Yvonne Lembi-Detert, Personality Hotels
Yvonne has dedicated her entire career to customer service in the hospitality industry. At the young age of 22, just after graduating from San Francisco State University, she was put in charge of opening and operating San Francisco’s first boutique hotel, Hotel Union Square. She created the concept, oversaw operations, marketing and branding for both Hotel Union Square and the umbrella company, Hotel Group of America, which evolved into Personality Hotels. Over the past 27 years, she has grown the company into a successful collection of seven boutique hotels. However, she has never lost sight of her number one priority – her guests. Every day she can be seen at her properties interacting with her guests -- giving them a warm welcome, asking them about their stay and making sure that their experience lives up to their expectations. She strongly believes in being a very hands-on owner, and personally answers e-mails from her guests each day. She knows that the success of Personality Hotels lives and breathes with customer satisfaction and is willing to go above and beyond to give a personal experience to her guests.
Yvonne has served as a very strong role model for Personality Hotels by being a true leader. Over the past 27 years, she has not only survived but thrived in the hospitality industry. She has shown her staff that through diligence, perseverance and hard work, anyone can be a success. Through her actions and personal example of personally responding to guests, regularly visiting each hotel and asking for input from everyone on her staff – management and line associates alike – she underscores the value of each individual’s contribution to the success of the operation and that each guest contact builds guest loyalty. Savvy marketing is also one of Yvonne’s strengths. A recent article in Lodging Magazine states: “Over the years, Lembi-Detert has pushed the envelope with edgy marketing packages that initially drew skeptical comments but later admiration, she recalls. Lembi-Detert cites her 2006 Brokeback Mountain package, aimed at San Francisco’s gay and lesbian community, which despite early criticism turned out to be one of her most successful campaigns.”
A true pioneer in the San Francisco hospitality community, Yvonne has grown Personality Hotels to be the largest privately-owned boutique hotel operator in the City. Highly regarded as a trendsetter in the very competitive hotel industry, Personality Hotels will debut two distinctive and fashionable boutique hotels this year – Hotel Vertigo and Hotel Frank. Despite the economy’s current challenges when most hoteliers are delaying or halting renovations, Yvonne has found innovative ways to persevere and complete both hotel projects. Always on the forefront, she secured one of the country’s most avant garde and forward-thinking designers for both hotels – award-winning, LA-based firm, Thomas Schoos Design, Inc. Yvonne also developed a partnership with one of the country’s most celebrated chefs, Tyler Florence, who will open his first restaurant in Hotel Vertigo. She continues to shine as a creative, hardworking and diligent role model for the hotel community. Yvonne was a 2008 Lifetime Achievement – Hotel Executive Finalist.
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