Hotel Hero Awards

THE 2009 HOTEL HERO AWARD WINNERS ARE:

Beyond the Call of Duty - Larry Bell - Doorman - Hotel Whitcomb

Known as, “The Singing Doorman,” Larry Bell’s sunny disposition and happy tunes have been brightening a sizable stretch of Market Street since he joined The Hotel Whitcomb in 1999. His colleagues describe an incident of Larry as the “Hotel Angel” that is typical of the extraordinary lengths to which he will go in service to guests and visitors: Larry observed a guest coming into the hotel struggling with his luggage and his disabled child. Upon offering assistance, he learned that the guest’s wife had just died and he had not yet been able to tell his son, who was autistic. Fortunately for the guest, Larry spends some of his time volunteering with victims of autism, and was able to offer knowledgeable assistance, advice and consolation. He stayed with the grateful guest through the painful episode of advising his child.

Rising Star - Justin Seeto - Front Office Manager - Omni

Justin began working at the Omni as an intern. Though he had no hotel experience, he seemed like a natural. He was quickly offered a part time, night audit position and after excelling in it he became a full time Guest Service Representative. From the beginning, he grasped a key element of the company culture; The Trilogy (satisfying the guest, owner and associate). He was frequently named by guests as "wonderful", "an asset" and before long, he was placed in the management trainee program.

Unsung Hero - Minh Huynh - Housekeeper - Holiday Inn Golden Gateway

For the past 30 years, Huynh has embraced and applied the philosophy of the standards, in providing exemplary guest service. His aggressive approach to guest service has elicited an astounding 361 positive guest comment cards in a 12-month period. He greets each guest with a smile, and if he hasn’t made personal contact with a guest, he places a call to the room, and leaves his name and instructions on how to reach him should they need anything. He takes complete ownership and pride in each guest room he services, in his hotel, and in his roll as the hotel’s self-appointed ambassador of goodwill. Three decades of dedication haven’t diluted this Unsung Hero’s enthusiasm and dedication to his property and to our industry.

Lifetime Achievement Hotel Executive - S.C. Huang - Owner - Orchard Hotels

Born Chu Ya-tzen in Shanghai, China in 1923, Mrs. S. C. Huang was an education major at St. John’s University in Shanghai when she met her late husband, S. C. Huang. Married in 1946, they moved to Indonesia where she taught English to Chinese students. Their son Robert was born in 1948 and daughter, Lydia in 1958, the same year the Huangs moved to Singapore to open the original Orchard Hotel. While most wives of Asian business tycoons were leading lives of leisure, Mrs. Huang had different aspirations. She convinced her husband to allow her to manage their new 33-room hotel, a job in which she excelled and enjoyed. After many successful years, they expanded the hotel to 350 rooms in 1978. The Huangs sold their Singapore property in 1983 to build the Orchard Hotel in Perth, Australia in 1985. In addition, they purchased a San Francisco Hotel (now the Hotel Rex) and a vacant piece of land near Union Square. It was their wish that their daughter Lydia would develop the site into a hotel and manage the properties. Sadly, Lydia was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1990 and fell into a coma in 1993. That same year, Mr. Huang died of cancer and Lydia lost her battle with brain cancer in 1996 at the age of 38. After two years of mourning, Mrs. Huang sold both the Perth and San Francisco hotels to develop a brand new Orchard Hotel, and ultimately the Orchard Garden Hotel on Bush Street. In her signature hands-on style, Mrs. Huang worked closely with architects and designers. She even brought family antiques from Australia to decorate a special suite in honor of her husband and daughter, The Schwensiu Suite (a combination of her husband’s initials and Lydia’s Chinese name). There is also a plaque in the hotel lobby dedicating the hotel in loving honor of Lydia and Mr. Huang.

Lifetime Achievement Department Manager - Thomas Wolfe - Chief Concierge - Fairmont San Francisco

As Chief Concierge of The Fairmont San Francisco from 1974 through 1981, and again from 1995 to the present, Tom has been internationally recognized for his visionary achievement as the first concierge in the United States by Les Clefs d’Or USA and the Northern California Concierge Association. The Fairmont San Francisco was the first U.S. hotel to offer concierge services, in 1974. Because most Americans were not familiar with the concept, Tom placed a note in each guest room explaining how the services of a concierge could enhance their visit. One might say that Tom has helped educate a generation of American travelers on the finer points of guest service. Tom also founded the U.S. Chapter of Les Clefs d’Or in 1978. In the 1980’s, Tom became the first concierge in Japan at the Hotel New Otani in Tokyo, and then went on to become Executive Chief Concierge at the Plaza Hotel in New York before returning to The Fairmont San Francisco in 1995. Frequently featured on The Travel Channel, Tom is a true ambassador of San Francisco. A gracious role model and advocate, Tom has mentored every professional concierge, new or experienced, who has had the good fortune to meet and learn from him. An icon of the hospitality industry, and a pioneer and founder of the concierge profession in the United States, Tom Wolfe has dedicated a lifetime to the pinnacle of service.

Lifetime Achievement Hotel Operations - Nora Johnson - Front Desk Trainer - Hilton San Francisco

Thirty-six years at the Front Desk and front lines of customer service and Nora arrives each morning ready to exhibit the same undiminished and unparalleled enthusiasm. To a person, her managers laud her gracious demeanor with each guest and colleague she meets. Effortlessly bridging the technological advances of the past three decades, she's moved from paper reservations and real keys to today's high-tech systems and multi-tiered guest rewards programs. Thorough, patient and kind, she trains each new Guest Service Agent as if her first, and she's trained over 600. She has participated in corporate training videos as a model and example of the pinnacle of customer service. She takes great pride in her hotel and her loyalty to one property provides a more fluid management with the institutional memory of people, procedures and practices. She remembers and really gets to know return guests. In fact, she has been known to visit guests in the hospital. She is introduced during a Team Sells and Site Visits and has been credited with bringing in business. Her dedicated service extends to her colleagues as well. Always supportive and considerate, she can lighten the mood after a particularly stressful day. She has been the recipient of every Team Member Service Recognition Award.

Community Spirit - The Fairmont San Francisco

Fairmont believes in leadership through innovative programs, such as: Eco-meet, Carbon Management, Green Cuisine, and Waste Management. Fairmont’s affiliations highlight their commitment to the environment, and also help promote unique Fairmont eco-experiences. The growing number of partners and associations who share Fairmont’s vision include The World Heritage Alliance for Sustainable Tourism, WWF (Climate Savers Program), The International Tourism Partnership, The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, The United States Environmental Protection Agency (ENERGY STAR® program), and the National Geographic Society.   On the local level, The Fairmont San Francisco partners include:

Lexus Hybrid Living: In partnership with Lexus, the hotel has created the Lexus Hybrid Living Suite, which offers the ultimate in eco-luxurious accommodations.   

California Coastal Cleanup: In 2008, more than 1,000 California Fairmont Hotels and Resorts colleagues, friends and family members gathered along the beaches, shorelines and inland waterways of the state to clean the areas during the California Coastal Cleanup. Working with the California Coastal Commission, Fairmont led five drop-in cleanup sites, collecting over 8 tons of trash and recyclables. Leading strength and stability to the Coastal Cleanup Day Program as a corporate sponsor, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts provided financial and promotional support and committed volunteers. 

Innovation - Hotel Carlton

This year, the Innovation award was presented to Hotel Carlton, which is a certified Green Business due to its initiative and implementation of several important green practices and policies over the past year. Hotel Carlton is the first solar powered hotel in San Francisco. Additionally Hotel Carlton practices energy saving and sustainable purchasing policies to further their efforts to making a smaller carbon footprint on the environment. Hotel Carlton also offsets all Carbon that is used in operations, making the establishment Carbon Neutral.   During a large-scale renovation in 2004, Hotel Carlton implemented several site additions to create a more sustainable property including high-efficiency water closets, sink aerators and low flow shower heads. In 2008, the installation of the solar panels at Hotel Carlton was one of many steps to enhance the building's energy efficiency and increase cost savings at the property. The hotel also installed large format amenity dispensers, filtered water machines with in-room reusable glass pitchers and reinforced its guest recycling program with both in room and public recycling bins to reduce waste. Hotel Carlton has also introduced several green meeting options for its group clients allowing for turnkey, zero waste meetings at the hotel. Communication and education materials are also in place throughout the hotel including linen/terry reuse cards, in-room recycling cards, lobby solar energy production monitor, and energy/water savings quick fact sheets.  

Hotel Carlton maintains a sustainable purchasing policy (SPP), including sustainable waste management for on going consumables, durable goods, and facility alterations and additions. With emphasis on "reduce, reuse, recycle," for hotel staff and guests alike, Hotel Carlton minimizes disposable purchases and highlights recyclable and reusable goods. Additional practices such as environmentally friendly cleaning supplies, equipment and practices, and reduced volatile organic compound paints, adhesives, and sealants help the Hotel Carlton make a difference in being an above-and-beyond green business.  

The staff at Hotel Carlton is trained to maintain and execute environmentally conscious and friendly practices and maintenance. The California State Best Management Practices Handbook serves as a guide for the Hotel Carlton's building maintenance, and the staff frequently receives updates on how to maintain a sustainable and responsible hotel. From large projects such as environmentally friendly and efficient window washing to small undertakings such as replacing old light bulbs with energy efficient low wattage/low-mercury bulbs and litter control, the staff at Hotel Carlton are integral in maintaining a clean, sustainable, and successful business.

Hotel Carlton has been the recipient of several awards recognizing its efforts in maintaining a green certified business and in encouraging and supporting others in doing so as well. Hotel Carlton has received the Energy Star Award from the Commercial and Industrial Branch, Energy Star, and the Green Business Award - Small Operator, from the City of San Francisco. Hotel Carlton will also be a member of the Mayor's Solar Founders Circle in 2009 and is in the process of LEED-EB Gold Certification.  