Meet Raul Leal of Virgin Hotels in Coconut Grove

Today we’d like to introduce you to Raul Leal.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I discovered my love for the hotel industry early on, sacrificing a typical high school experience for a brighter future. I went to night school at Garces Commercial College in Miami for my high school diploma. I got my first job at age 16, working as a dishwasher under the guidance of my father, at the Everglades Hotel. I quickly moved up to busboy, but my goals were much greater as I wanted to become a General Manager of a hotel one day which I achieved in 1987 as General manager of the Denver Hilton. I then went on and had General Management positions for Lane Hotels and interstate Hotels. I graduated and received a bachelor of science in Hotel Business Management degree from La Salle University.

In 1995, I joined Tecton Hospitality as Executive Vice President and partner, overseeing the active management and cultural leadership of the business, business development and acquisitions, operations, profitability, owner relations, sales and marketing and e-commerce. During that time I helped to grow the company from 5 to 35 branded hotels while achieving “Preferred Management Company” status and recognition from leading franchise companies. Under my leadership, and with a hardworking team the company was recognized as “One of the Best Places to Work” by the Best Places to Work Institute.

In 2002, foreseeing the need for management in the growing boutique/lifestyle hotel segment, I created and launched Desires Hotels, a collection of 25 modern boutique/lifestyle hotels ranging in size from 40 to 600 rooms and featuring some of the “more sought after boutique hotels in the world” recognized often in Conde Nast’s “Hot Hotels” list, among other global lifestyle publications. Notable hotels were the Sagamore, Astor and Betsy in Miami Beach, the Water Club in Puerto Rico, the Iron Horse in Milwaukee, the Glenn in Atlanta and Hotel Mela in NY. In 2009, I launched Desires Hotels International with hotels opening in Honduras, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Belize and the luxury 600 room Buccament Bay Hotel in St Vincent. Desires Hotels were consistently ranked in the top Trip Advisor rankings of their respective markets, with several hotels achieving and maintaining the number one ranking.

Has it been a smooth road?
We all have challenges along the way. It’s just part of the journey no matter who you are. I have learned the most from poor leaders. People who were placed in management positions and who lacked the empathy and common sense to deal with others respectfully and be mindful of others feelings. Your mindset as a leader has to be to help others along the way. It’s an easy way to give back.

During my time with Tecton/Desires, I learned what its like to run your own business in good and bad times. Sometimes, not having enough money to pay ourselves so that we could pay our employees. That was a great learning experience and ultimately the business was very successful. Hard work pays off in the end.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Virgin Hotels – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
The Virgin Group has been smartly disrupting the travel industry for over 40 years, from land to air to sea. In 2010, Virgin Hotels was formed to join a stellar portfolio of hospitality companies led by founder Sir Richard Branson. It continues to offer the same excitement, heartfelt service and smart innovation that Virgin is known for across the board. Virgin Hotels was founded to shake up the hotel industry standard by offering a much-needed bridge between the current landscape of lifestyle and legacy hotels. CEO Raul Leal noticed that guests were being short-changed at every turn, entertainment options were stale, customer service was lacking, and there hadn’t been a significant innovative move in room design for years.

Since the brand’s inception, eliminating fees and surcharges have been the top priority, along with creating an experience that allows guests to feel that Virgin Hotels is their place in the city. A champion of the customer, the hotel brand offers free and fast Wi-Fi (at unlimited bandwidth) and eliminated early check-in fees, late check-out fees, room service delivery charges, business center transactions, and other services that have caused frustration for travelers. Each property intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music and culture, fusing with the local landscape and providing a vibrant and inclusive environment for travelers and locals alike that makes you feel like a “member without paying dues”

The brand’s first property, Virgin Hotels Chicago, opened in 2015 in the heart of Chicago’s Loop district in the historic Old Dearborn Bank Building at 203 N. Wabash Ave. It was named the “#1 Hotel in the United States” by Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2016 and “#1 Hotel in Chicago” by Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards in both 2016 and 2017. The 26-story Art Deco building, a Chicago landmark, offers 250 guest rooms, four on-property dining options, including the newly revamped Commons Club, a dynamic space that exists across all Virgin Hotels, where guests can dine, drink, work and mingle, – the vibe of which is a private members club, without the fees, where guests and locals alike are welcome.

Across the brand, Virgin Hotels properties will feature the signature two-room “Chamber” layout, complete with small touches that make traveling for business or leisure an easier experience. All guest Chambers are divided into two spaces by wooden sliding doors, complete with a peephole. The Dressing Room includes a full vanity, illuminated desk and mirror, an extra-large shower with a bench, and his and hers closets designed by Poliform. Past the privacy door, guests enter the Lounge, complete with a red SMEG mini-fridge, HD Smart TV, and the brand’s patent-pending, ergonomically designed Lounge Bed – the ideal space to work, sleep, and play.

Virgin Hotels features two key differentiators to make the lives of guests a little easier: Lucy is the brand’s mobile app that allows guests to integrate their device into the hotel experience. Lucy gives users a seamless and customized stay by transforming their digital ecosystem into a personal hotel assistant by fulfilling requests for services and amenities, functioning as the room thermostat, streaming personal content and more; The Know is a personalized guest preferences and loyalty program in which guests can not only personalize their stay but also receive new perks. When becoming a member, guests will immediately receive a two to five percent discount on published rates when they sign in and book their reservation on the website, room upgrades, special dining offers in the Commons Club and a nightly complimentary happy hour aptly dubbed the Spirit Hour.

In terms of new development, Virgin Hotels San Francisco is slated to open fall 2018. The brand has broken ground on four locations: New York, Dallas, Nashville and Edinburgh, UK. Forthcoming hotels have also been announced in Palm Springs, New Orleans, Silicon Valley and Washington DC Union Market, including the newest acquisition, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. The brand continues to explore cities such as Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, Austin, Seattle and London.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I like the culture of this city. Little Havana has maintained its cultural root; you go to drink a little cafecito there, and you hear all the Cubans talking just the way they were 30 years ago. It’s a magical city filled with great nightlife, restaurants, and hotels. Miami gets a bad rap. We are perceived as not friendly when in fact the people here are some of the most loving and caring anywhere. They just don’t get us!

Contact Info:

• Phone: 305-560-5985
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virginhotels/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/virginhotels/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/virginhotels
• Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/virgin-hotels/

Image Credit:
Virgin Hotels

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