Behind the 10 years, my “my rules”

The morning in Kyoto is really refreshing. It's probably because it shows a tasteful side illuminated by the morning light, which is completely different from the nighttime bustle of Gion and Kawaramachi. If you walk around town, you can see Mt. Daimonji in the distance, known for its summer tradition "Kyoto Gozan Okuribi," and the calm Kamo River, which is a place of relaxation for the people of Kyoto.

It takes about 5 to 10 minutes on foot from Kyoto Kawaramachi Station, which I always use, to the hotel. “I choose the route I want to walk depending on how I feel that day. Kyoto is a city where you can really feel the four seasons.

This is exactly what it means to be in a city where Japanese culture lives on. Beautiful changes in the colors of leaves, the appearance of animals by the river, festivals at shrines and temples, and decorations for annual events. It is said that the information obtained with one's own skin and eyes is irreplaceable. Yes, Kyoto is full of living information.

What is the job of a hotel general manager? Many people may imagine that we are greeted at the front desk and smartly behaved, but I think General Manager Kawaguchi's daily work involves a lot of time facing a computer unexpectedly. . “Since I became general manager, I spend more time on my computer. When I am out in the field, I am able to switch between tasks because there is a lot of movement, but now that I have a lot of desk work, I can’t help but get absorbed in my work. At times like that, drinking Coffee from my own bottle is a refreshing change.”

When I turn on my PC, every time I reply to an email, I take another sip... It is said that Coffee that he dripped and brewed by himself in the morning is not so good by the time the day's work ends.

For some reason, when I enter a hotel room, I sometimes feel like I've come home. Relaxation is prepared from the moment you step in, and the space is clean and calm. There must be some secret here too.

The hotel quietly prepares itself until the customer's checkout is settled and the next customer is welcomed. The heart of hospitality for welcoming guests is also reflected in the wrinkle-free bed sheets and the dust-free lampshades. General manager Kawaguchi tours the guest rooms after the cleaning staff has finished cleaning up every detail and replenishing the fixtures. When I asked him what he was checking, he said, "I'm curious if the cleaning is thorough."

Now it's finally time to check in. Customers with high expectations visit the museum one after another.

"What is a good hotel?"

When I threw a question like this, the general manager Kawaguchi replied, "Family." For our customers, the hotel staff are like family, and the hotel staff are like family to us. "Thank you," "Please come," "Welcome back," such words are gently given. Even if you only stay for one night, it doesn't matter. A hotel is a family "place" that makes you want to come back here again.

Over the last few years, the way hotels are rated has changed significantly. Reservation sites and the Internet are flooded with word-of-mouth reviews, and those reviews have a great effect on attracting guests to the hotel. Worrying about the evaluation, it must be very cramped from the working side... I thought that, but General Manager Kawaguchi said something like this. "It's not enough to simply check in at the front desk. I always tell each staff member to do what they can to avoid becoming an assembly line. One of the evaluation indicators is word of mouth. I believe there is."

It seems that word of mouth is overwhelmingly "to be taught". For example, behind the harsh opinions of customers, there is a feeling towards the hotel. Until now, I have scooped up such opinions one by one and connected them to the next. In this way, the hotel can continue to grow because it has a good balance of perspectives from both the surroundings and the inside.

"I carry everything with me." Embarrassed, I gently took out a letter from my elementary school daughter. Handwritten letters and pictures are drawn on colorful and cute stationery. When I get home, I sometimes have it on the dining table, so I put it in my bag and read it when I have time.

"Thank you very much"

He narrowed his eyes and said that he was relieved from the fatigue of work and daily life and was healed by the handwritten letter. "I'm not grateful for my family, but I think I have to work hard. Because my family is my job." It must be the affection of his family that supports the daily work of General Manager Kawaguchi, who has a sharp impression.

At the end of the day, spend a blissful time with your hobby. The only time you can fully enjoy yourself is when you enjoy anime, movies, and dramas on online video services. I loved anime since I was a child, but for some reason I started watching it again after I moved to Kyoto. He shows a private face in order to end the day in a happy mood, but recently it has become a conversation starter and communication with young hotel staff. Switching on and off is probably the secret to General Manager Kawaguchi's smile.

We can welcome you again tomorrow.
A long day is over. Thank you for your hard work today.

10 My Rules that "Hotel Man" cherishes.

Behind this lies a professional perspective honed through experience, conviction, and above all, an attitude of facing customers. From General Manager Kawaguchi's words, I feel I understand why The Royal Park Hotel Kyoto Sanjo has been loved for the past 10 years in Kyoto, the city of hospitality.

"Kawaguchi, what are you doing now?"

It was about 10 years ago that I received such a sudden phone call from Kyoto. While I was surprised to receive a phone call from the former general manager who had taken care of me at "Royal Park Inn Nagoya" (closed in 2011), I was also happy to talk with him for the first time in a while. "Are you coming to Kyoto?" I remember being puzzled by the sudden invitation, which seemed to be both a joke and a serious one. Because at that time I was working at another hotel in Nagoya, and my wife, who was about to get married, had decided to change jobs to a new place, so I thought it would be impossible to move.

However, a few months later, a mysterious fate led me to Kyoto at the age of 39. Starting from scratch in a new land. I was worried about the big decision, but on the other hand, I was very excited and my heart was dancing.

The opening of the hotel is strangely the year of the Great East Japan Earthquake.
It seems that there were difficulties from the start, such as delays in the opening schedule due to construction materials not arriving.

As a group, we started working on the "THE series" of premium lodging, and Kyoto Sanjo opened as the second hotel following Fukuoka. Today, Kyoto has more than 400 hotels, but 10 years ago there weren't many business hotels. For business and sightseeing, relax at the inn and enjoy a delicious breakfast. I heard that this simple style became a hot topic at the time.

We, the staff, have walked as a team while being perplexed by unfamiliar tasks and operations.

— Let's make an original map for customers visiting Kyoto
— Make a list of recommended restaurants by genre
— Let's share information about sightseeing spots in Kyoto that we visited on our days off

Although it was steady, we worked on measures as long as we could think of on-site transmission. Each staff interprets this word, which is the concept of "Hospitality with the city."

After that, the number of visitors from overseas increased explosively, and the city of Kyoto was booming with a tourism bubble. All the staff have been working on various ideas such as hard study of English and overseas style breakfast in order to respond to customers visiting from various countries.

And in 2020—.
Due to the influence of the new coronavirus, only a few groups can be booked per day. The morale and feelings of the staff were sometimes depressed. However, we must provide solid service to customers who come to us even under such circumstances. As general manager, I continued to encourage the staff.

The hotel industry is an industry that must always adapt to the waves of the times.
The same is true for the operation, the interior, and even the breakfast menu. Because we are constantly evolving, we cannot stand still. In such a fast-changing industry, I can only thank you for being able to welcome customers for 10 years and for the connections with various people.

We The Royal Park Hotel Kyoto Sanjo will continue to welcome our guests as we always have. We hope to meet the expectations of our past and future guests, and to pass on this bond to the next generation. We will continue to make further efforts as we move forward into the next decade.

• This article and images are current as of November 2021.