With competition heating up in the boutique hotel segment as more big chains introduce lifestyle brands, Niki Leondakis, chief operating officer for boutique pioneer Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, San Francisco, knows that it takes more than good design to run a successful operation. Leondakis says to stay ahead of the competition, Kimpton is focusing efforts on its differentiators—both from a customer standpoint and an employee standpoint. "It's not just environmental; it's experiential," Leondakis says. Fittingly, HOTELS sat down with Leondakis at a recent Women's Foodservice Forum luncheon where the theme "competitive edge" served as a great starting-off point for a discussion about Kimpton's focus on diversity, promoting women in the industry and managing the impact of the rapidly growing Kimpton portfolio.
展开▼
