PARIS, 2014-5-5 — /Travel PR News/ — François Delahaye, Dorchester Collection’s chief operating officer and general manager of Hôtel Plaza Athénée in Paris, was awarded the ‘Manager of the Year 2013’ award by the European Hotel Managers Association. The award was presented by its president Hans Koch in recognition of Delahaye’s brilliant career in luxury hospitality. The ceremony was held at the Salle Empire of the Hôtel de Paris in Monaco on March 29, on the occasion of the 41st EHMA General
Founded in Rome in 1974, the European Hotel Managers Association consists of hotel managers from prestigious establishments and aims to improve their qualifications, as well as those of their staff, in order to increase the quality of service provided to guests. At present the Association gathers around 450 general managers of luxury hotels in 28 European countries. Members meet once a year to discuss current themes such as new trends, technology, rising issues, relations, European hotel data and market research. Taking part in the EHMA requires a minimum of ten years experience in the hotel sector, three of which in the position as a general manager of an outstanding international luxury property.
Delahaye is known for his sensitivity to staff and his commitment to clients. Throughout his remarkable career, loyalty, respect and trust are amongst his most significant core values. He has won many international prizes as celebrated hotelier, but it is the appreciation of the staff, who have in turn become successful managers under his tuition, which means much more to him. “I am touched whenever they return to thank me for the good schooling I gave them. Respect is what it is all about in our profession.”
François Delahaye Biography:
Named “Hotelier of the Year” in August 2013 by the American luxury travel agency, Virtuoso, François Delahaye has developed a successful career in the luxury hotel business for over 30 years on four continents – a career which led to his appointment as chief operating officer for Dorchester Collection in 2006 in addition to his role as general manager of Hôtel Plaza Athénée, which he has held since December 1999.
François Delahaye, together with managing Hôtel Plaza Athénée, oversees four Dorchester Collection properties including Le Meurice in Paris; Le Richemond in Geneva; Hotel Principe di Savoia in Milan, and Dorchester Collection’s latest addition, Hotel Eden in Rome. Reporting to Christopher Cowdray, chief executive officer of Dorchester Collection, Delahaye has a clear focus on attracting, developing and retaining employees, whilst promoting genuine guest engagement and the company’s values of passion, personality, respect, working together and innovation.
In his combined role, Delahaye has created numerous quality assurance programmes and successfully collaborated with Alain Ducasse, having previously worked with him at Le Parc, part of Westin Demeure Hotels. In keeping with Dorchester Collection’s continuous investment taking the luxury experience to new levels and as the general manager of Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Delahaye managed a post restoration period back in 2000. Following the hotel’s centennial year, he is now overseeing the hotel’s partial restoration to integrate three additional buildings during its temporary closure.
A native of France and a graduate at the Ecole Supérieure d’Hôtellerie at Saint Cergue in Switzerland, as well as the City Community College in New York, Delahaye was a former butler of the Duke of Westminster.
Previous roles include general manager of Le Parc and various positions in hotel groups such as The Savoy Group, Sofitel Luxury Hotels in Marrakesh and the Warwick Group in Hong Kong. Delahaye was made a Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite in 1998.
Isabelle Maurin, Director of Communications – isabelle.maurin@dorchestercollection.com – Tél. : 01 53 67 64 44
Notes to editors: Dorchester Collection is a portfolio of the world’s foremost luxury hotels in Europe and the USA, each of which reflects the distinctive culture of its destination. By applying its unrivalled experience and capability in owning and operating some of the greatest individual hotels, the Company’s mission is to develop an impeccable group of the finest landmark hotels through acquisition as well as management of wholly-owned and part-owned hotels, and to enter into management agreements. The current portfolio includes the following hotels (in order of them joining the group): The Dorchester, London; The Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills; Le Meurice, Paris; Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Paris; Hotel Principe di Savoia, Milan; Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles; Coworth Park, Ascot, UK; 45 Park Lane, London; Le Richemond, Geneva; Hotel Eden, Roma. dorchestercollection.com
For further information on Dorchester Collection please contact: Julia Record Julia.Record@dorchestercollection.com – Tel : + 44 (0) 20 7319 7524 or Alpana Deshmukh Alpana.Deshmukh@dorchestercollection.com + 44 (0) 20 7319 753
###
Dorchester Collection’s COO François Delahaye honored with ‘Manager of the Year 2013’ award by the European Hotel Managers Association