Making Time for People in Luxury Hospitality

A guest’s thank-you call can shape an entire career. That was the story that stayed with me after interviewing Friedrich von Schönburg for the latest Shiji Insights podcast. It also connected our discussion of luxury hospitality, leadership, and technology.

Friedrich is Regional Vice President at Rosewood Hotels & Resorts and Managing Director of Rosewood Villa Magna in Madrid. He grew up watching his father care for hotel guests. Meanwhile, his curiosity led him behind closed doors, exploring how hotels worked beyond their public spaces.

At sixteen, he helped at his father’s hotel during a general strike in Spain. The property was full, and he worked across reception, the beach club, and a restaurant. Exhausted, he went home with little idea of the impression he had made.

The next morning, a guest called. Expecting a complaint, Friedrich instead received thanks for making their stay special. He described that moment as what Rosewood calls “the calling,” which led him to study hospitality.

For me, that beginning gave the conversation its perspective. His enthusiasm for new technology rests on the same motivation that brought him into hotels: caring for people.

Takeaways

Understand individual expectations. 

Give technology a clear service purpose. 

Protect opportunities for human connection. 

Connect discovery with local participation. 

Develop leaders through curiosity and ownership. 

A calling sustained by people

Friedrich was direct about the demands behind that commitment. Early hospitality careers can involve long hours, modest pay, and working while friends and family celebrate holidays. Consequently, his advice to enjoy the profession acknowledges its sacrifices.

He also spoke about putting teams first alongside guests. He also enjoys working with international colleagues and meeting people from different backgrounds. Those daily encounters remain opportunities to learn.

I appreciated the connection he drew between curiosity and commitment. As a child, he wanted to understand what happened behind the scenes. As a leader, he still values what other people can teach him.

Luxury hospitality rooted in place

Friedrich’s memories of traditional luxury included enormous flower arrangements and fruit baskets that guests could never finish. Today, he sees more interest in local culture, products, and purpose. Travelers want to understand where they are and the stories behind what they encounter.

Rosewood’s “Sense of Place” philosophy provides a foundation for that approach. Friedrich described working with local artisans, products, and communities to enrich a stay. The intention is cultural immersion, while still providing the comfort guests expect.

What struck me was the responsibility behind the word authenticity. Choosing a local product is one step. Understanding its story and helping a guest appreciate it requires knowledge and care from the team.

However, Friedrich also acknowledged that some travelers prefer familiar amenities and a standardized setup. That qualification matters. Personalization requires understanding the individual, including when familiarity brings more comfort than discovery.

Communication changes the pace of service

Technology expectations arrive with the guest. Friedrich noted that people accustomed to modern technology at home expect comparable convenience in a hotel. Therefore, he emphasized staying current with software, Wi-Fi coverage, and the wider guest experience.

Messaging illustrates how expectations have changed. Guests can send a request and keep going with their day, expecting an immediate response. Friedrich explained that messaging lets guests send a request without having to stop for a phone conversation.

During our conversation, I also noted messaging’s growth since the pandemic, particularly among younger generations. He added that written communication is easier to support through automation. Together, those observations explain why communication has become an important area for technology investment.

For me, the interesting tension is how hotels deliver that convenience while remaining attentive. A message may be brief, but the need behind it still deserves consideration. Technology must support the team responding to that person.

AI and the value of being present

Friedrich said AI was the development that excited him most in 2026. He focused on everyday work: emails, proposals, administrative duties, and other responsibilities that keep employees at their computers. He believes automation can reduce that burden and create more time with guests.

What that gives us is something incredibly valuable: time. Time to be present in the lobby. Time to be visible to our guests. Time to have meaningful conversations and rebuild the type of relationship that has always been at the heart of our industry.

Friedrich von Schönburg

He described automatically drafted responses that people review for the intended tone and message. That example gives his optimism a practical shape. Assistance with repetitive work can still leave room for human judgment.

Friedrich also discussed AI training initiatives and collaboration between IT and department leaders. Teams are learning to use available tools while exploring opportunities to automate tasks. His focus is on bringing AI into daily work in ways employees understand.

I found that emphasis on learning significant. Introducing a tool does not explain how it fits someone’s responsibilities. Involving department leaders connects the exploration with the work teams actually perform.

Different segments, different implications

Friedrich’s optimism came with a distinction between hotel segments. Digital check-in and mobile keys can reduce routine interactions, particularly outside luxury. He acknowledged that automation could consequently reduce the need for some operational roles.

In luxury and ultra-luxury hotels, he sees an opportunity to support personal service. He urged teams to begin adapting now and suggested treating AI as a colleague. For me, that framing makes its purpose clear: help people do their work and focus on relationships.

The feeling guests remember

Friedrich returned to what guests take home emotionally. A comfortable bed is essential, but he described it as an expectation. What people remember and share afterward is often an interaction that made them feel seen and welcomed.

This was the clearest connection between his technology outlook and service philosophy. Recovered time matters because it creates opportunities for conversations and personal attention. The aim is to make those moments more possible throughout the day.

I also heard a reminder to keep physical amenities in perspective. They contribute to a stay, but Friedrich values how people feel more. That distinction helps explain why his first guest’s call remains so important to him.

Discovery beyond familiar destinations

Looking five years ahead, Friedrich expects more personalized, experience-driven travel. He also sees growing interest in privacy and less-crowded places. Guests increasingly want discoveries beyond destinations they already know.

He illustrated this through the countryside resort project in Extremadura discussed during our interview. Some might question why an ultra-luxury hotel would open there. However, Friedrich pointed to the region’s gastronomy, craftsmanship, history, and traditions.

We also discussed its accessibility from Madrid. He described it as an easy journey for Villa Magna guests seeking another part of Spain. I liked the idea of introducing an unfamiliar destination through a place someone already understands.

His second example was Rosewood Blue Palace in Crete. Discussing the planned opening, he contrasted Crete’s luxury positioning with Mykonos, Paros, and Antiparos. Yet its history, cuisine, culture, and authenticity give travelers substantial reasons to explore it.

For me, these examples broadened our discussion of luxury. Friedrich sees value in helping guests recognize what a destination offers beyond its established reputation. That also requires hotels to understand what makes each place distinctive.

Purpose needs action behind it

Alongside discovery, Friedrich expects stronger scrutiny of sustainability promises. Informed travelers will increasingly question whether companies live up to their claims. Accordingly, he anticipates less room for greenwashing and greater demand for transparency.

His Extremadura example included supporting local businesses, purchasing locally made products, and creating opportunities for the community. He described the need to balance what hospitality delivers with what it gives back. Those intentions connect destination development with local participation.

I found that connection important to his argument about authenticity. The people behind a place’s food, crafts, and traditions are part of its appeal. Their involvement gives the destination story substance and the hotel’s stated purpose something concrete to address.

Leadership through standards and ownership

Friedrich’s advice to future leaders began with enjoying the work and understanding hotel operations across departments. He also emphasized leading by example and never taking shortcuts. Work needs the appropriate effort and follow-through.

Find something where you can leave your signature. Find something where you can put your name on it and genuinely make a difference. That is what makes a career exciting. It is not about simply completing a checklist every day.

Friedrich von Schönburg

His encouragement to give “120%” accompanied a warning against accepting the status quo. Development might mean new responsibilities, a challenge within the current role, or another opportunity. His message was to keep progressing.

However, improvement also depends on leadership creating ownership. Friedrich believes people performing the work understand its challenges and opportunities. Leaders need to guide them, welcome ideas, and expose them to different perspectives.

I appreciated that he paired ambition with individual choice. No single leadership style or ideal workplace works for everyone. Finding an environment where someone feels connected and inspired helps sustain that commitment.

Watch Full Episode Here: