ICE Hospitality Management Field Trip to Ritz-Carlton

This award-winning luxury hotel in midtown Manhattan features 259 lavish guestrooms and overlooks the south end of Central Park. Before their tour, the Director of HR at The Ritz-Carlton, Debbie Croce, came to ICE to speak to the students about hiring and managing a large hotel staff. Croce spoke with the students about how to recruit, train, supervise and maintain the staff at the hotel.

At a hotel, most staff will interact with guests and Croce believes that taking the time to make sure the staff is happy goes a long way towards the success of the hotel. During their visit to the hotel, the students were able to tour behind-the-scenes areas such as the employee cafeteria and engineering office. They sat in as the housekeeping staff went through their morning line-up. This brief meeting happens several times a day in all Ritz-Carlton locations and was a chance for the staff to hear about any important announcements for the hotel. They were also able to tour a variety of guest rooms, including an expansive suite overlooking Central Park.

The luxurious suite even included a TV in the bathroom mirror. On their tour, the students noticed many small details designed to make guests feel welcome. For instance, rooms overlooking the park were set up with a telescope and book on the birds of New York for spotting wildlife. The friendly and hospitable staff continued to emphasize the importance of doing whatever you can to make sure hotel guests have an enjoyable stay — the heart of the hospitality and tourism industry.