A day in the life of…

The Hilton Brighton Metropole’s General Manager, Sascha Koehler

What is your background? How did you find yourself in your current role at the Hilton?

Having grown up as the son of foreign correspondents based in Mongolia, Zimbabwe and Japan, besides my native Germany, I have travelled a lot with my family, particularly in Asia. I discovered my passion for the hospitality industry at the early age of 14, when I walked into the Lobby of the Oriental Bangkok hotel – one of the finest hotels in the world – and observed how the General Manager interacted with both guests and team members alike. I was in awe, and from that moment on I knew what my vocation would be. I studied Hotel Management in Vienna (where I met my wife). I then joined Hilton’s fast-track Elevator Management Training programme and took up various positions for the next 16 years all over the world, in Zurich, London, Heathrow and Budapest. My first role as Hotel Manager was in Istanbul. I then returned to the UK as General Manager of Hilton London Gatwick Airport, Hilton London Syon Park (rebranding the hotel from a Waldorf Astoria), and now Hilton Brighton Metropole. Having only been in the position since early February of this year I must say that I love everything about the role, the hotel, and this vibrant city!

Can you describe an average day as GM (if there is one!)

That is impossible as every day is so different! This is what makes the hospitality industry so interesting and engaging. Typically I arrive at work having worked through e-mails on the train journey. My first daily appointment is to join our morning brief, which discusses anything and everything from important matters from the previous day, to the current day’s event diary, key dignitaries that may be arriving, updates on any refurbishment projects, as well as any local business that may affect the hotel.

After a quick coffee, I walk around the hotel, visiting most departments and talking to team members and guests. There will be at least one (but usually more) client or internal meeting planned for during the day, which can last anything from 10 minutes to all day. We have a team member restaurant, so lunch could be either in our restaurant, or during a meeting. It is generally rather short – hoteliers learn to eat fast, fortunately! I then try to walk the hotel again and visit our on-property partners, such as The Salt Room restaurant and Schmoo by the Sea spa, as well as engaging with any event coordinators that may be on site to ensure everything is running smoothly, before returning to my desk to read through any outstanding emails.

Brighton is such a busy and fun city, and there is always lots going on in and around the hotel – especially in the evening. With various dinners or other networking functions to attend, it is great to be able to meet interesting people, as well as investigate what else the city has to offer.

If I can, I will go home to my family or stay overnight in the hotel, reply to a few more emails and start the next morning with a work-out in LivingWell Health Club – the hotel’s in-house gymnasium – or a swim in the hotel’s pool.

What skills do you need to be a good GM?

I think resilience, patience, and generally looking on the positive side are all very important, as well as strong social skills; these are necessary as I get to meet such a wide variety of people. For me, good leadership means treating people with respect and leading by example, as well as keeping your promises, trusting your team and allowing them to make mistakes and letting them learn from them, as well as offering constructive feedback. I believe in fully supporting your team when they take initiative, even if it may not have had the desired outcome, and guiding your team throughout their development. It is great to see staff enjoying their job and to watch them progress in their careers. Humour helps a great deal too, as any day and any situation can be quite tough. If we can take something away from the situation and laugh at the end, we will have learnt something!

Another skill required in this role is to have lots of enthusiasm and energy to ensure you keep going and ensure the team members are motivated day after day.

Why is the Brighton Hilton Metropole a great place to be/work?

The team here is fabulous – everyone really does care! 2015 is an eventful year for the hotel, as we will be celebrating our 125th Anniversary in July, so we are in the midst of planning a fantastic event to mark the occasion. Having just undergone a £3.75m refurbishment project, the hotel now looks the best it has looked in years. With 185 renovated bedrooms, the en-suite rooms, along with some communal guest areas, have been transformed into comfortable, stylish spaces that effortlessly capture the Arts and Crafts movement, with historical styling alongside feature artwork paying homage to William Morris. Guests will be able to refresh and revitalise themselves in renovated bathrooms, featuring large walk-in showers and new tiling throughout. The hotel now has a refreshed flexible conference and event space, with our biggest room able to seat 1,300 people. We also welcome the new additions: The Salt Room restaurant and Schmoo by the Sea spa.

It is great to see team members’ passion and pride in our new product, which makes this a phenomenal place to work.

Hilton is a fabulous brand to work for, made all the better for giving team members the opportunity to travel the world during their career, or stay in their hotel of choice.

What is the biggest challenge you have ever faced at work?

Hilton Istanbul, 10 years ago. The hotel had two large and one small air conditioning units. The small one kept half of the hotel cool whilst the larger two covered the remainder of the hotel and the large conference spaces. It was the hottest week in the year and the two large ones broke down. Panic ensued! We rented thousands of pounds worth of mobile units and ordered the spare parts by air mail from the US. I bought the engineers ice cream when they fixed the issue three days later, after working night and day. May 13th still has a yearly reminder in my calendar to remind me of “Coolinggate” and to stay positive.

How do you think the Hilton compares to other hotels in Brighton?

Hilton Brighton Metropole does fit well into the city. Along with our competitors, we give people a great choice, no matter if they are visiting for leisure or business. Hilton Brighton Metropole has a lot to offer: a great brand promise, a fantastic loyalty programme with Hilton HHonors, the biggest residential conference venue and hotel in Brighton, 125 years of tradition, The Salt Room restaurant, Schmoo by the Sea spa, LivingWell Health Club and Pool, Waterhouse Bar & Terrace, a phenomenal and passionate team, … the list just keeps going!