LEADERS

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the Huntington’s front door (inset)


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Gail R. Isono

Home at
The Huntington

Editors’ Note

Gail Isono joined The Huntington Hotel in 1990 as a Sales Manager and quickly advanced to Director of Sales and Marketing and then to General Manager. With more than 22 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, she is the first woman to serve in the top post of the 81-year-old property.

Property Brief

Built in 1924 as one-bedroom apartments atop San Francisco’s prestigious Nob Hill, The Huntington Hotel (www.huntingtonhotel.com) now offers 135 guest rooms and suites, which are decorated in an understated yet elegant style. Amenities include complimentary chauffeured transportation to Union Square and the Financial District and access to Nob Hill Spa and the spa’s indoor pool, Jacuzzi, and eucalyptus-infused steam rooms. The Huntington Hotel also features the award-winning Big 4 Restaurant. Owned by Nob Hill Properties, Inc., the plush hotel is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

The past few years have been challenging for the San Francisco hospitality industry. Did the market rebound in 2007 and what is your outlook for 2008?

I am so excited about the market now and over the next 18 months. Citywide conventions have been increasing, finally, and we’ve already started to see the compression in the city. So the only way to go is up, and I’m excited to get there.

The Huntington Hotel & Nob Hill Spa has always had a reputation for intimacy. When you talk about convention business, are you targeting large-scale events, or is it more niche-type gatherings?

It’s mostly niche events geared around top executives. We have so many return guests that we don’t want to hinder anyone’s stay by blocking off too many rooms.

Are any major changes happening to the physical facility?

Nothing major, but there’s always something new happening. We have a new designer on board who is helping us keep the rooms fresh.

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A Huntington luxury room

San Francisco has so many excellent freestanding restaurants. Is it challenging for the Big 4 to succeed as a hotel restaurant?

We have always had a large and loyal following at the Big 4. We’re kind of the Cheers of San Francisco. As everyone ends their evening, they end up at the Big 4 restaurant, relaxing next to the fireplace, listening to our pianist Michael Parsons, and getting to know the other patrons. Our chef is also very creative, which continuously brings in loyal customers and new guests alike. Business is booming.

How important is the Nob Hill Spa to your overall hotel business?

In the luxury segment, there’s an expectation that if you’re going to have a fine hotel, it needs to be accompanied by a wonderful spa. People live such stressful lives these days, and when they travel they need a sanctuary for rejuvenation. So use of the spa is up, as are in-room spa services.

How do you balance the level of technology that is increasingly in demand with maintaining a personal touch?

Businesspeople need to be in constant contact with their companies and clients, and so we offer all of the latest technology. But having said that, we always try to remember that when guests come walking through the door, there should be a big smile welcoming them back home to The Huntington. What I think I’ve been able to create here at the hotel is knowing, from the guest perspective, that we can welcome them as family back home.

What is the ratio between business and leisure guests?

There’s certainly a business focus during the week. But on the weekends, I’m always surprised by how many anniversaries, birthdays, weddings, and other types of celebrations there are at the hotel. For that, I’m very grateful.

Can you describe the relationship you have with the hotel’s ownership?

The family that owns the hotel has been very supportive of the decisions I’ve made, which has enabled me to better serve our guests and work more effectively with the rest of the staff. This hotel is a family endeavor, and that means everyone who works here is included.

The Huntington has a Web site, newsletters, e-mail alerts, etc. Have you found those tools effective in communicating your message and keeping in touch with your regular guests?

I want our guests to know that we are always thinking about them, and that there will always be a special place for them here. The only way you can do that is to reach out. It’s also a way to get them excited about new changes that are always happening here.

You have such a calm demeanor, yet you are in such a frenetic business. How do you keep your composure?

I lose my temper sometimes, but I try to remember that you don’t accomplish anything by getting overly excited. Listening, first of all, and thinking strategically about what needs to be done is how you get things accomplished.

Do you ever think about what you would be doing if you were not a hotelier?

No. I can’t imagine.

So many young, talented people today are going into hedge funds, private equity, and investment banking. When you look at the talented people coming out of Cornell and other top hospitality schools, hoping to be leading a luxury property one day, what advice would you give them early in their career?

I think the best guidance I can give them is to take their time and not be in such a hurry. Learn as much as you can, and understand that when you’re ready for the next level, it will be there for you. But you have to work hard at it, and you can’t demand immediate progress. Too many in the younger generation are impatient – they want immediate gratification. But worthwhile things in life take time.

Hotels are such complex organizations today, from the finance side, to the spa, the technology, and food and beverage. Is it true that you really have to be an expert in all of these areas?

You do, absolutely. Having that diversity of knowledge of the operation, including the sales and marketing efforts, makes the machine run that much better.