A CLASS ABOVE: SHL HOTELIERS

SHL has been a leading light in the profession since 1909. Nowadays, people rank us as the very best provider of Swiss know-how in hospitality and tourism. We work with hotel schools internationally, to help them develop their own training programmes – making sure the high standards of Swiss hospitality are followed, respected and valued everywhere. 

Our graduates are leading the way in the hotel and catering industry. Not just in Switzerland or Europe, but across the world. In fact, our Alumni Network has more than 10,000 members and carries a lot of weight within the industry. To get an idea of what that could mean for your career, read Meret, Dany and Rico’s stories. 

Curious how it started in 1909?

Thriving for excellence in the heart of London

Meret, a positive and enthusiastic leader with an energetic personality, started her international career in hospitality directly after graduating from SHL in 2015. Right from the word go, she made herself valued in teams of luxury hotels worldwide and took over management positions in the renowned “The Peninsula” hotel group. While being part of “The Peninsula Tokyo”, the hotel maintained the prestigious Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star award and was voted the No. 1 "Top Hotels in Tokyo" by Travel and Leisure Magazine. These days, you will find Meret in the iconic “The Dorchester” in London. Acting as its Director of Rooms, she makes sure that the guests experience an elegant, efficient and luxurious service. 

Working among Salvador Dalí, Andy Warhol & Co.

Early on, Dany had precise ideas of where his career would lead him: «Even before applying to the SHL programme, it had been clear to me that I wanted to be a hotel manager at the age of 30.» And, impressively, that’s exactly what he achieved. With passion and dedication, he pursued his goal and took over his first General Manager position in the Radisson Blu Hotel St. Gallen, Switzerland, at the age of… 30. In 2014, the world stage was calling: Dany left Switzerland and headed to China, where he ran the Kempinski Hotel in Chongqing City, before taking over the unique Hotel Éclat Beijing, a five-star boutique hotel that offers a rare opportunity to experience museum quality art while enjoying stylish, cool accommodation.

Pulling the strings behind the scenes

“The world is my home”, says Aline Tschaeppaet who’s been living and working in Switzerland, Berlin, London, Beijing and Bangkok before moving to Dubai. As a Project Director for Hyatt International EAME / SWA, she is responsible for the construction and renovation of several Hyatt Hotels in the Middle East and Africa. A very varied position as Aline confirms: “No day is like the other!” Hotel construction site inspections, meetings with the hotel owners, hotel design reviews, conference calls and many other things fill the day of the enthusiastic, hard-working and open-minded “Hotelière”. And what does she appreciate when changing the perspective and entering a hotel as a guest? Employee friendliness, honesty and smart design.

A workplace in paradise

Rico’s decision about starting an international career in hospitality was driven by three major elements: “I am a travel enthusiast, very interested in getting to know different cultures and I absolutely love meeting people around the world.” Therefore, after graduating SHL in 2008 and collecting some valuable experience in well-known hotels in Switzerland, he took off. In Bali, he found himself not only a paradise, but also an exciting job: For four years, he was running “The Menjangan”, a peaceful, exquisite retreat within the boundaries of a National Park. From one workplace in paradise to the next. With his communicative, open-hearted and authentic manner, he’s currently the perfect host and manager of COMO Maalifushi – the first luxury resort in the Maldives to open in the pristine Thaa Atoll.

A continuous voyage of inspiration

After an impressive career in the Fine Dining and Boutique Hotel industry in Switzerland, Lucia – a dynamic, active and sparkling personality - moved abroad in 2010, where she managed high-class “Le Planteur” in Yangon with her husband before running a five-star luxury boutique resort in Malaysia. Their culinary life journey resulted in realizing and opening their brainchild: SEEDS restaurant & lounge in Myanmar. And what about Lucia as a guest? “I appreciate a superb service and people going the extra mile”, she points out. Nothing less to expect from the staff that the passionate practitioner of Yoga trains all over Asia. Inspiring.

5’635 miles from home

Damian has a vivid memory of his first day at SHL: “I sautéed 600 scallops and was happy that all the guests survived.” Since that day, a lot of good things happened for Damian. He now lives in Luang Prabang in Laos where he manages “The Belle Rive Boutiqe Hotel” since 2014. A mighty varied job for sure: He chats to guests at breakfast, talks through the daily business with his staff, answers emails, checks on reservations and numbers, leads expansion projects... “The move abroad was definitely a milestone for me”, says ambitious Damian who loves playing football with other expats after a strenuous day at work. And what does the demanding, fair guest appreciate when visiting a restaurant himself? “Good, honest service.” Simple, but crucial.

Le savoir vivre

Jörg, who was born in Peru and lived in several South American countries in his youth, is now at home in romantic Paris. From an early age he has been fascinated by travel and the hotel business. So it was obvious for him to pursue a career in this industry. After graduating from SHL in December 1992, Jörg quickly gained a foothold in the international hotel chain business. However, he prefers to be a guest in small, privately run hotels. It is there, in unique surroundings and at home, that the General Manager recovers from his lively everyday life. "Cooking together with my wife is pure relaxation for me," says Jörg. Preferably with fresh, local products from the market. And, of course, French white wine and cheese are also a must. Bon appetit!

Life is a roller coaster

You can physically feel his pride when listening to Thomas talking about Europa-Park, a thrilling entertainment park in the heart of Europe, run by his family and him. And rightly so. Five years in a row, Europa-Park was crowned “Best entertainment park worldwide” at the Golden Ticket Awards. A big achievement for Thomas, who acts as managing director and is responsible for the hotels, restaurants, marketing, PR, and the entertainment department. With so much on his plate, it’s understandable that there is no daily routine in Thomas’ professional life. “Every day is different, every day is exciting and challenging”, remarks Thomas, probably thinking of one of his many projects. Like the water adventure resort with 300 new hotel rooms opening in 2019. Talking about water: When it comes to his time at SHL, Thomas misses the beautiful scenery around Lake Lucerne. “That and the really good friends I made at SHL are amongst my fondest memories”, he adds.