Pandemic tests mettle of Conrad Manila GM
Linda Pecoraro leads luxury hotel through tough times
Linda Pecoraro had devised all sorts of plans and programs on how to take the Conrad Manila luxury hotel to the next level when she was officially appointed to the plum post in Dec. 2019.
But just a few months later, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, tearing up all those detailed plans.
Pecoraro and her husband were also left stranded in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, where she had been based as GM of Hilton Kota Kinabalu prior to her Manila assignment.
“We were ready to leave for the Philippines. All of our worldly possessions were in a container in a KK port. Then I found out just like four days before I was supposed to start that I could not fly to Manila anymore because of the lockdowns,” recalls Pecoraro.
It was hardly the auspicious start, but the veteran hotelier powered through, harnessing all of her considerable management skills—and making the most of five outfits she had on hand—to guide Conrad Manila through those tough, early months under the most stringent of quarantine restrictions and remotely at that.
Early relationship
“I got to know my directors through the phone. We all forged an early relationship through Zoom and MS Teams,” says Pecoraro with a laugh.
Easing the transition was the common vision to do everything necessary to keep Conrad Manila, a member of the SM Hotels group, afloat.
And one of the early and quick decisions made was to have Conrad Manila certified by the Department of Tourism as a quarantine hotel on the strength of the Hilton Group’s CleanStay principles that guarantee strict adherence to health and safety protocols to benefit both the guests and the Conrad Manila team members.
Conrad Manila believed that to be certified as a five-star quarantine facility was a “patriotic service” amid the pandemic to provide the best possible accommodations to front-line health workers, distressed travelers, long-stay guests, returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and employees of vital industries such as banks and business process outsourcing companies.
That transition in the meantime to a quarantine luxury hotel—a decision made after consultations with the Hilton regional offices and the SM Group, has been Conrad Manila’s “saving grace,” says the Australian national.
“We have managed to function and continue the business, run it and survive,” says Pecoraro, “our people were able to feed their families and at the same time, we were able to help our OFWs and aid in business continuity.”
Certification
More than a year into the pandemic, Conrad Manila has retained its certification as a quarantine hotel. But that has not stopped the hotel from tapping other revenue streams to shore up the bottom line.
These include Meetings to Go for companies, groups, families who want their Conrad Manila dishes delivered; Conrad E-store showcasing a range of products that may be ordered and purchased for delivery 24/7; al fresco dining for those who want to enjoy their meals with a view of Manila Bay; and Event Ready for safe meetings and events.
The hotel likewise rolled out online events services, including master classes, Of Art and Wine quarterly series, just to spice up lives of Filipinos whose movements have been restricted by the COVID-19 protocols.
Conrad Manila, however, like all the other players in the country’s hospitality industry, is merely in survival mode until the COVID-19 pandemic is contained and it can fully open to all guests, not just those on quarantine.
Until then, it plans to continuously introduce innovative products such as its e-store and outdoor dining, taking this lull period as an opportunity to remind the public of the Conrad Manila brand of service.
“Now is an opportunity to underscore an inspired product and what we have promised—stay relevant and continuously work on consistency by delivering excellent service and unparalleled experience with a luxury mindset with our guests’ health and safety as our priority,” she says.