Interview
10 years anniversary - A review with Mr. Reif
Apr 2022
10-jähriges Jubiläum im St. Georg Hotel Bad Aibling. Das ist ein guter Grund zum Feiern! Aber auch eine perfekte Gelegenheit, um auf vergangene Highlights und zukünftige Pläne zu blicken.
Hello Mr. Reif, it's great that we're here together today for such a happy occasion.
How do you personally feel about this success?
For me personally, this success is a great vote of confidence from the owners, the supervisory board, the employees and, of course, the guests, without whom the hotel would not exist.
In my profession, it is very nice to be able to work in the same hotel for such a long time. The hotel industry is my vocation and the Hotel St. Georg has become a matter close to my heart. For me, the hotel with its guests and staff is like a big family.
The last 10 years have certainly been the most important and successful years in my career to date. I am now the owner of a hotel apartment, a partner in our Betriebs GmbH and a member of the advisory board in the owners' association. So there are still plenty of challenges ahead and the next few years are sure to remain exciting and interesting.
Do you remember your first days at the Hotel St. Georg? What was it like for you?
When I started as hotel manager, I naturally had to familiarize myself with everything first, but I had employees who supported me very well. I quickly realized what a huge challenge it would be to bring the hotel up to a more modern standard.
In the meantime, we have implemented so much, e.g. the renovation of the bar, the reception, the kitchen, the buffet area, the room renovations are still going on, the corridors, the room doors and there are many more renovations and conversions to come.
A whole decade of different guests and exciting stories. Is there an event that you always like to think back to?
Of course, I could tell you lots of interesting, funny and exciting stories - but that would go beyond the scope of this article. That's why only the very special events are listed here:
I have many fond memories of the joint workshops with our department heads and employees. I particularly remember the workshop with 25 of our employees in which we developed our philosophy of the Hotel St. Georg.
I also look forward to the Christmas and New Year's Eve parties every year and I particularly hope that we will be able to celebrate with our guests again this year.
I also remember the big celebration and open day to mark the 30th anniversary of the Hotel St. Georg in 2017.
And, of course, I also have fond memories of our fantastic donation project, the construction of a school with a cistern in Rwanda together with Reiner Meutsch and Fly&Help.
With such a long time in the hotel industry, there were certainly situations that went differently than planned. Is there anything you would handle differently in hindsight?
You can't change fate and time retrospectively. I don't want to regret the past, because if I had done something differently, I don't know if the hotel would be where it is today.I don't think it was wrong to achieve 4 stars, to push ahead with the renovations, to offer employees a secure workplace, to be constantly up to date, traditional and yet progressive.
For me personally, moving with the times means that you have to adapt to the times without losing your values.Above all, you grow in experience over the years. What is the biggest thing you have learned as a hotelier from your time at the St. Georg?
As a hotelier and as a person, I have learned that you can never be too old for new things. You have to deal with the challenge of being MODERN and not lose the balance between the tried and tested and innovation.
Personally, I particularly enjoy trying out new things, designing them and seeing how they work.You often use such anniversaries as an impetus for change. What are your goals for the next 10 years?
First of all, I don't want to plan 10 years in advance, but of course I have goals:
At the hotel, we are striving for continuous modernization, continued good working conditions and a warm, friendly atmosphere.My personal goal is for all of us, guests and employees, to enjoy the Hotel St. Georg.
I would like to spend a few more good years at the hotel and then think about my retirement in 8 - 10 years' time with a good feeling.
Thank you very much for your time. We are very excited to see what the future holds for the St. Georg Hotel Bad Aibling and wish you and the entire team continued success.