It’s all in the heart. Nearly six years after taking over the helm of the InterContinental Los Angeles Century City, owned by Sumitomo Realty & Development, President of SRD (USA) Mari Miyoshi attributes the success of one of the city’s most iconic hotels to the heart of every employee and the genuine service they each provide.
“That is intangible, but most important. People will feel because they have heart,” explained Miyoshi, whose work ethos has spread to the whole organization.
“She’s like the mom of the hotel,” said General Manager Steve Choe. “Employees first: That’s one of the biggest things in her philosophy.”
As the Executive Chairman of Sumitomo Fudosan Villa Fontaine Co., Ltd., Miyoshi also oversees the operations of Hotel Villa Fontaine (HVF) in Japan. With 13 properties in bustling neighborhoods in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, the Izu Kogen resort, HVF is a premier brand of hotels that offers standard to high quality service to a clientele of sophisticated business travelers.
As a bridge of cultures, Miyoshi takes several employees with her on every business trip. “I want to give them the chance to see and have that international feeling and global experience,” she said.
That management style focused on team culture and diversity has served the hotel very well, as it has seen an increase in the number of guests from Asia, South America and the Middle East, especially.
With employees representing a mix of cultures from 34 different countries, InterContinental Los Angeles Century City is able to provide every guest – no matter where they’re from – with a personalized experience and unique service touches.
“We reach people through the experience. We make them remember the experience,” stresses Choe. “It’s a feeling other than just staying in a hotel. Guests make memories here, so when they return, they feel something familiar,” Miyoshi adds.
Located 20 minutes from the heart of downtown, the InterContinental Los Angeles Century City sits in the middle of the entertainment capital, yet takes pride in the privacy it provides guests on the mile-long Avenue of the Stars at Beverly Hills.
