Alfonso Orona Interview: Leading The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing

Alfonso Orona, General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing, shares his hospitality journey, leadership philosophy and approach to guest service in this interview with Red Bird Travel News.

With a career spanning Mexico, the Middle East, Europe and China, Orona has worked across hotel operations, food and beverage management and new hotel openings. He joined The Ritz-Carlton, Xi’an, in 2018 before taking on leadership responsibilities in Shanghai and Chengdu. In October 2021, he became General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing.

In this conversation, Orona discusses team development, guest expectations, marketing partnerships, complaint management and the experiences that continue to shape his approach to hospitality.

Editor’s Note: This interview was conducted in 2024, when Alfonso Orona was General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing. He has since expanded his responsibilities to oversee hotel operations in Beijing and Suzhou. Read our follow-up interview with Alfonso Orona.

The Interview

Career and Hospitality

1. What do you do at The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing?

I have been the hotel’s General Manager since 2021.

2. Tell us about your journey. How did it all start?

I come from a restaurant family in Mexico. My mother was the chef, and my father was the maître d’, or restaurant manager. I became interested in hospitality at a young age.

3. Can you tell us about your first job in the industry?

I joined Hyatt Regency in Mexico as a part-time employee at 16. Over the years, I gained more experience in food and beverage (F&B) and new hotel openings.

4. What experience do you have in hospitality?

At The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh, I achieved the official title of Director of Food & Beverage. Later, I worked in Muscat, Oman, as a trainer for new Ritz-Carlton hotel openings.

I helped open properties in Bahrain, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Cairo in the Middle East, as well as Astana in Kazakhstan.

I subsequently moved to The Ritz-Carlton, Abama, in Tenerife, near the Canary Islands, Spain. The hotel was considered one of the top three in F&B.

When The Ritz-Carlton, Xi’an, was preparing to open, I moved to China and joined the property in 2018, one year before its official opening in 2019.

Before becoming General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing, in October 2021, I served as task force general manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Shanghai Pudong, and The Ritz-Carlton, Chengdu.

5. What made you decide to pursue a career in the hospitality industry?

I like it because every day is different. You can interact with many people and share their special moments.

Hotel Management and Guest Experience

6. How would you define the purpose of a hotel?

To give guests the feeling of “A Home Away From Home” and make them feel well taken care of.

7. What will you try to accomplish at this hotel?

I tend to see things from the customer’s perspective. I want The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing, to be the first hotel guests think of when they look for a place to stay.

8. What category of guests do you receive? Leisure, business or domestic travellers?

I would say a mix.

From Monday to Thursday, we mainly receive business travellers. From Friday to Sunday, we see more leisure guests, including both local and international customers.

They come not just for the rooms, but also for the culinary experience.

9. What attractions would you recommend to hotel guests?

If we are talking about the hotel itself, dining is one of our main attractions.

We have a Chinese restaurant that has two Michelin stars and with which we cooperate.

The Lobby Lounge serves traditional afternoon tea and co-branded afternoon tea experiences, such as our collaboration with Darphin, under the Estée Lauder brand. The afternoon tea offering has been performing well.

Our all-day dining restaurant, Aroma, serves brunch and traditional family buffets. It also offers private dining options that can be personalised for events.

There are also Music SPA, a Cigar Bar, a Japanese sushi restaurant and ATTA Italian restaurant around the hotel.

In terms of location, The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing, is centrally situated at China Central Place, one of Beijing’s major business districts.

Leadership and Team Development

10. What is your leadership style?

I am a hands-on manager and am always there to assist our ladies and gentlemen. I empower them to take accountability for their work.

11. What are your greatest strengths?

I would say my ability to negotiate. I can always find a solution in a given situation.

12. What factors contribute to excellent customer service?

It is our ladies and gentlemen, of course. They believe they can achieve things.

By truly putting your heart into what you do, you can do it well.

Marketing and Guest Relations

13. What experience do you have with marketing and promotions?

Let’s put it this way: famous brands come to us for collaborations.

We have win-win situations with our business partners. Our marketing communications team also does a good job supporting marketing promotions.

14. How would you react to a negative review or a complaint from a guest staying at the hotel?

We deal with complaints constructively.

If we can reach the guest immediately, we tackle the issue right away. If the complaint comes through social media and the guest is not reachable, we analyse whether it is valid.

If it is, we develop an action plan to make sure the issue does not happen again.

15. How do you stay current with industry trends?

I read a lot. I also visit other hotels and restaurants to see what they are doing.

Last year, for example, I returned to my home country for a holiday and stayed at hotels outside our group.

Earlier this year, while on a business trip in Shanghai, I tried a new restaurant and stayed at a different hotel. Getting to know different hotels and industries always inspires me to keep up with marketing trends.

Industry Recognition and Personal Interests

16. Have you or your hotel received any industry accolades and awards?

Yes, we have received a number of awards. Here are some examples.

For the hotel in 2024:

Luxury Times – Best Luxury Hotel
Destin Asian – Annual Readers’ Choice Awards
China Hotel Menduner Awards – Best Luxury Hotel and Best Hotel Restaurant
Forbes Travel Guide – Four-Star hotel recognition
Hotel Wedding – Best Luxury Hotel Wedding Venue
Voyage – Best Luxury Hotel
CHA (China Hotel Awards) – Best Luxury Hotel Award
Travel & Leisure – Luxury Hotel of the Year
Target – Luxury Hotel of the Year
Dianping – Listed Hotel in Beijing
Condé Nast Traveler – Readers’ Choice Award
Golf Vacation – Golfers’ Choice Awards Best Luxury Hotel

For Orona personally in 2024:

China Hotel Menduner Awards – Best Hotel General Manager
CHA (China Hotel Awards) – Best General Manager of the Year
Travel & Leisure – Best General Manager of the Year

17. What are your interests outside work?

I run marathons in different cities. The most recent one was in Chengdu in May this year, and in August I took part in the Spartan race here in Beijing. I also enjoy food and wine.

18. What advice would you give to young people entering the hospitality industry?

You need to love what you do in this industry to succeed. Learn and improve. You are busiest during holidays. The good thing is that this industry always pays back.