INTERVIEW - LAURENT GARRIDO, GENERAL MANAGER OF INTERCONTINENTAL MARSEILLE - HÔTEL DIEU: "MY FIRST DECISIONS WERE FOCUSED ON THE TEAM AND THE CULTURE OF THE HOTEL" (France)
The seasoned leader discusses with us the efforts made since his arrival at the iconic Marseille hotel to attract and retain his teams and to re-enchant the guest experience. |
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INTERVIEW - LAURENT GARRIDO, GENERAL MANAGER OF INTERCONTINENTAL MARSEILLE - HÔTEL DIEU: "MY FIRST DECISIONS WERE FOCUSED ON THE TEAM AND THE CULTURE OF THE HOTEL" (France)
The seasoned leader discusses with us the efforts made since his arrival at the iconic Marseille hotel to attract and retain his teams and to re-enchant the guest experience. |
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Interview made by Vanessa Guerrier-Buisine on 2025-03-18
 Laurent Garrido, General Manager, Hôtel InterContinental Marseille Hôtel-Dieu
Photo credit © ©FullyFunny.fr
He took on the role with a clear ambition: to strengthen the local dimension of the property while consolidating its international development, with Marseille culture as its foundation. As soon as he arrived, Laurent Garrido gave this new impetus a boost by recruiting talent for key positions and rethinking the catering offer to create convivial places that are popular with both locals and travelers. In particular, he relies on the international reputation of the InterContinental brand.
At the dawn of the summer season, the general manager is accelerating projects to improve the guest experience, whether it be the redevelopment of the vegetable garden into a Mediterranean garden with a petanque court, or the development of digital solutions to facilitate room service. Convinced that excellence is above all about people, he makes it a point of honor to train his teams, cultivate an impeccable spirit of service and recruit the talent that will help make the InterContinental Marseille - Hôtel Dieu a benchmark for exceptional hospitality.
Journal des Palaces: You took over as manager of the InterContinental Marseille Hôtel-Dieu last July. What is your vision for this iconic hotel?
Laurent Garrido: As you said, the InterContinental Marseille – Hôtel Dieu is an iconic place, not only for its architectural beauty, but also for its history and its role in the city. The hotel celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2023, a milestone that testifies to its strong roots in the Marseille landscape and the solidity of its achievements.
My ambition for this hotel is for it to be an increasingly influential player in the local network while remaining true to the values of excellence and refinement specific to the InterContinental brand. I want the hotel to become a place where the people of Marseille and visitors alike feel immersed in the traditional culture of our region while enjoying a luxurious and innovative hotel experience.
My aim is also to ensure that the InterContinental Marseille – Hôtel Dieu continues to shine on the international stage, with a particular focus on new key markets such as China, for example.
What were your first decisions? What have you already put in place, particularly in terms of employer branding?
My first decisions were focused on the team and the hotel culture. We recruited talent for key positions, which helped to energize all the departments. This is essential for laying a solid foundation for excellent service. In addition, I made sure to review our restaurant and bar offerings to revitalize these spaces, so that they become essential places for both the people of Marseille and our guests.
Finally, I have put in place a strategic plan aimed at developing the employer brand, with an emphasis on continuous training, personal development and a positive work atmosphere. I rely heavily on the new InterContinental Hotels & Resorts brand promise: Inspiring the incredible, for both our employees and our guests.
What projects are in progress?
We have several projects in progress to enhance the guest experience. In terms of restaurants and bars, we have revised our menu and our offering to meet local expectations while attracting an international clientele. The challenge is to find this balance between modernity and respect for Marseille's culinary traditions. We are also reinventing our conference and banquet offerings to make them more accessible to local businesses, while offering a tailor-made and quality experience.
At the same time, we are continuing our work on optimizing the welcome and the guest experience, by developing innovative digital solutions, such as an app for ordering room service in just a few clicks, in order to simplify certain procedures while guaranteeing authentic human contact.
Finally, I wanted to bring more “life” to the hotel and more interaction with our guests. The hotel vegetable garden has not been used for several years, so I decided to redevelop it as a Mediterranean garden, including a pétanque court, to offer our guests an authentically Provençal experience, accompanied by the sunny world of the Pernod-Ricard group and their emblematic pastis brand.
You want to enhance the quality of the guest experience. How do you support your teams to produce excellent service?
To produce excellent service, it is essential to invest in our teams. People are at the heart of the guest experience. We have set up regular training courses on hotel standards, but also on more specific topics such as the art of communication and hospitality, managing special requests, and stress management. We also encourage a personalized approach to service, where each guest feels unique. The teams are involved in regular guest feedback, to better understand their expectations and respond to them proactively.
I also make sure that each team member shares a common vision of what we want to offer in terms of service, from reception to room service. It is by working together and supporting each other that we can offer an unforgettable guest experience.
On the eve of the 2025 summer season, what are your recruitment needs? What profiles are you looking for?
As the summer season approaches, we have significant recruitment needs, particularly in the catering, reception and events departments. We are looking for people who are passionate about the luxury hotel industry and who share our desire to exceed guests' expectations. We are particularly looking for head waiters, receptionists, concierges and valets, as well as a banqueting and seminar manager.
We want to recruit dynamic, rigorous people with a real ability to work in a team. The spirit of initiative is also very important, as we want employees who are capable of contributing to the development of our offer and our services.
What advice would you give to a young person who wants to join the luxury hotel industry?
I would advise a young person who wants to join the luxury hotel industry to be passionate and to be willing to learn constantly. The luxury hotel industry is a demanding sector, but also incredibly rewarding. You have to be curious, have an innate sense of hospitality, and never lose sight of the fact that the goal is always to satisfy the guest down to the smallest detail. A good professional must be able to adapt to a variety of situations, work in a team and maintain a positive attitude, even under pressure.
Finally, I would tell them that it is essential to have a long-term vision and not to hesitate to invest in continuous training to develop within the industry. The industry is evolving rapidly, and it is important to constantly train oneself in new trends, technologies, and guest expectations.
We are at the heart of an extremely varied industry with multiple professions and numerous opportunities. This profession offers the possibility of unlimited travel among diverse cultures. What a wealth of experiences!
 Since his arrival in 2024, the general manager has been committed to attracting and retaining talent, such as within the reception team
Photo credit © InterContinental Marseille Hôtel Dieu
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