Some of the challenges Scott faced as pre-opening GM, however, was no different from any other regular pre-opening.
“My team has probably heard this analogy about 27 times in the first couple of months that they joined: There are good openings and there are bad openings. In a bad opening maybe the opening date is difficult to pin down, in a bad opening one position could be hard to fill, or somebody forgets to order something critical and it becomes a bad opening. In a good opening, maybe the opening date is difficult to pin down, in a good opening one position could be hard to fill, or somebody forgets to order something critical and many processes get delayed.
But in a good opening, the spirit of the team is so powerful, positive and solution-based to fix the situation. The spirit of the team can conquer anything. So it doesn’t matter what you throw into the mix, it’s the team makes it a good opening,” Scott emphasises.
It’s therefore no surprise when Scott explains her leadership style is to make her team believe that everything is possible and there’s a solution for every issue that arises.
“There’s a solution and an answer to everything and sometimes you just need to find creative ways of getting out of a tough spot. One of the greatest ideas that has been installed in this hotel has come from the talent and my working style is all about creating an environment where people can actually express themselves.”
It’s important that both hoteliers and new hotels express themselves, especially in a market with plenty of choice - and in this case, within its own brand. This opening will mark the second W in the city, but the presence of a sister hotel doesn’t seem to faze Scott. “W Dubai — Al Habtoor City is at the heart of the city and it’s designed to be more for the urban traveller,” Scott explains.
“Dubai is a great example of connectivity and that is a big plus for the W hotels in the city,” Scott says. “There is still space for someone who wants to do things differently from other luxury hotels in the city.”
She says that the hotel business has reached the point where the difference between hotels cannot just be price; rather it has to be rooted in experience.
“With another W hotel in the city, there’s nothing we couldn’t create in terms of synergy. You see that absolute icon when driving up Sheikh Zayed Road and that’s an urban experience, and we at W Dubai — The Palm provide a different experience and without a doubt there’s space for both of us in this city,” Scott asserts.
| Advertisement |