A Day in the Life

January 31, 2023
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“A day in the Life” of Tobias Arff, General Manager

Hotel Madera in the Nation’s Capital

 

As I dress for work, I wonder what “hats” I will have to wear today. I can’t just bring my “General Manager” hat…it’s never that simple. Will I need my executive hat? My accountant hat? My diplomat hat? My public relations hat? My fixer hat? As a General Manager for the Hotel Madera in our Nation’s Capital, I have a vast hat collection. Keeping in mind that I never know what the day will bring, and that everyone is normal…until they check into a hotel…I decide to grab them all and dash out the door.

When I arrive in the morning I usually drop my bag off in my office, put on my “Team Leader” Hat, and head right upstairs to check in with the team. My first stop is the front desk and I check in with the morning agent or front office manager, we usually only have one person on the shift. The second stop is the restaurant where I have a quick chat with the front of house team and the cook to ensure everything is ok. After that I walk outside to take a quick glance of the outside of the hotel to ensure we provide a solid first and last impression to our guests. A quick trip to the gym and the public restrooms to ensure our property is ready to give a warm welcome to our guests. Good thing I remembered my “Inspector Hat.” Doing these early morning rounds consistently is important as it helps me to both stay connected with my team and communicate that their GM takes as much pride in the details as they do.