ALTA MIRA Hospitality & Executive Advisory

ALTA MIRA INSIGHTS

Perspectives that inspire new thinking.

ALTA MIRA provides a space for clear thinking and informed points of view. At regular intervals, I share perspectives on hospitality, leadership, quality, and effective change.

New insights are published regularly.

LATEST

Latest insights.

Satirical ALTA MIRA illustration: a group celebrates a hotel award while an older woman waits at an unattended reception desk. German headline: “Celebrated for excellence. Paid for disappointment.” Closing statement: “Ambition and promises are not yet a guest experience.”October 20, 2026 · Hospitality & OperationsWe owe our guests what we promise.Ambition and promises are not yet a guest experience. What matters is whether leadership, daily operations and technical conditions enable a hotel to deliver what it promises.Read article → Illustration: Stephan Waechter and project participants in a hotel kitchen that is not ready to operate. Pre-Opening & Operations · Case study When a hotel opening stalls: responsibility across construction, technical systems, and operationsA case from practice in 2025: how I combined hospitality leadership with an understanding of construction and technical systems to resolve significant issues, represent the operator’s interests, and drive decisions.Read article ALTA MIRA article graphic on a navy background with a gold crest. German headline: “Das Konzept überzeugt. Ist es umsetzbar?” (“The concept is compelling. Can it work in practice?”). Subheading: “Drei frühe Warnzeichen im Hospitality-Konzept.” (“Three early warning signs in a hospitality concept.”) · Concept & Development Three early warning signs of an operationally unviable hospitality concept Three early questions reveal whether the guest promise, spaces, and operation work together while the foundations can still be shaped. Read article ALTA MIRA editorial graphic with a gold crest on a subtly textured navy background. German headline translates as: “The position is vacant. The responsibility is not.” Below: “Operations cannot wait. Responsibility needs a clear mandate.” · Interim Management & Operations The position is vacant. The responsibility is not. Not every vacancy calls for interim management. Every vacancy requires clear responsibility, sufficient capacity, and a well-defined mandate. Read article ALTA MIRA graphic with a gold crest on a navy background. Text: “Make the call. But don’t get it wrong.” “Make the call” and “Wrong” are highlighted in gold. Below: “Responsibility needs authority and support.” · Leadership & organizational culture You want employees who make decisions. Can you live with their decisions? If you expect people to take ownership, you have to delegate more than tasks. How leadership determines whether people act or play it safe. Read article ALTA MIRA graphic on a dark blue background with a gold crest. Headline: “Criticism deserves a better reputation.” The words “Criticism” and “Reputation” are highlighted in gold. Below: “Getting better takes more than praise.” · Leadership & Organizational Culture Criticism deserves a better reputation. Criticism is a valuable source of improvement. What matters is whether organizations actually learn from the experiences of their guests, customers, and employees. Read article ALTA MIRA on a dark blue background with a gold crest. The date is fixed. Is the hotel ready? Who can still say: We are not ready? · Pre-Opening & Operations Operational readiness: What must work before opening day. A completed building is not yet a hotel ready to welcome guests. Readiness depends on people, systems, and processes working reliably under real operating conditions. Read insight ALTA MIRA – Hospitality is not just another word for service · Hospitality & Leadership Hospitality is not just another word for service. Guests may not know the term, but they feel the difference immediately. Hospitality is revealed through attentiveness, accountability, and the quality of every encounter. Read insight ALTA MIRA – Hospitality and quality begin within · Hospitality & Leadership Hospitality and quality begin within. Staff shortages are a reality. Yet they must not become a blanket justification for inadequate service. Quality is created through attitude, leadership, and a genuine culture of appreciation. Read insight