How mixing tradition and tech is shaping the future of Sacher Hotels

In this captivating episode of Hotel Moment, Karen Stephens welcomes Matthias Winkler, CEO of Sacher Hotels, for an illuminating conversation about balancing tradition with innovation in luxury hospitality. Leading the family-owned group that includes the legendary Hotel Sacher in Vienna and Salzburg, Matthias brings unique perspectives on competing with international brands while maintaining authentic Austrian hospitality heritage.

What you'll learn:

● Family business advantages: How being the only family-owned five-star hotels in Vienna and Salzburg creates authentic local experiences that international chains cannot replicate

● Strategic technology adoption: Matthias's philosophy of "evolution without revolution" - implementing technology only when it serves clear business goals and enhances guest experience

● Competing with global brands: How family-owned luxury hotels compete by focusing on quality, authenticity, and personalized service rather than marketing budgets

● Omnichannel guest experience: Creating seamless experiences across all touchpoints, from AI chatbots to in-person concierge services, allowing guests to choose their preferred interaction method

● Cultural authenticity through technology: Using QR codes for multilingual menus with recipes, historical galleries, and local stories that connect guests to Austrian culture

● Navigating uncertainty: How family businesses can thrive by focusing on controllable factors like quality and guest experience while adapting quickly to global changes

● The future of luxury travel: Why experience trumps product, and how the next generation's desire to "conquer the world" benefits authentic hospitality providers

Matthias also discusses his unique journey to CEO, the importance of the Leading Hotels of the World partnership, and why uncertainty has become "a member of our board" in today's fast-paced world.

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Episode Highlights:

[08:01] Evolution without revolution philosophy - Matthias establishes his approach to change management: "How can we make evolution happen without revolution? Because if you're too fast, if you're too quick, it might be as harmful as if you are too slow or too steady. So that's for me a question of finding the right speed for change." This principle guides all strategic decisions at Sacher Hotels.

[10:11] Purpose-driven technology adoption - Matthias explains their selective approach: "We don't use technology for technological reasons. We always have business reasons. We always have ideas. What do we want to provide as a guest experience? Is technology there to help us? Then we implement it." Technology serves guest experience goals, not the other way around.

[20:25] Authenticity as competitive advantage - Matthias highlights what family hotels offer: "People try to get the most authentic experience they could probably get. You literally come to our place where we live. You come to our home, and whatever your experience at the Sacher will be local, with local experience, local expertise." This personal connection differentiates from international chains.

[23:53] Future of luxury hospitality - Matthias identifies key trends: "Experience is more important than product. The next generations are hungry to conquer the world. People are very carefully looking at what they get for their money. Quality, quality, quality." The focus shifts from amenities to authentic, high-quality experiences.

Chapters:

00:00 - Intro
02:31 - Sacher Hotels portfolio overview
03:36 - Family ownership since 1876
04:11 - Matthias's unique journey to CEO
05:31 - Competing with international brands
06:45 - Leading Hotels of the World partnership
09:09 - Balancing tradition with technology evolution
10:27 - Technology integration philosophy
11:57 - Creating omnichannel guest experiences
13:57 - On-property technology and sustainability
16:31 - Navigating global uncertainty as a family business
19:11 - Austrian hospitality and family culture
22:05 - Vision for the next decade

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review it on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Hotel Moment Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Shannon Knapp, CEO of Leading Hotels of the World (LHW), Patrick Norton of Brittain Resorts & Hotels, Shawn Jereb of Montage International, Carlo Del Mistro, Chief Digital Officer of Ennismore, Jason Pirock of Springboard Hospitality, and many more.

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