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The Best Hotel in the World
2010-12-09 11:00
Last week Monaco’s Métropole was awarded the title 'World’s Best Hotel' at the annual convention of the 440 Leading Hotels of the World. We’re delighted that M Jean-Claude Messant, general manager of the Métropole and Hotelier of the Year, agreed to be interviewed by CityOut.
CityOut: Can you tell us something about the competition?
Jean-Claude Messant: Three years ago we won ‘Best Hotel in Europe’. This year, we were picked from the eight regional winners as best in the world. Other regional winners included beautiful hotels in the Maldives, St Moritz, Brazil and New York - the kind that are easily recognized as the world’s top hotels - so the competition was pretty big.
CO: Do you feel proud to have come so high up in the ranks of the élite hotels in this part of Europe?
J-CM: Very much so. We’re a young hotel and we’re pleased to have got here so quickly. Of course there was always a hotel here historically, but we’ve changed it completely since 2004. It’s like driving a Ferrari, compared with – well, I mustn’t name cars.
CO: So what marks out the hotel as different now – is it less forbidding, less formal, perhaps?
J-CM: When we worked on the concept back in 2002, we decided what we wanted - to feel from the moment you walk in a sense of luxury and elegance, of a classic – with a touch of modernism, and – as you say – less formal, with a welcoming attitude. Somewhere where you’re happy from the morning through to cocktails and beyond. We were very careful about selecting key people: Jacques Garcia, who was the designer, and the chef Joel Robuchon. People who were going to give their heart. They were part of a family. You know, you pay someone to design a hotel, but the work doesn’t stop there. He comes back later and brings observations and improvements. Design evolves and improves.
CO: So you’re not some kind of grand museum.
J-CM: People have changed. Maybe fifteen years ago the majority of our guests would be in their 50s and wear jacket and tie. Today guests may be 30-40 years old, but have the money and are well experienced in the art of travel. And they’re the future. Of course, the older generation are still our most valuable clients – but they want part of the action; we find they’re happy to be part of this new experience.
CO: What would you say is the great achievement of the Métropole?
J-CM: It’s about responding to what people want. It's a bit like with phones. In a month’s time you’ll replace your phone. It’s the same with, for example, hotel decor. Adapt, react, or people grow tired. Others must follow. Of course you watch the competition, but you just keep an eye on them in the mirror. It's also important to continue to attract local people living in Monaco. It's great to see Monaco ladies at lunch or in the lobby relaxing over a drink with a friend.
CO: You spent some time on the other side of the Channel. How did your training in London prepare you for the rest of your career?
J-CM: I’m from a traditional, classic hotel background. After training in Paris I went to work at the Dorchester and spent three years at the Ritz. It was like discovering a new world - I absolutely adored it. When I did my training in London, formality was the key word. But when it came to managing a hotel, I found I did so with a bit more Italian and French flair. You have to be strict but sometimes crazy! On the other hand, while imagination and creativity are crucial, the big question is how you make it work perfectly every day.
CO: Is that what makes it a good job?
J-CM: It’s a great job because it’s unpredictable.You don’t know what time you’re going to finish, you dont know who is going to walk through the door. I don’t know if you’ve heard of Hotel Babylon - before it was a TV series it was a book. It’s 24 hours in the life of a young hotel manager and in those 24 hours he meets all the challenges I have had in my life! People even die in hotels and you have to know how to deal with that!
CO: Have you had any births at the hotel?
J-CM: Not yet. But at one of my hotels I had two big Hollywood stars. I was there the night they met over a drink. Now they’re happily married with kids. Extraordinary.
CO: And talking of weddings, how are you planning for next year’s major Monaco event?
In two ways. Firstly, we have to ensure that for the event itself we are able to accomodate guests coming to the Royal Wedding. The second is to create a buzz in terms of PR during the following months to show that Monaco is still on the map. We need to promote the principality beyond the wedding – that Monaco is the place to be. There will be hundreds of media organizations attending the wedding, and it’ll be seen all over the world so it's important that we project an elegant, positive image. How can we maximize that in a way that contributes to the long term future of the hotel and Monaco?
CO: Monaco’s the key.
You’re right. Now you can fly anywhere, you can go anywhere: Marbella, Majorca, Marrakesh, even New York, for the weekend. That's the real competition. The hotel is important but the destination is crucial.