Behind the Scenes

Get a glimpse of the inner workings of luxury hotels.

- By Mark Chesnut

When things run smoothly, the average traveler probably pays little attention to what’s going on behind the scenes at their favorite luxury hotel. And that’s the way it should be. But a quick look at the inner workings reveals a world of planning, training and execution that helps ensure a perfect stay.

Here are a few of the departments — and the people behind them — that help luxury hotels operate effectively and keep guests coming back.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

Upscale hotels often aim to fashion themselves as hubs for culinary excellence. That takes creative vision as well as practical strategizing.

“The logistics and communications in a hotel of our size can sometimes be extremely challenging,” said Philipp Pögl, food and beverage director at the 385room Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin. “We usually employ more than 150 service staff and approximately 80 chefs while catering to an average of 1,400 guests per day in our F&B [food and beverage] outlets. Each staff member needs to be fully briefed and informed” — including about tricky issues like guest dietary restrictions, he noted.