What is the status of your hotel right now?
The Hotel is currently reduced to the bare minimum following the restrictions imposed by the Belgian government.
How are you staying in touch with your employees?
We do regular Zoom meetings, we exchange a lot by email and on WhatsApp. We exchange news and best practices about our daily routine while we are confined at home. We are still connected as we do need to deal with cancellations and rebookings. We keep up with the hope we will all be able to get back to normal soon.
How do you motivate your sales team right now?
We work together on some action plans for ‘after Covid-19’. We are currently trying to stay connected with our clients and make them discover another side of our lives at home, in a more private setting.
How do you see the future for the rest of the year once the crisis passes?
We understand that this crisis will impact our business for months even after the lockdowns but we are staying very positive about the aftermath as our industry will always do whatever is necessary to recover.
Of course we are conscious that many of our industry’s friends, colleagues, clients, partners are as impacted as we are and we hope that everyone will be ready as we are to get back to ‘normal’. But, in the meantime, we also strongly hope that this crisis will change our minds and make all of us think more about the impact of our actions and our business on our environment. We all need to change the way we used to do things and do whatever is necessary to preserve our planet. In fact, there is no looking back, there is only looking forward. A drastic change for good, for the better.
What are the unique selling points of your hotel?
We believe that what makes The Hotel. Brussels different is our team. Every hotel can have a sauna or the largest ballroom in town but what is a venue without the people that work hard, every day, with passion and devotion to their clients, partners, colleagues with the only aim to bring the best experience possible? So yes, The Hotel Brussels offers stunning views, amazing food and timeless design but what really matters is how our team will help you make your event and your stay a great success and the most memorable.
What message do you have to MICE bookers in the UK who will read the interview?
When you are ready to come back, we will be there to welcome you and make that ‘magic thing’ of our beautiful industry happen again… and again…
