“There are only positive things I could say about my stay in the Philippines. Great people, good food, and I’m planning to explore more of the country in the coming days with my wife and children,” says Goeran Soelter, general manager of Clark Marriott Hotel in Clark Freeport. Soelter, who has been in the Philippines for just half a year now, is Clark Freeport’s first and only 5-star General Manager for the obvious reason.
Business is well in the 2-month-old hotel which is something Soelter would like to commend his staff for. “Working in a hotel is like a huge clock which has so many moving parts. Teamwork is essential to make the daily operations run smooth. This involves getting the basics right, training feedback, and looking at process improvements continuously. I am proud of what my team has achieved in a very short amount of time.” He adds, “The team is exceptional and is growing stronger every day. We see happy customers and we continue to work on getting even better.”
Soelter is a seasoned hotelier with experience spanning three decades. His hospitality career started in 1989 as Commis de Cuisine at Maritim Hotel Gelsenkirchen in his home country, Germany, which lasted for three years. When he thought that this is only beginning of his hospitality journey, little did he know, that it is only the start of several (hotel) doors opening for him.
Shortly after his first hotel stint, it was in 1992 when his Marriott journey began. He was hired as Chef de Partie at Marriott’s Castle Harbour Resort at the Bermuda. This journey of his went on from one Marriott property to another from the Bermuda to London to Armenia, Portugal, back to Germany, Poland, China, Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam, and today, Clark Philippines. His career flourished from Commis de Cuisine to Executive Chef, Director of Food and Beverage, and Director of Operations. As how Mr. Soelter puts it, “What I love about Marriott is that you are continuously being challenged as employee and that it gives you the opportunity to travel, get to know different countries and their cultures in depth. I have witnessed an incredible growth in terms of my professional wellbeing for the past 20 years. I have made many friends along the way whom I am still in contact with.”
What he calls his biggest appointment yet most challenging of them all was his first General Manager assignment at Sheraton Hoi An Tam Ky in Vietnam in 2017. He recalls, “I enjoyed it a lot as it involved also preopening. There are so many things which need to be worked on in unison to ensure that targets are met and everything goes smooth. It was an incredible learning experience.” And it continued on until his current assignment to lead the opening of the third Marriott property in the Philippines, Clark Marriott Hotel. Soelter remembers how it felt when he first learned of the news, “I was very excited. Philippines is a beautiful country and I’m fortunate enough to have worked with many Filipino colleagues over the past 30 years who are hardworking, passionate, and happy people. I traveled on leisure to the Philippines several times prior to my assignment that is why my family and I were very happy when the opportunity arose.”
And his answer when asked how he would like to be remembered by his Filipino colleagues and by the community the hotel serves, “To my staff and coworkers, I would like to be a support and mentor to nurture their careers as it was done to me in the past. While for the community that we serve, one of Marriott’s pillars is active involvement in the local community through its Corporate Social Responsibility arm, Service 360, that’s why we continuously work with the local charities and other groups to give back. We organize several activities throughout the year that involve our associates.”
Soelter leads a pack of over 200 brilliant hosts that are ready to provide excellent services. The general manager who actively engages himself with guests and ensures that a guest comes in of the hotel happy and walks out of the property happier that yields to customer loyalty.
