The boss of the Hamburg luxury hotel unpacks in great detail - and not only makes friends with it

The boss of the Hamburg luxury hotel "Vier Jahreszeiten" reported in an interview about the customs - and bad habits - of the guests.

The reactions are mixed.

"It remains to be seen whether he has done himself a favor by divulging his little secrets," it says with a wink in a letter to the editor in Spiegel about Ingo C. Peters' interview in July.

Among other things, the author is addressing details that the hotel manager revealed without hesitation - but offered unique insights into the hotel industry.

Ingo C. Peters has been managing director of the Hamburg luxury hotel "Vier Jahreszeiten" for 24 years.

An interview with him that was recently published in Der Spiegel shows that he can report quite a bit from this time.

He not only talked about how the luxury hotel is coping with the corona pandemic, but also revealed small details about its guests and what is happening behind the scenes *.

As can now be seen from letters to the editor, not everyone likes it.

Ominous noises from the air conditioning?

Hotel manager reveals how the problem will be solved

“The guest is always right, no matter what he says,” Ingo Peters explains in an interview, for example. Apparently even if the problem mentioned should not even exist: “Some complain about alleged noises from the air conditioning, even if it is centrally displayed. I could say that the air conditioning is not on at all.

But we never teach the guest

. ”Instead, an employee would look at the air conditioning, press a button and then ask whether it would be better now. “Many say yes, even though the temperature is exactly the same,” reveals Peters.

What does the typical hotel guest at "Vier Jahreszeiten" in Hamburg look like at the moment?

Peters does not hold back with that either: "Last year we were almost attacked by guests from Sweden, Denmark and especially Norway."

Many of the guests are used to 15,000 to 20,000 euros a week for a room, food and wine to spend

.

Many business travelers or wealthy Hamburgers also often come to the luxury hotel.

Regarding the latter, he says: “The wealthy Hamburgers have a special relationship with money anyway.

Sometimes that's really strange.

They come to me and complain because they had to pay for parking in the garage or 1.50 euros for the cloakroom.

At the same time they ask if I can reserve a nice suite for you in London.

View of Hyde Park, £ 3,500 a night. "

The fact that Peters speaks so openly about his guests is taken with mixed feelings, as letters to the editor have now shown in the Spiegel. "In view of the way in which guests in the luxury hotel who spend up to 20,000 euros a week are sold for stupid and lied to, their concerns ignored and their personal sensitivities mocked, I am glad I have never been a guest in this house", thinks a person indignant. Others, on the other hand, are happy about the openness of the hotel director and find the interview “delicious” and “entertaining”. One reader says: “You can tell in a positive way that Mr. Peters has served himself from the bottom up and that he is not afraid to address the weaknesses and shortcomings of his guests. A classic manager would not do that in this form.The down-to-earth attitude of Mr. Peters is very refreshing and, above all, not mendacious. "

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Because of the corona pandemic: 20 percent surcharge in the luxury hotel

The "Vier Jahreszeiten" in Hamburg was closed for six months due to the corona pandemic. Meanwhile, the

occupancy is 50 percent

, as Peters explained, so it is still a long way from normality. Employees had to be taken out of short-time work and returned to their day-to-day work. “I have determined: either completely or not at all. Either we offer all the services as always, or we don't open ”, says the hotel manager. In order to stay afloat, many hotels would now save: “There are fewer flowers, no more accessories in the bathroom, there is no piano player in the lobby. Above all, however, savings are made on staff. Fewer people have to do more work. Nonetheless, more is being taken from the guests. ”That was also the“ Four Seasons ”

now 20 percent more expensive

, as Peters reveals.

“That is accepted without comment.

We are the niche where money ultimately doesn't play that big a role.

For us, however, this means that the service must always be on point. ”

(Fk) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.

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