5: Portrait interview with Arne Heuwekemeijer, General Manager Krasnapolsky

In this episode, we are On The Road!

We visited Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky in the heart of Amsterdam. It is perhaps the most famous hotel in the Netherlands where the national and certainly international jet set are the daily business as guests. We made a nice portrait with Arne Heuwekemeijer who has been responsible for the goings-on at the Dam as General Manager since 2019.

Arne talks about his extensive career in the hotel industry, which until 2019 was mainly in the Far East. From China to Singapore and from the Philippines to India and Thailand... everywhere he worked in the higher end of the hotel industry, he learned there what real hospitality is, he opened hotels but at the same time had to integrate into different cultures. Difficult or not? Or do you have a big responsibility in that yourself? What drove and motivated him to do this? What personal choices did he have to and could he make? Has he ever been lonely in all those faraway countries? But also: can you still have a private life if you shape your career in this way? We also wanted to know what the dilemmas are for him in order not to succumb to the pressure of working at those high-end hotels. Because... it all has to be just that bit more and just that bit better there. Nothing is left to chance.

Naturally, we discuss how he is tackling all the challenges Krasnapolsky now faces. But of course, Arne also shares a few tips for anyone working in the hotel industry who wants to take hospitality to the highest level. And... how to keep fun in your work!

It turned into a wonderfully interactive conversation in which he also shared some great anecdotes that can of course be translated into wise life lessons. So listen up! The presentation is in the hands of Jerry Helmers.