Anthony Melchiorri on What it Takes to be a Hotel All-Star
For nine seasons, I watched Anthony Melchiorri turn around some of the worst hotels in the country on his hit Travel Channel show, HOTEL IMPOSSIBLE. In each episode, Anthony tells it like it is and pulls no punches. His passionate, honest and direct approach to business resonated with me and the legions of loyal fans that watched the show. Recently, when Anthony published a new book entitled, 'Show Up: The 5 Steps to Getting Out of Your Own Way,' I knew this was my chance to reach out to him for an interview.
Recently, I sat down with Anthony Melchiorri to discuss his new book, his new show and some of the critical moments and lessons he's learned throughout his career in the hotel business.
Topics covered in our interview included:
The time Anthony bet $10,000 on himself becoming a General Manager
How Anthony became a hotel transformation expert
Anthony’s framework for turning around hotels
Anthony’s life-changing relationship with Marc Summers and Leo Rossi
The purpose behind Anthony’s new show, Hotel All-Stars
To give you a sense of Anthony's perspectives, here are four highlights from the interview:
“Look people in the eye.”
According to Anthony, looking people in the eye is one of the biggest challenges in hospitality today. Anthony explained that with recent changes in the hotel business, including advancements in technology and fewer onsite staff, the most important thing hotels can do is to make sure their staff is looking people in the eye. “Whatever your role (whether front desk or housekeeping), you may be the only team member a guest sees during their stay, so it is crucial to make sure to give them the best experience possible. And this starts by looking the guest in the eye and saying hello.”
“Control comes from staying on top of key information.”
In our interview, Anthony spoke about the power that comes solely from paying attention to key operating and performance data. He talks about how it’s not necessarily important to look at every profit and loss statement but rather to come in early and read the reports; to know which goals each person in the building is working to achieve. “The power you gain as a general manager comes not from your authority over the hotel staff but rather from the knowledge and understanding you have about the property.”
“I don’t motivate people.”
When hiring staff, Anthony looks for self-motivated people who will inspire others. He talks about how his job is to hire extraordinary people and give them an environment where they can flourish. Anthony knows that he cannot motivate his team alone. "The job of a general manager is not to get you out of bed at 6 am, but rather to create an environment where the team will feel motivated to do their best and to motivate others around them."
Anthony’s new show, Hotel All-Stars
During our conversation, Anthony Melchiorri and I discussed the premise of his new show, Hotel All-Stars, coming to the Travel Channel. Anthony, in partnership with the American Hotel & Lodging Association, is on a mission to introduce new talent to the hotel business to help address some of the staffing shortages plaguing the industry.
Watch our full interview to hear more from Anthony and get the inside scoop on his new show, Hotel All-Stars:
