Meet Jeppe Kjærgaard. He is 35 years old and lives in the small town of Höllviken in Sweden with his wife, the singer Annika, and their 21 month old son, Isak. On top of that, he is the new hotel manager at Hotel Kong Arthur. He started out 17 years ago by carrying bags in a hotel, and he has since climbed the ladder, working as a receptionist and for a while he was even a singing and performing waiter at Wallman’s Saloner. Today he has joined the Brøchner family of hotels, and we recently sat down with him to talk about the hotel, the job and the climate neutral vision.
- Jeppe Kjærgaard – Hotel Manager at Hotel Kong Arthur
What do like most about working at a hotel?
I have always loved working in the service industry. I really like working with people and help spread good karma. It is also nice to have such a varied job. Things pop up around the clock, requiring fast and accurate decision making.
I am not the type of manager that hides in his office. I like to get involved, and I will gladly carry bags for our guests if necessary. As you are aware, I am experienced in that field.
If someone handed you a big bag of money, what would happen at the hotel?
Not all that much. I think the physical surroundings of the hotel have turned out quite splendid, and I would not change anything in that area. There are of course a number of small items. For example, we need a register in the bar, and I would also like to streamline the training of new personnel. If I were to choose, I would donate the bulk to the other hotels in the Brøchner family of hotels so that they may be renovated.
How has the current recession affected your daily business?
We have adjusted our nightly rates to reflect current trends and as a response to our guests looking for the most competitive price. We see an increasing amount of guest’s book room’s last minute, as they are shopping for special offers and low daily rates. Concurrently, few people travel and we have therefore seen a decrease in demand. I believe that there are two ways to handle this recession. One can either buckle up, and fight through the recession, or alternatively hide till the worst has blown over. We will take the first road.
What do you see as Hotel Kong Arthur’s greatest strength?
Definitely the employees. Brøchner Hotels, Copenhagen, is a small, family owned business, and I believe it is clear how this has created very loyal employees. At the core, we have a great product, and that makes it easy to develop a sense of pride among the staff that you simply do not find at larger hotel chains.
Brøchner Hotels is very serious about its environmental efforts. Is that important to you in your own home?
We have solar panels on our roof. I really wanted a wind turbine, but we had to drop that idea in the name of neighbourly peace. We of course recycle and buy organic as well.
How do you answer critics, who say that the hotel’s green efforts are just plain marketing?
I would ask those critics what would be wrong with our intensions behind our efforts being that of a ´marketing ploy´. If everybody did as we do, the world would be a better place, regardless of the motivation. That being said, we do really believe in what we are doing. We took a chance and it became a success, but it could have gone wrong as well.
I actually think that if the hotel was more conventional we would be making more money. There are a lot of small expenses that people don’t consider. For example, our breakfast is organic and costly to produce. It would be easy to save a quick buck if we cut down on the organic products, but we are not willing to compromise on the quality.
Copenhagen is going to host the climate summit – COP15 – in December. How are you preparing?
We did look into the possibility of getting one of the big names to stay at the Hotel Kong Arthur, but it is unfortunately not possible to secure the hotel well enough for that to happen. The buildings are old with a lot of extensions and there are too many entry points. It would be easier to get the security clearance if the hotel was a big concrete block with a single entrance, but that is not who we are. We have other things up our sleeves, though.
What do you do in your spare time?
I like sports a lot, and I play badminton, soccer and golf, when I have the time. Unfortunately, I rarely have the time. This job is very time consuming, so I want to be with my family when I am off duty. I have slept at the hotel several times because it was too late to get back home, but I always try to make it to dinner with my wife and my son. That is very important to me.
Last, but not least. Do you have a message for our guests?
Ask the reception. That is what we are here for. Also, use the blog – we would love to hear what you have to say.
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