a little shocked when I reviewed the expat salaries and employment terms of the projects we handled for hotels all those years ago. This shock was not how much these had increased, like when reviewing food or housing prices, but how little they had increased, and in many cases, have actually gone backwards!  As a case study and an example of the malaise throughout the industry, let’s look at the Executive Chef position, generally considered ..read more

Chinese New Year falls on Saturday, February 10, 2024. This date differs every year – so, for example, Chinese New Year 2023 fell on January 22, and in 2022 it was on February 1. The most commonly used calendar in the world – and the one we use – is the Gregorian Calendar, which was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. It’s a solar calendar based on a 365-day year, divided into 12 months. The Chinese New Year calendar is based on the lunisolar calendar – which is why it’s sometimes called Lunar New Year.  Each year, Chinese New Year is celebrated at the second new moon following ..read more

The history of restaurant menus is a fascinating one, with origins dating back to ancient times. The first recorded menu was apparently found on a stone tablet in ancient Assyria, dating back to 879 BC. The tablet listed the food items served at a banquet hosted by King Ashurnasirpal II, which makes it one of the world’s oldest surviving menus. The modern restaurant menu as we know it today has its roots in France. During the 18th century, restaurants began to offer patrons a choice of dishes from a list, rather than serving a set meal. This was a significant departure from the traditional co ..read more

First impressions are crucial in many aspects of our life, and in hospitality in particular, it can be make or break for you personally or the business. A first impression is an opinion you form of someone when you first meet them and often takes less than a minute or two to form.  A lot of what you think of them comes from assumptions and physical observations and is also influenced by cultural or societal bias.  For this reason, you can make a different first impression on different people, as they’re going to make their assumptions in varying ways. If you’re able to make a good f ..read more

For hoteliers the holiday season can be a contrasting period – some will be relaxing after the pre-Christmas craziness, whilst other are smack in the middle of one of their busiest periods of the year which will continue well into January. In other parts of the world it’s just another work day… Whichever is the situation for you, all of us at The Elite Hotelier and Elite Search hope you get to spend time with your families and loved ones and wish you the very best for the holidays and to a prosperous, peaceful and successful 2024. I think we all need to find ways to smile, so here are a few of ..read more

In past years when we received an assignment to look for a Hotel General Manager, many clients had very particular and specific requirements. It often seemed that nothing was ever good enough; only the best would do, all had to have a super-luxury background, MBA’s, 20 years of experience, but still be in their thirties and so it went on… Fast forward to the new reality of hospitality post Covid 19, and how it seems things have changed. The very same international companies that had previously insisted that only a highly trained and experienced European hospitality professional would do, have ..read more