10 questions for Githa van Vilsteren: 'With both feet in the mud'

On the edge of De Lutte, surrounded by Twente's natural beauty, lies Landgoed De Wilmersberg. For more than a decade, Githa van Vilsteren has been at the helm here. Together with her husband Boudewijn - who recently ran the five-star hotel Landgoed Lauswolt in Friesland - she shapes a hospitable, people-oriented hotel vision. In this interview, Van Vilsteren talks about her path to the hotel industry, the power of a flat organisation, and why she is always ready to dive into the sink kitchen.

Can you tell a bit about your background and how you ended up in the hotel industry?

"When I was eight, I stayed in a hotel for the first time with my parents. I was immediately enchanted: the smell, the chandeliers, the grand staircase in the lobby, all those beautiful people; all my senses were stimulated. From that moment I knew: later I want to become a hotelier. Yet things turned out differently. My parents thought I should get a university education, so I went to study Business Administration in Groningen. After jobs at Amnesty International and War Child, my husband Boudewijn and I decided (after a sabbatical) to change course. In 2011, we became managing directors of Landgoed De Wilmersberg. We have since been running in the top tier of the Dutch hotel industry for more than a decade."

What exactly do you do in your current role?

"No two days are the same. I see myself as the lubricant of the organisation: I am there for my 120 colleagues, monitor the culture and jump in where necessary. Sometimes - if necessary - I help out in the kitchen sink, and I also work on strategic plans. I am also responsible for sales, marketing, reception and HR and finance. The most important thing for me is that my colleagues feel good here - only then can we offer our guests the experience we strive for."

How would you describe your way of working or leading?

"Flat, informal and collaborative. I address everyone as 'you' and see all employees as colleagues. That's what I learned at War Child: no hierarchy, but rubbing shoulders together. That makes people take responsibility and stay involved."

What typifies you as an entrepreneur or hotelier?

"I am an enterprising hotel manager who is always ready to roll up my sleeves. Our profession sometimes seems glitz and glamour, but I am just as likely to be in the garden or behind the dishes as I am to be in a board meeting."

What developments within the hotel industry stand out to you?

"I am inspired by hoteliers who really give their hotel a personal signature; a touch quirky and non-standardised. What worries me is that beautiful family-run hotels are being swallowed up by chains, causing the individuality to disappear. For me, that individuality is precisely the brilliance of the hotel industry."

Where is the sector still missing opportunities?

"On sustainability. We have been Green Key Gold-certified since 2013, but I see many hotels letting the subject slip. While together we can really make an impact, for example by sharing knowledge and making procurement more sustainable."

How do you view collaboration with other hoteliers?

"I would like to see more openness and knowledge sharing, but find that competition and egos sometimes get in the way of that. Fortunately, I have joined a network of women hotel directors. There, on the contrary, there is a lot of mutual support and willingness to help each other."

What are the biggest challenges right now?

"The unpredictability of the world, staff developments, rising costs, possible VAT increases; you never know what's coming. That makes planning difficult, but I also like that dynamic. You do have to dare to take risks and be able to take setbacks."

How do you ensure that you and your organisation continue to grow?

"We are not growing for the sake of growing, but are constantly looking at how we can improve the experience for the guest. This can be done through small changes, such as remodelling meeting rooms, but also by using technology smartly. For instance, we recently developed our own chatbot that supports us in our business operations. And we are working on great plans that I can't reveal much about yet."

What personally gives you the most energy in your work?

"The interaction with colleagues and guests, solving challenges together and putting down something we are all proud of."

Where do you hope to be in five years' time?

"I don't have a set plan; life always turns out differently anyway. I mainly hope that Boudewijn and I will take the two hotels to an even higher level together, that our guests will notice that, and that we will also have enough time for family and friends. Because fair is fair: working in the hospitality industry requires sacrifices in your social life."