Stijn Soolsma, general manager of Hotel De Durgerdam and Restaurant De Mark: ‘A wonderful experience begins with truly understanding what a guest needs’

Thirteen-year-old Stijn Soolsma stepping in during Sail Amsterdam because the catering staff failed to turn up: that’s where the story begins. The joy of making people happy turns out to be addictive. Years later, he has built a career in service, the kitchen, concept development and restaurant management, and is now at the helm as general manager of Hotel De Durgerdam and Restaurant De Mark. Soolsma is now also ranked 14th in the Hotel Influencers 100. His vision of hospitality? Give staff the space to be themselves, look beyond existing expectations and try to stay one step ahead of the guest.

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

“It all actually started during Sail Amsterdam. I was thirteen and was helping out at an event where some of the staff hadn’t turned up. That’s when I realised how much energy I got from making people happy. That’s actually when I fell in love with the profession.”.

As soon as I was old enough, I started working in cafés and restaurants. I then went on to study at the Hotelschool Den Haag in Amsterdam. After that, I spent several years in various roles within hospitality, the kitchen, concept development and restaurant management. In January last year, I started as general manager in Durgerdam. That was the first time I’d really worked in a hotel environment with guest rooms.”

What exactly do you do in your current role? How would you describe your approach to work or leadership?

“As general manager, I have overall responsibility for Hotel De Durgerdam and Restaurant De Mark. Our corporate philosophy and my management style are actually very closely aligned. People are at the heart of everything we do. I believe empathy is incredibly important.

”We want people to be able to bring their own personality to work. If staff feel comfortable and enjoy what they do, guests will ultimately notice that too. That sounds very positive, but sometimes it actually means you have to make difficult decisions to uphold that sort of culture.”

What typifies you as a hotelier?

“That focus on empathy comes through here too. I want to give staff the freedom to really understand a guest and tailor their service accordingly. The common thread running through our experience must be consistent, but that experience does not have to be exactly the same for every guest. It is precisely the personality of the staff member and that of the guest that should play a part in this.”.

”I’m making a point of bringing my background in food and drink with me into the hotel. We’re trying to extend that mindset to the entire hotel experience. The rooms and the restaurant shouldn’t feel like two separate worlds.”

What developments in the hotel industry have caught your eye?

“There’s so much going on. Technology – and AI in particular – is, of course, having a huge impact. AI is bringing about significant changes, particularly in terms of efficiency within the hospitality sector.”.

At the same time, I see an increasingly clear distinction emerging between hotels that primarily sell a room and hotels that sell an experience. These are truly different business models. For the first group, price, efficiency and costs are very important. For hotels that offer an experience, guests are generally less price-sensitive and the quality of that experience becomes much more important.”

Where is the sector still missing opportunities?

“It might sound a bit corny, but I think we should sometimes be a bit more proactive with our guests. We don’t always have to just give people what they already know and expect.”.

”In the Netherlands, many things are still done in a certain way simply because that is what guests expect. But a good experience does not always have to meet existing expectations. You can also introduce guests to a different form of hospitality.”

What is your view on collaborating with other hoteliers?

“Very enthusiastic. Ultimately, regardless of segment or level, we’re all working towards the same goal: welcoming people warmly and offering them wonderful experiences.”.

For example, we regularly have guests who combine a stay at a hotel in the centre of Amsterdam with a few nights with us in Durgerdam. Conversely, hotels in the city centre send their guests to Restaurant De Mark to dine here. I see great value in sharing knowledge and joining forces, particularly for independent hotels that aren’t part of a large chain.”

What are the biggest challenges at the moment?

“Rising costs and a shortage of high-quality staff. These aren’t new problems, but they are becoming increasingly acute. At the same time, you want to continue offering high-quality experiences and, ideally, improve them even further. That can sometimes cause friction.”.

We’re trying to tackle the staff shortage by, amongst other things, focusing less on CVs and more on the person. This opens the door to a much larger pool of candidates. What’s more, the government doesn’t always make things any easier for us. The increase in VAT and the tourist tax in Amsterdam are putting us under extra pressure.”

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

“Every year, as an organisation, we set targets and determine the strategy for the coming year. Based on that strategy, we draw up the budget and then translate the business objectives into personal targets. What’s perhaps a little less standard is that we try to involve everyone as much as possible in the company’s development. In the kitchen, for example, we ask everyone to put forward ideas for new dishes. These ideas are then refined further together with the rest of the team until they’re ready to be added to the menu. I think it’s important that people don’t just carry out what others have come up with, but also feel like they’re a real part of where the company is heading.”

What gives you personally the most energy in your work?

“We work in an industry where, ultimately, it’s all about making people happy and creating wonderful experiences. When we succeed in doing that, it gives me a huge boost. I find that particularly relevant right now. We live in an increasingly digital world, and I believe that, as a result, people are actually seeking genuine personal connection even more. If you can offer that as a hotel, it’s incredibly valuable.”

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

“We are currently developing a new hotel on the Amstel. There, we aim to translate our vision into 98 rooms, compared to the fourteen rooms we currently have in Durgerdam. That is, of course, on a completely different scale, which is precisely why it’s so fascinating. I’m already looking forward to getting on with it. Given the scale of the project, to be honest, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if, in some form or another, I’m still working on it in five years” time.”