Antonio Bugarin
Acting General Manager, Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills
THE BASICS
Name: Antonio Bugarin
Title: Acting general manager
Company, city: Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills; Beverly Hills, California
First job: My first job in the hotel industry was a bellperson at Hyatt Regency Guadalajara.
Where to next: Hopefully a road trip through Spain and Portugal or France and Italy with my wife and daughters!
A LITTLE BIT MORE
What actor or actress would play you in a movie of your life? That’s a good question — most of the old-school actors are coming to a point where they aren’t doing movies anymore. No. 1 is Tom Hanks — every movie he does is a classic. But there’s also Dustin Hoffman and Al Pacino.
What would you be doing professionally if you weren’t in your current industry? I grew up with a basketball under my arm and a football next to my bed, so I’d love to be a professional athlete.
What is your favorite book, movie or television show? I read Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth during the pandemic, which I think helped me relate to the book even more.
What historical figure, dead or alive, would you love to have dinner with? Personally, my father was historic in my life. I left home at a young age and he passed away, so I’d love to have one more dinner with him. More traditionally historic, Albert Einstein — I’d love to understand how his mind worked.
THE BUSINESS
What is your most recent project, and what was the inspiration behind it? Rebuilding the team after the pandemic; COVID-19 and its effects led many people to move to different states and industries. Now we’re putting the puzzle back together.
What is your favorite aspect of the job? No day is the same as the next! The job and industry are so vast and interesting, and you learn so many different things.
What’s the biggest business risk you’ve ever taken? Everything during the pandemic was a risk; deciding what to keep and what to pause, we made calculated decisions, examining every pro and con. Also,
I’d spent my career working in Mexico, and I wanted international experience. Making the decision to come to Beverly Hills transformed my life and family.
Who is someone you admire professionally in the travel industry? There’s a long list of great people in this industry that deserve recognition. One person who always intrigued me as a true hospitality leader was Jerry Inzerillo. We worked together at One&only Palmilla, and I always enjoyed talking to him.
AS A TRAVELER
Tell us about a travel nightmare: Thankfully, I don’t have a lot. Once, when traveling with my family in Toronto, we never received our suitcases, and we were left with nothing. That was a nightmare, but from it, I developed a kit when I was working at a hotel in Los Cabos so other travelers didn’t have the same worry. The kit had pajamas, basic toiletries and a few other items.
Share a comical travel experience: Once, while driving in Miami, my 4-year-old daughter got herself out of her booster seat. While it was dangerous, today we can look back and laugh at getting pulled over by a cop that noticed and gave us a $63 ticket.
What is your preferred method of travel — planes, trains, automobiles, cruise ships — and why? Automobiles above everything — I enjoy driving, road trips and the freedom to be at my own pace.
What has been the best example of customer service you’ve experienced during your travels? Unexpected things make a big difference. When traveling in Montréal, we dropped our bags off at the hotel early and set out for a day exploring. My daughter had a sticker of a cookie on her laptop. When we got back to the hotel, near her laptop was a beautiful cookie amenity.