Hotel Rafayel

January 2012 update - Sustainable rally? And Current Reward account at 0.5% interest rate; no thanks mate, Ill just buy Italy!

2012-01-29T08:29:00.001-08:00

Dear all,

Following last month's Christmas special and despite a somewhat desultory January (as the month usually tends to be as we adjust to the new year and new tempo) there has been a sustained improvement in the wider markets. What was meant to be a short recap of my thoughts below on where we stand in the global economy and the European credit space has spiralled into a much denser picture that touches on the complex underpinning of the ongoing Sovereign issue in the eurozone and whether this mini-recovery as spurred on somewhat by the LTRO (Long term refinance option) by the ECB can in fact take on a more permanent picture and lift us collectively out of this market uncertainty.

I've opted to retain that initial dense stream to reflect in part that the picture remains very myriad, conditional and complex but even so these glimmers of recovery should not be ignored and instead value-seeking opportunities remain as compelling as ever. For the astute market observer must realise the beyond the gloom and doom there remains, as always, the sprouts that will redefine the next & ongoing market cycle.

Additionally, the current low rate environment is excellent if you are planning to get a mortgage, but what about all that cash festering away in a bank account, yielding almost naught. Some ideas on where to place your cash, at 5+% yield. In the current environment, with rates likely to be stuck here for 2-3 years, wealth creation can be a lot more simple through intelligent bond investing.

Enjoy the below and until next time have an excellent month as always ideas, questions and feedback always welcome.

Sincerely,

Thank you for listening; Stay Hungry Stay Foolish

Z.i.L

From the Desk of Zachary I. Latif

What a difference, a year makes! 2012 started with a convincing rally which has at least for now, batted away questions on sustainability of the PIIGS within the € project and while any bullish stance should be tempered, it is difficult to see a halt to the current recovery. The LTRO was mentioned in the last piece as a potential game changer, and the increased liquidity through this 3 year funding program has been a major catalyst for the recent risk asset rally. The "Black Swan" event of a complete market shut down with bank failures and a euro break-up were easy to visualise late in 2011; but the fact that the ECB has decided to embrace fiscal support and set off on a 3 year bank funding mission, has at least taken the unthinkable off the table.

With liquidity no longer a concern, capital raising remains the biggest challenge for European banks (the EBA has told banks to raise $150bn by Jun'12), yet for the discerning investor, this can represent the most interesting opportunity. Given how distressed secondary levels had become on Bank paper (across all spectrums: unsecured, covered and asset backed); the easiest way for banks to improve capital ratios is to launch buy backs (tenders) for these products. Its the perfect zero sum game, normally the premium over current secondary levels make it attractive for investors to tender their bonds to the originating bank, while for the bank its an easy get fix toimprove their core Tier 1 ratio. Even National Bank of Greece launched a tender on their covered bond issuance, almost 15 points higher than trading levels at the time. I suspect a number of peripheral banks, with pressing capital short falls, will continue this theme in the next few months andidentifying secondary paper which remain lucrative to tender back will be an interesting short term trade.

Finally the perfect storm for a sustained rally would not be complete without the Fed coming out with a statementprolongimg super low interest rates for at least another year and a half. Great for long term loans and perhaps even stimulating fixed investments, but bad for deposit holders. And this is where I think the opportunity within credit becomes so interesting for any discerning investor. One of my greatest bug bears has been the number of "unsophisticated" investors within equity markets (in spite of the greater volatility relative to credit), but now with interest rates so low, surely it is time for a number of smaller investors to start investing in high coupon investment grade credit. Without taking significant risk, yields of 4-7% are very achievable on benchmark liquid name,and surely that's a more interesting proposition than 1.5% at Natwest Advantage Current Account. If one were of the more discerning character,financials have very interesting risk-return profile. One of my favourites, Lloyds 7.5884% ECN note, currently trading at 85 cash price, implying a yield of around 10%. The risks associated with ECN's has reduced substantially over the last few months, and expect Lloyds to call this well before maturity date; so yield level can be a lot more compelling.

Or why not look at Sovereign debt? We discussed how Italian Government yields had hit a peak of 7% last year, and currently at 6%, with the threat of implosion now a mere dot in the horizon and a Greek debt deal nearing completion tomorrow evening, can this not equally be a nice coupon trade, while at the same time, a very compelling story to continue to grind in.

My dark horse favourite is Ireland, their response to the sovereign crisis has been the most credible (Michael Lewis's attempt notwithstanding) and the current sovereign/ financial rally is fully justified, given the fact that their medium term debt sustainability is credible. They have been the most active in announcing (and more importantly implementing) austerity measures, their economy remains significantly more competitive to other peripheral (or even main stream) European nations and with 10 year yields around 10%, this will continue to grind tighter based on positive economic growth this year. House price correction remains a concern but there is a lot to like about the Celtic Tigers.

Fundamentally I remain bullish going into the short term, it feels a lot like early 2009 soon after Lehman's collapse when the US announced TARP and other liquidity measures, which led to a furious rally in risk assets. This time, the ECB has reluctantly taken the mantle and while one can argue the systemic risks remain, the liquidity measures announced will once again lead to a sustained (and since this is Europe, I suspect slightly more subdued) rally. Its time to pile into risk.

www.hotelrafayel.com

Rafayel Newsletter - Valentine Issue

2012-01-18T09:10:00.000-08:00

The Perfect Valentine Dinner - at Rafayel

2012-01-18T06:04:00.000-08:00

Perfect-for-Valentine’s Menu

£50 per person

On arrival

A glass of Argave kiss cocktail

Starters A Choice of:

Seafood & Avocado

Avocado, shrimp, crab meat, and cucumber topped with sweet corn sorbet

Bleu Cheese Salad

Romaine lettuce leaves with toasted almonds, sun-blushed tomatoes, croutons and blue cheese dressing

Main course A Choice of:

Filet Mignon with Rich Balsamic Glaze

Served with flat mushroom, crispy onions and chipped potatoes

Grilled Rock Lobster Tails

(delicately seasoned with lemon and garlic and served with beef tomato)

Lamb for Lovers

Rack of lamb with rosemary and mint demi-glace

and served with oven roasted red potatoes and sautéed green beans amandine

Exquisite pasta

Papardella pasta tossed with broccoli, pine nuts, roasted red pepper and smoked olive oil

Desserts A Choice of:

Chocolate and mango

Chocolate and caramel heart served with mango and chilli compote

Boozy strawberries

Strawberries flambéed in Vodka with black pepper ice cream

34 Lombard Road | London SW11 3RF

www.hotelrafayel.com | reservations@hotelrafayel.com

Get ready to woo your Valentine in style

2012-01-18T05:37:00.000-08:00

Give someone you love a reason to escape and...

experience the magic of romance with our exclusive “Love in the City” packages

Arrive in your room to be graced by the heavenly scent of fresh rose petals adorning your bed, indulge in organic heart shaped chocolates, and continue the journey of the senses with spa treatments designed especially for couples at our Spa...

Then enjoy a truly romantic evening at our restaurant overlooking the Thames River, where our chefs create an exquisite cuisine and our bartenders serve sumptuous cocktails...

End your evening at our Nirvana Lounge, while listening to romantic live jazz music, and partake of the special sumptuous cocktails and delicious canapés.

Love in the City

(Package 1)

· Fresh rose petals and sweets in room

· Spa treatments (60 min. treatments specially designed for couples inclusive of complimentary glass of champagne and sweets)

· Dinner at ‘Banyan on Thames’ restaurant

· Valentine’s at Nirvana Lounge

· Breakfast

· Late checkout (12 pm)

Rates from £280 (for double occupancy)

Love in City

(Package 2)

· Fresh rose petals and sweets in room

· Dinner at ‘Banyan on Thames’ restaurant

· Valentine’s at Nirvana Lounge

· Late checkout (12 pm)

Rates from £195 (for double occupancy)

Love in the City

(Package 3)

· Dinner at ‘Banyan on Thames’ restaurant

· Valentine’s at Nirvana Lounge

£50 Per person

***OFFER VALID FROM 9TH-19TH FEBRUARY 2012

34 Lombard Road, London SW11 3RF

www.hotelrafayel.com | reservations@hotelrafayel.com

Get more, pay less... our guests describe us best.

2011-12-11T01:29:00.000-08:00

“You get more than what you pay.”

Reviewed December 9, 2011 NEW

Extremely good value for your money.
It is not a five star hotel but is ten stars in value for the money.
Fabulous views to the river.
Recommended for couples,you will impress your lady.
Huge bedrooms.
Nice and attentive service.
Stay there when you go to London.

Room Tip: Stay in the suites with river view.

“Outstanding Hotel With Fantastic Service”

Reviewed December 5, 2011 NEW

Stayed at the Hotel Rafayel 01.12.11. The hotel is approx 5-10 mins drive from Clapham Common Tube. We found it very easy to travel from here across London (o2 & most of the major shopping districts such as Oxford Street). The standard of service received at this hotel was absolutely fantastic, staff could not have been more helpful or informative. The little touches made by the hotel made our stay that little bit more special.

The size of the room was unusually big for most city hotels, let alone London and everything was finished to a very high quality.

I would definitely recommend coming here and hope to be back the next time I am in the city.

“Mixed feelings on this. Chic venue.”

Reviewed December 5, 2011 NEW

Amazingly large room, huge windows, booked a 'suite' through an Agent ' Splendia' expected a little better than a view of the local builders merchant and the main road from the panoramic windows.

Room wasn't made up on second day until we asked for it to be done. Everything had to be asked for (including milk for a cup of tea) which for 5 star is not 'really' great.

Lighting is probably amazing in summer, but was dreadful on these darker winter nights, no shaving light or bright dressing lights.

Comfy and chic it most certainly is. Decor would make me suggest it would be a perfect wedding venue, and I do like the environmentally friendly ethos they are promoting.

Chauffeur service is wonderful and much needed because the location is obscure, drivers are the most courteous people I've ever come across in London I think,

Good, if not pricey, breakfast. Very quiet ambience.

Room Tip: ASK for the river views, I wish I had. ALSO if you want a bath tub..prior request it!

Management response to guest:

December 6, 2011

Dear Ms Quinonostante,

We appreciate your views and thank you very much for your compliments.

We would like to set the records straight on the room you booked. As you explained, you booked through the agent Splendia, and not directly. 22% of your reservation price goes to them. You voluntarily opted for a room that did not have a river view, but it is very large (about 280-290 sq.ft.) compared to an average London hotel. We cannot offer you a river view room when you have selected one with limited views. Although we wish we could do that for everyone unfortunately rooms with scenic views obviously sell at a premium. In any event, the price you paid was a mere 100-odd pounds per night which included VAT. As far as breakfast is concerned, we believe that the prices are very reasonable for London standards.

Once again, we appreciate your positive comments, and look forward to welcoming you again.

Kind regards,

The Management

“Super Service and Excellent Facilities”

Reviewed December 4, 2011 NEW

Stayed at the Rafayel just for a one night business trip but would not hesitate to stay longer in the future. Great location and excellent facilities matched by superb service.

“Love it!”

Reviewed December 3, 2011

The hotel is close to the city center, the staff is nice and helpful, and the room was beautiful confortable and really clean! I will definitly come back there!

“THE BEST MODERN HOTEL!!!!!!”

Reviewed December 1, 2011

Me and my partner was celebrating our annivesary and decided to do the spa package and dinner and breakfast included. even though we were running late for our treament in the spa we still got seen to and they were so polite. food was lovely and the cocktails. The hotel was very clean and fresh will definetly go back thier again and good price aswell check out thier website. The spa facilities were amazing it was quite and it felt like we had the whole spa to ourselves which was very romantic.

Room Tip: deluxe room was a lovely room try the nile room they have a big jucuzzi tub.

“Nice for a weekend getaway”

Reviewed November 30, 2011

Took my wife here for here birthday for a nice relaxing weekend.

Nice quiet location with pick up from Clapham Junction. Was a slight problem with the complimentary pick up as they went to Clapham Common station instead. So not the greatest start.

However hotel was lovely. Received an upgrade to a huge room with river view. Nice big bathroom but TV not working in tub.

Has drinks and dinner at Banyan. Great food and very good value. 50% off voucher a must!

All in all a good stay. Hotel felt a bit empty at the weekend though.

“Wow!!!!!!”

Reviewed November 29, 2011

Me and my partner stayed here for the night and from the minute we arrived we were in heaven.
The hotels location may not be the most central, however, after a day of hectic sightseeing in London it was so relaxing and peaceful and the bus stop outside the hotel takes you straight to Victoria too, so its really straightforward to get into the city.
The room we stayed in was absolutely amazing, spotlessly clean and huge.
I would definitely stay at this hotel again.

The only negative I had was that for some strange reason they wouldn't accept my card for payment so had to venture into battersea to find a cash point but it wasn't a big deal as the staff were really helpful about it all.

Worthy of all great reviews
Reviewed November 2011

It was nice to see great reviews before I booked this hotel but everything about the reviews and what the hotel promised was more than fulfilled. Whilst only a brief stay - lovely courteous staff, a wonderful room with everything you needed, very reasonable parking cost and great location and the courtesy lifts to the station a lovely extra touch. Faultless and trying to find reasons to stay again and this time to try the restaurant too!

Bringing you a bouquet of offers through our monthly newsletters...!

2011-12-02T20:27:00.000-08:00

The good, the best, the bad – Rafayel’s hits and misses

2011-11-24T02:12:00.000-08:00

Rafayel is grateful to all its patrons for their glowing reviews on the hotel’s 5-star standards and the top-notch quality of our hospitality and services. Even a thumbs-down on any of Rafayel’s features is accompanied by several positive comments, which we are proud to share. Transparency and open communication with our customers is our unique stock-in-trade.

“Excellent service upgraded room”

Reviewed November 23, 2011 NEW

Wonderful experience
Great view
Had a massage in the spa
The restaurant manager couldn't,t have been more helpful
Room was upgraded
Errol the valet guy was helpful too

Room Tip: Room 214 has a great view

“BEST HOTEL IN LONDON AREA”

Reviewed November 22, 2011 NEW

I have stayed twice and I am sure I will be staying more in the future! The reception staff, bar staff, all the staff (espeacially the driver) was warm hospitable and just down right lovely. It was my birthday the second time round to which I recieved the best cup cakes I have ever tasted! I would like to recommend this hotel to everyone... but Im scared that if everyone knows this gem of a hotel it would be harder for me to book a room! Thank you Rafayel keep up the good work!!

Room Tip: You can look over the thames which is worth paying a little extra for for something special!

“7th Stay and High Standards Remain”

Reviewed November 17, 2011 NEW

I first stayed in the Rafayel upon its soft opening just over 2 years ago and the excellent standards and level of Service has remained if not got better over the years. The Staff from the Owner Iqbal ,to the waiting staff remain nearly all the same so they have created a Great personal ambience and a welcoming warmth. Rooms are still to the same high standard and when on occasion I have reported any faults within the room the response from the Owner and his Team have been suberb.
I visit London regulary and would not stay anywhere else as I always recieve excellent treatment from all. Banyan Restaurant whick overlooks the Thames is still very good and there are some great deals to be had in the Hotels Spa. Location is also excellent with the Victoria Station Bus service stop on the Hotels doorstep as well as Clapham Junction Rail station. Well Done Iqbal and staff.

Room Tip: Amazon Rooms are Excellent and Spacious. Always contact Hotel for best rates available.

“More 4 star than 5”

Reviewed November 16, 2011

Stayed at this hotel before our honeymoon in the Thames room. View was brilliant especially of the helipad. Room was comfortable and clean. Bed was uncomfortable for me but wife thought it was OK. Only 3 stars given as many of the promised facilities were not available or working. iPod dock not working, DVD player not available and no games console in sight. Called reception 3 times, which was severely under-staffed, and asked for help. Went for dinner and returned to no solution. When the "IT Manager" finally arrived who looked strangely like the receptionist, he mentioned there was a problem with the dock. In the morning we asked what would be done about it and was met by the Manager in charge who was very rude and condescending suggesting the problem was with my iPod of which I have 2 and an iPhone and that "there was no need looking for a discount". Peeved me right off and ruined my afternoon. This is not what 5 star treatment is about. Parking also extra at £15, which manager did discount to his credit (after I flipped out). No valet or concierge in sight both times we arrived. Car returned with dirt splashes on the bonnet. In the middle of nowhere too, which isn't bad if you have your own transport but don't expect to walk out to any hustle/bustle or tube. More of a business hotel for those who just happen to be in the area. Simply because of that Manager I will never return. I've stayed in 5 star hotels before and this place doesn't come close. 4 star at the most.

Room Tip: Nile and Thames room provide great views of the river.

“Rafayel on the 170 bus route..... but fantastic hotel!!”

Reviewed November 16, 2011

Stayed for two nights from 10th November, this hotel is fantastic, I can't believe that we payed £130 a night and got this standard of hotel in London. I can't fault the hotel apart from the location and the staff in the spa weren't 5 star. We tryed to go into the relaxation room twice but there was hotel staff in there doing various things which isn't very relaxing. The spa could do with been managed a little better, it could easily have been more professional and relaxing with a few finishing touches. We were waiting to use the hot tub and two male staff were testing the water which I'm aware is very important but could have been done at a more suitable time when the spa was empty.

Apart from those small things everything was great, we stayed in a Mississippi room and the room was immaculate, we could plug our ipod in and listen to our music and the views from the huge windows are great.
The rooms are very stylish and comfortable and the bathroom was fantastic.

The hotel was a little difficult to get to and from but the hotel offers a free car to Clapham Common/Junction. We also found it just as easy to jump on or off the 170 bus from just outside the hotel, depending on traffic it takes between 15-30 mins to get to and from Victoria. The hotel shuttle takes about 10 minutes to get to Clapham Common.

We didn't get time to eat at the hotel as we had things booked but we went to the bar overlooking the Thames. We saw a helicopter land at the heliport while we had a drink and waited for the hotel shuttle to Clapham Common.

Overall we had a great stay at the hotel, I know I've mentioned a couple of faults but there is always room for improvement, the hotel can't improve the location and it wouldn't be such good value if it was north of the Thames. The hotel could very easily brush up the professionlism of the spa which is very nice but the staff need just a bit more direction to do there jobs and not been seen.

“A bit of luxury!!!”

Reviewed November 14, 2011

I travelled to this hotel on business with Tigi haircare.I was upgraded to a room with a river view it had panoramic views across the river. Check in was fast and efficient, staff are very friendly.
The room was a cresent shape with a huge bed and stunning lighting above.
The bathroom was large and well fitted to a 5 star + standard.
Food was very good and as a guest I was offered a discount on all meals ,in the asian style rest.
Quality of sleep was amazing well soundproofed and comfy,the decor throughout is boutique style to the highest of standards ,girly girls will love it!....but is not barbie doll so men will feel very at home as well!!!
Only downside is its not near tube stations but worth the taxi ride for the ambiance !!

Room Tip: Upgrades to above restruant very special rooms

“excellent for the price”

Reviewed November 13, 2011

We received a warm welcome and upgrade at check-in. The room was large and comfy as was the bathroom which had a rain shower and tub with tv. This hotel deserves all the praise it receives and I would not hesitate in returning, but it does lack that true 5* air, that 'knowing what you want before you know you want it' feeling. But for the price, it is outstanding.

We ate at the restaurant and sat by the window which was nice to watch the people pass by and the view over the Thames. Hotel guests are given a 50% discount and the food is lovely. I found it difficult to choose a starter as they all sounded fantastic. One thing which would be nice would be a little background music to lift the atmosphere a little. It was a Saturday night, and the restaurant was quite busy, it just seemed a little flat without music.

Check-out is a little early at 11am, but they will extend this to 12pm or later for £20. The building is mostly longer term rentals and the actual hotel part is quite small, so get in there early and book your room in this hidden gem south of the river.

“Amazing upgrade”

Reviewed November 13, 2011

Stayed here for two nights we booked the Yangtze room and were given an upgrade to the Nile suite. The suite was lovely and very spacious, the bathroom had a jacuzzi and a tv! Staff were very friendly and helpful. The hotel is a 30 minute tube journey into the centre so catching the 170 bus to Victoria from outside the hotel is much easier.

“5 Star Hotel at a 3 Star Price”

Reviewed November 12, 2011

I stayed at this 5 star hotel for 5 Nights in November for a Business Trip to London. Absolutely amazing stay, the staff was super friendly and very accommodating to any request. The room was very modern with plush beds, great showers, and excellent views of the river. The hotel offers meeting areas which were great for attending to clients. The restaurant and bar was very luxurious with some of the best food in London with priceless views of the river and Battersea. I would recommend this hotel to anyone staying in London for business or pleasure. In fact this this is one of the best hotels I have ever stayed in, and the staff made it an unbelievable experience. Treat yourself to luxury.

Room Tip: I would recommend the Yangtze rooms which are next to the meeting rooms if you are on business.

“Cracking Birthday Stay”

Reviewed November 11, 2011

My wife and I stayed here for a birthday treat whilst going to the Royal Albert Hall. The hotel was excellent from top to toe. The rooms had everything you could wish , were very clean as were the corridors and main area. The carpet in the hallways was very plush and your feet could actually sink into the pile.

The location was not ideal for our particular stay as it was a far ride to get the RAH, however the next day it was perfect for shopping/browsing and eating on the Kings Road.

I would definitely go back.

Check out Rafayel's special packages for the Christmas season and New Year's Eve bash (Hollywood Theme)!

Christmas season dining offers - Join the Rafayel family to eat, drink and be merry!

2011-11-22T03:46:00.000-08:00

Rafayel - a venue for every occasion and your home away from home. Come and join the family to celebrate Christmas with a feast just for you.

OUR FESTIVE CHRISTMAS MENU

Offers:

Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day (24-26 December 2011)

£40 per person

Same menu buffet-style available for special pre-Christmas parties (minimum 25 people) all December 2011

At £40 per head

The Perfect Turkey

Classic Roast Turkey with chestnut, sage and apple stuffing with the perfect turkey gravy, saffron-scented bread sauce or cranberry sauce

In-between savoury square mincemeat pies – Snack and whet for more!

Brussels sprouts with bacon, almonds and cream – sprouts coated in the amazing flavours of smoked bacon, almonds, lemon zest and double cream.

Roasted potatoes with garlic and rosemary: Roast potatoes with the flavours of fresh herbs are the classic accompaniment to your perfect turkey.

Port and cranberry braised red cabbage - Adding cranberries to red cabbage provides a touch more festive flavour and gives a sharp edge

Desserts:

Rum and raisin pudding truffles: Mini chocolate desserts with raisins, rum and double cream - who can resist these delicious, decadent truffle puds at Xmas?

Boozy Christmas pudding - We've got just the treat for the perfect end to your Christmas Day.

Rafayel on the Left Bank

34 Lombard Road | London SW11 3RF | +44 (0)20 7801 3638 | 44 (0)20 7801 3600

banyan@hotelrafayel.com | reservations@hotelrafayel.com

www.hotelrafayel.com

ON OFFER! New Year's Eve Packages - Save the date - 31st December 2011

2011-11-21T06:53:00.000-08:00

Rafayel on the Left Bank

34 Lombard Road, London SW11 3RF | +44 (0)20 7801 3600

www.hotelrafayel.com

HOLLYWOOD THEME NEW YEAR PARTY

PACKAGES!

Package name: NYE1

Offer: £50 per person (Maximum 100 people)

Package includes:

4-course New Year’s Eve dinner at the Banyan on the Thames at 8:00 pm
Entry to the Nirvana Lounge at 11:45-12:15 followed by later access to the Hollywood-themed New Year party complete with our professional DJ
Cocktails on arrival
Canapés
Fireworks over London from our 17^th floor vantage point (11:45 pm - 12:15 am)
Sandwich bar at 2:00 am

(Call Reservations at +44 (0)20 7801 3600 or email reservations@hotelrafayel.com)

Package name: NYE2

Offer: £25 per person (Maximum 150 people or 75 couples)

Package includes:

Free entry to the Nirvana Lounge at 10:00 pm
Cocktails and Canapés on arrival
Fireworks over London from our 17^th floor vantage point (11:45 pm - 12:15 am)
Later access to the Hollywood-themed New Year party complete with our professional DJ
Sandwich bar at 2:00 am

(Call Reservations at +44 (0)20 7801 3600 or email reservations@hotelrafayel.com)

Don't brood! Tell us what is your great idea today?

2011-11-15T08:39:00.000-08:00

In our company we hire people who are ready to learn on the job. We don't fear failures and hence put the most inexperienced at the deep end. The reason we do that is because we take pride in our experience and our ability to get the best out of 'everyone' who have latent talent but was not given a chance in the rat-race to bottom; that is solely built on grades, education and ivy schools.

The team that we built had very little collective experience in a 5-star industry, but had great vigour, and in two years we have bewildered our critics and pleasantly surprised our enthusiasts by performing at far greater heights and retaining most of our people. We may have lost some chiefs but no toughened sergeants.

A company has to offer a vision, a goal, and a self-training programme where people feel a change in their life, as if they don't go to a job but to a learning institution. Whatever they do, help them to give their best shot, and life is theirs to conquer. If they squabble and backbite and talk about each other it is their failure and their lack of confidence that see others as easy target. A leadership will not frown but expose those ills and handle them eye to eye and help change attitudes. Ills that are part of most cannot be cleaned by lectures but by face-offs.

The above remarks should be the cornerstone strategy of any person who wants to make a breakthrough in life as a worker or a manager. Just do it, give your best shot and follow the agreed script; say what you have to say in planning but once decided and agreed, follow the line and don't try to stop the moving train.

Great managers/team players have some characteristics which can be learnt by upcoming and young managers through replication, that is, the simulation of the leadership styles of good managers to achieve results. If novices can thoroughly learn from and emulate characters of experts, they will certainly develop their skills. A manger that always has to be guided is no good. 'Where is my fresh new idea?’ A manager should ask himself every day.

Don't expect breakthroughs if you like mediocrity and rotas to define your work, don't spend time doing routine, add value if you want to improve , look around and pick up, every second you do that you create a new opportunity of self discovery and self improvement .

The greatest skill of a great Manager is that he will create a team of commonplace individuals performing and punching far above their individual weight. A great manager’s absence is felt, his ideas are missed and he leads the whole team’s performance to far more than the sum of the performances of individual members of the team. Lot of indispensables are sleeping in graveyards, without touching indispensability, a great manager will make himself the idea man.

Great leaders have exhibited diverse kinds of management styles. Great leaders are visionary people who are able to attain results by people. They exhibit authority in themselves and exhume confidence in their team members. Circumstances make men, just as much as men make circumstances. Some leaders are democratic, allowing team members to air their opinions. Some are dictatorial, explaining what they want from their teams to the team members to execute. All styles provide opportunity and challenges and may be used in definite circumstances.

Great leaders share one feature in common: Experience. It is their priceless jewel and in decision making that originally looks awfully wrong, they need to prove the crowd wrong again and again. Originality of style and highest form of decision making is the hallmark of great managers, they change the routine and bring fresh approaches to where rust is overpowering.

What is a Team? A team is "a group that works towards a single, common, objective." Teams have been used since time immemorial by common men to achieve uncommon results.

Teams were used to construct the Pyramids in Egypt, The church of Babylon, built in 11th century, the Great Wall of China and the Empire State Building completed in 1931. Some of these teams were ruthlessly organised by tyrants, others with passion and love. Numerous projects have been finished and built before the beginning of project management through the help of teams. Team is an orchestra and has no place for a player who is not in sync. Either be a living ocean or be a living fish; a dead fish cannot stay in a living ocean and a dead sea does not harbour life.

Any member of the team who does not work in synergy with the objective falls out of sync and is left behind. Team discusses pros and cons 100 times but sticks to the decision once taken. Dilly dallying of leadership decision destroys the fabric of a company or an organisation. Gurus define a team as "a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they are mutually accountable". "A team is a group in which members work together intensively to achieve a common group goal."

The end result is a good manger will never speak more than a necessary word, will never back bite, and never carry a word. And a good team will follow once the decision is taken and not drag their feet on the ground. One last thing: accept your mistakes and learn to say sorry and correct your bearings; all that will help greatly in making you an outstanding individual.

“A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all”

2011-10-31T07:58:00.000-07:00

We at Rafayel endeavour to make each guest experience the most satisfying one, not just in offering quality and luxury at the best value, but treating them with the warmest hospitality and courtesy. Michael Leboeuf, an American business author and former management professor at the University of New Orleans, says it best “Every company's greatest assets are its customers, because without customers there is no company.”

We are proud to see our efforts manifest into such feedback from our valuable guests:

“Fantastic Hotel...Fantastic Service...Fantastic Weekend”

Reviewed October 30, 2011 NEW

My stay at this hotel was brilliant. I went along with my girlfriend as it was a surprise 21st birthday present. I come on trip advisor before i went and i was a little concerned as my girlfriend loves beautiful hotels and i wanted it to be perfect for her but there was a couple of comments i read stating it wasnt a 5 star hotel.... i was so wrong! This hotel was perfect. I emailed the manager before i went to explain my concerns and when i got to the hotel he had upgraded our room and all the staff was so friendly. The rooms are beautiful and very modern. Theres not a bad comment i can say about this hotel as it was perfect. i stayed for a weekend and i must say it was one of the best weekends i have ever had...all because of the hotel and the staff. I love this place and will be back and i cannot wait. This hotel is a must for people who have not yet been. Thanks for the amazing stay!

“Happy Weekenders”

Reviewed October 28, 2011 NEW

My husband and I stayed here for a long weekend October 2011 and loved every minute of it. The staff were very pleasant and helpful and the room was stunningly modern and luxurious. The location of the restaurant was simply lovely overlooking The Thames and the food was delicious especially the Moroccan stew! There was enough guests milling around to give it a real buzz without it feeling in any way over-crowded. We shall definitely be back next year.

Room Tip: Ours overlooked the courtyard but still very nice. Had both blinds and curtains which were easy to access/ open/shut etc

“Lovely hotel and a decent price”

Reviewed October 28, 2011 NEW

We stayed here last year for a week and were amazed at the decent price! The hotel has a lovely bar that overlooks the river and you can sip champagne whilst watching the rich and famous land in their helicopters next door. The transport from the hotel to the City Centre is really good - much better than we expected and the hotel runs complimentary taxis to Clapham Junction and Clapham north at all hours of the day! The bedrooms were lovely, quite big if I remember rightly and you can choose to have the TV playing the sound in the bathroom, which is nice. The mini bar is well stocked and the spa is lovely. I'd definitely recommend this for a week or weekend in London.

“Perfect stay at a perfect hotel!”

Reviewed October 27, 2011 NEW

I recently stopped at this fabulous hotel with my boyfriend, and it could not have been any more perfect!

It's location is great! It's just far enough away from all the hype and bustle in the centre, but still close enough if you want to get there quickly! The hotel even offers a free shuttle service to the nearest tube station to help you get about easier!

The hotel has a gorgeous view of the Thames- and with being situated right next to the london helipad... it's great to watch the hellicopters land whilst gazing over the waters!

The hotel is stylish and full of modern art, and all the rooms are beautifully designed with lots of modern features. When I first walked into our room all i can remember doing is stopping, staring and continuously saying: "It's so beautiful!!"

Unfortunately we didn't get much chance to enjoy the restaurant, but the breakfast we ate there was fantastic!

The bar was extremely classy and stylish, and the barmen made some fabulous cocktails for us! Although the list is quite large already, i would still love to have some more cocktails to try and choose from!

All staff in the hotel are friendly, welcoming, very proffesional and they always do everything they can to help.

More than anything else I'm so impressed with the value of this hotel! For standard people- paying for a weekend away in a 5 star hotel can become extremely expensive- but the Rafayel proves that it's possible to get 5 star luxury at an affordable price!

Unlike some other reviews listed, I can find no faults what so ever with this hotel, and would happily reccomend it to anyone!

We're hoping to return to the Rafayel in December ...and I cannot wait!

“Great Anniversary Stay”

Reviewed October 27, 2011 NEW

We have just got back from a one night stay in the Rafayel Hotel. What a great hotel. We were offered a complimentary upgrade on arrival had a had the most stunning Thames facing suite. The room was so lovely, we did not even want to leave in the evening for our planned theatre show. How many places have a TV over bath!! We had a lovely dinner in the restaurant and the 50% off deal if you stay in the hotel is great and the food and service was tops. The cocktail bar man was great to chat to and make us feel very welcome and we had a laugh with him whilst sipping very tasty cocktails. Erol the security guard took us on the roof of the hotel to see the view of London, stunning. We briefly met the manager of the hotel and he was also very friendly and engaging. We can not fault anything with our stay and are already looking at dates to go back. The location is great, very good value for money, the free transport to and from the station is very handy, the views spot on and the staff are very friendly. If you get the chance stay here.

Richer layers of icing on the cake…

2011-10-27T04:17:00.000-07:00

“A Hidden Gem!”

Reviewed October 26, 2011 NEW

It was by pure chance we found ourselves staying here. We decided to drive into London because their was a minimal charge to park the car. On arrival someone met us and parked the car for us. We were informed that the hotel had given us a complimentary upgrade, which is always nice to here. The hotel has a small reception area and it does have have a contemporary arty feel. It is positioned on the Thames and its restaurant commands spectacular views over the river. The hotel communal areas have outstanding floral displays and very inviting sofas to lounge in. The rooms are the largest suites that have ever stayed in, hallways, dining room, study area, lounge areas, but the bathrooms are out of this world and certainly have the wow factor!
I was worried that we would have trouble getting in and out of London, but no need to worry the Hotel drives you to and from the tube station. They couldn't be more helpful.

The hotel also boasts a spa, which is small but beautifully formed for a weekend stay. This hotel is the perfect place to meet up with friends and such great value.

“Incredible value”

Reviewed October 26, 2011 NEW

My partner and I have just completed our second stay at Rafayel. I have to say that the hotel represents absolutely incredible value for money in London. The restaurant is first class with the slow cooked lamb being one of the many stand outs. On top of that you get 50% off your meal if you are staying in the hotel; amazing value. The rooms are beautifully laid out and decorated and the staff are incredibly helpful. Have stayed there twice and on both occasions the manager/owner Iqbal Latif made a point of asking us whether everything was to our satisfaction. Just a great hotel.

“BEST VIEWS IN LONDON”

Reviewed October 25, 2011 NEW

we booked the hotel 4 months in advance just for one night and mentioned we are celebrating an anniversary. check in was very smooth and the receptionist was very helpfull and showed us to our room which was absolutely amazing. we booked a full themes view room. the views were so breathtaking i didn't wanna go to sleep! also, there were chocolates and even a happy anniversary card singed by the staff with loads of x's on it :-))) how lovely !
the breakfast was very nice . full continental and english buffet.
hope to comeback again !!

“Great find”

Reviewed October 25, 2011 NEW

very good size room and comfortable bed, the bathroom is nice and i love the rain shower here, the pressure is just right. Bus stop right out side of hotel which will take you to Victoria station in 20 min. A very nice place i would recommend to anybody that dose not want to stay in the heart of London.

“An absolutely fantastic hotel, utterly flawless!”

Reviewed October 24, 2011 NEW

The hotel Rafayel completely made our weekend away, I would even go as far to say that it deserves more than a 5 star rating!

We found the hotel via the internet and were instantly struck by its striking design and features, which proved to be even more striking upon arrival. All areas incorporate modern styling, including fixtures, fittings and furnishings which are all of exceptional quality. All hotel areas were immaculate, the bedding felt as if we were the first people to use it and the carpets felt as good as the day they were fitted.

We encountered the most professional and courteous service from all the hotel staff. The staff on reception especially could not do enough to help us, contrary to other reviews I have read.

The hotel has its own spar, which we received a discount voucher for when we checked in. Sadly, we only stopped for one night and did not get chance to use this fabulous facility. The restaurant and bar are stunning! The service was fantastic and the food was first rate. We had the full english breakfast which had plenty of variety and was self service, so quantity was not a problem! And what could be better than having breakfast whilst watching a helicopter land, as the hotel is right next to the London heliport.

We checked out of our room at 11am but were not leaving London until later that evening. The staff had no problem with securely looking after our luggage until we were ready to depart. They also have a complimentary shuttle service to Clapham Common station which is available every half hour with a professional driver in some very nice vehicles.

The hotel gives its guests so much for such a small price in comparison to other luxury London hotels, I find it so hard to understand how people can fault it. I will not stop in any other London hotel ever again and have already recommended the Rafayel to friends and family.

“super superb”

Reviewed October 21, 2011 NEW

what a find
excellent hotel
service and setting stunning
forget other hotels head SOUTH and CHECK IN

“Taz Sharif Outstanding service of excellence”

Reviewed October 21, 2011 NEW

I stayed at the Rafayel hotel room 114 yesterday 20th October 2011. I was taken back by the impressive lobby outlay with warm greeting by staff, Polite, kind ready to assist. The food was great and reasonably priced. The paintings and statue were colourful and my room was clean not even a spec of dust. The hotel views are just breath taking over looking the thames with peace and tranquality. I will be coming again as well as informing my friends coleagues and business associates.

I have travelled internationally to many hotels and this hotel by far exceeded my expectations. Keep up the great work looking forward to another stay

Room Tip: Add your requests and requirements before hand even if you have a special diet or a non smoking room and during your stay will be amazed

Do you know you are a genius? You are born to fly, why are you crawling?

2011-10-20T04:33:00.000-07:00

At Rafayel, we believe everyone is a whiz kid. We convey the best in every one and we get the best out of everyone. We empower our youngest and the rawest to tread the deep end. We are known for our flourish and exemplary set of young people who set new standards. That is how we achieve them by giving them a road map of forward thinking.

You want to be something, be something, it starts with you: A renaissance man is a man that has a wide-angle view of life; a renaissance man will use the internet as a tool for expanding knowledge and intensifying advances to decode our existence.

A small step is what unlocks our great potential. I see them all around; I always encourage those who want to unlock that low self-esteem, and to rediscover that a Steve Jobs is within them. There is one “hungry and foolish” Steve Jobs in every one of us. Just discover it to its true potential. That is the true pre-occupation that we are missing here. Don't be envious of those better than us; why not unchain our own hidden mysteries and become like them. We have in us the prospective and probable talent. It is just that we have not yet discovered the door to our garage.

Rigorous self and mind training: A minimum of 90 minutes a day to seed your mental garden! Your mind is your biggest treasure, we all leave and move on but what we leave behind is our thoughts and our actions.

Training of our minds is as essential as daily physical exercise. It must be done day after day, frequently, and order is desirable. Try every day, think something and reflect on what others have written about just five minutes, try to improve your level of thinking and try to analyze and synthesize your living. Break the routine of your life, the easiest is to change the pattern of your thinking; if you have no time and you live a scheduled life, time will fly. It is the routine that needs to be broken down. Find new styles of doing things.

At a fixed time, at your work place, find time for yourself. Just five minutes of self-contemplation, avoid monosyllables and try to think coherently and cogently, create ideas and write them down. It will initially be difficult but the hidden genius in you will roar out. The mountain will roar and the lion inside will be released. Think and contemplate, think what change you want to bring into your routine, be positive, implement the positive strategy and keep running the schedule. Perfect discipline doesn't come right away; it takes a little time to have the body and mind adjust.

Do you have a mentor, a mentor who is your role model? A Mentor should epitomize success and success is not about money but intellect; success of ideas leads to material affluence and your ability to share that. Material affluence is meaningless if sharing is absent.

Mind and body need contrasting medicines – one is food of thought, and the other, material success, both interdependent and only achievable if pursued in tandem.

The mental blend you want to learn is from the likes of Stephen Hawking, Einstein, Bertrand Russell, Plato, Dalai Lama, or Mandela. Make one of them your role model. Learn from greats and not from mediocrates. The blend for success in life will come from the likes of Branson, Jobs, Gates; the perfection would be the assortment of the aptitude of the former and material successes of the later.

Rarity of success to achieve high accomplishments is the biggest mental block; but if you aim high enough you end up fairly elevated. You have to careful; don't burn like the Icarus, to aim so high that you end up in a zone where your wings melt. Self-realization of capacity and limitation is an art; you will become skilled at as you decipher life.

If you are not being opposed and you are the most likable person, something is amiss. The initial signs of intelligence and genius in you will be that you will be opposed by the mediocrates as soon as the change will become visible. It needs opposing air to lift a plane with all its engine muscle; in vacuum a plane cannot fly.

Even if you are smart, intelligent and productive, you need hostility, rudeness and antagonism to make you thirsty enough to cross the desert. Going over the hurdle is one of the most difficult problems, that is how you break from the chains of mediocrity but it will not happen if the genius is not original and threatening the status quo. Not everyone is asked to drink hemlock or be burnt at the stake. Create that opposition; thrive in it, don't live in your comfort zone. Most of us do.

Read and learn: What we put into our minds is what we get out of our experience. When you turn on the tap on one end, eventually, water flows out the other end; you need input for a synthesized output. Submerge in the experiences of the others, use 'global death of distance' to your advantage. The best source is the biographies or autobiographies of people who have excelled in life.

Self-reflection time: You and your inner voice need to have a discussion. Most of the time that is what 'Introspection time' is essentially all about. You need to reaffirm to your own self that this is the new direction in which you wish to move. You replace the aged mindset with a vigorous new mindset. Self-talk is not about hearing voices in your head but essential rediscovery of yourself.

"Exceeding expectations" epitomized

2011-10-16T07:19:00.000-07:00

We at Hotel Rafayel continue to strive for excellence in hospitality and customer service. Guest satisfaction is our ultimate goal and reviews such as these are our rewards:

"We all had a marvellous time at your superb hotel overlooking the Thames in Battersea near the Heliport which is also very exciting should a helicopter land while you are dining. My 70th birthday was a tremendous success and this was because of your hotel, it's convenient location with good parking facilities and of course your superb staff and kitchen who were excellent.

At 8pm we started with champagne reception on 3rd floor in a wonderfully decorated large ballroom with large balcony, if needed, overlooking the Thames. Compliments to the Chefs, the Canapés were delicious. The feedback from all my guests (75) has been more than positive they all loved every minute of my party and none had known about your hotel before and many have said they will go again! We had found out about your hotel via 'good places to eat' near where we live in Belgravia, via the Internet. We have had dinner in your excellent restaurant several times before always a great pleasure, the food and service terrific, in addition our waiter at that time performed some clever magic at the table which we enjoyed!

So back to party, now you understand how we knew about ' Hotel Rafayel on the left bank'.(please note you need a bigger advertising sign outside, it is too small and your Hotel is worth a much larger well lit sign!). After champagne and Canapés we went to our designated tables for a choice of 2 menus. I chose crab salad and fish and chips all delicious (as it was my birthday I chose the menu long before the party as I had been to your restaurant and sampled many dishes before!!). For dessert I chose lemon merangue pie with ice cream.

During dinner we were entertained by a magician whom we had arranged and later after dinner he gave us a fabulous performance including doves and rabbit. The party room and tables and decorations were breathtaking and also the lighting and sound system for our pianist during dinner. Later we had a disco and dancing. The party ended at about 2am. Before some of the guests went home, we had some drinks at the bar in the foyer at 2am because no one wanted the party to end! The hotel staff at that time of night could not have been nicer or more polite and helpful.

Many guests decided to stay the night in your Hotel at a special birthday price given especially for my guests. The rooms are lovely, this is a brand new hotel, for those who do not know, only 3 yrs old, and the large well furnished bedrooms are large and really delightful with very modern bathrooms like in Hollywood movies. I was back on Sunday morning(we live nearby) and those guests who stayed the night all said 'well done, we had a superb time and this hotel is a real find'. Breakfast very good as well.

Many thanks Chris to ALL of you and especially to kitchen staff for providing such excellent food. Also my birthday cake plus candles was supreme, also many thanks to your owner who has always been charming, nothing was too much trouble for your charming and well mannered staff.

We made the best choice by coming to to you in Battersea. Thanks to all and everyone of you. You are all highly recommended by me. I am by profession a cancer specialist and have been all over the world staying at many excellent hotels. You are up there with the best."

What best describes “value for money?”

2011-10-03T08:55:00.000-07:00

“Value for money” may be a clichéd expression, but it never rings truer than at Rafayel. Not just a place for leisure or pleasure, our hotel is the perfect place if you are here on short or long business stay. Rafayel is a complete package, with spacious and beautifully designed rooms, equipped with state-of-the-art intelligent technology, free WiFi, quiet library areas, teeming cigar and shisha lounge on the rooftop terrace, a fully equipped gym, a fantastic spa, and not to forget our famous Banyan on the Thames restaurant that offers a cuisine to delight your senses or our Crystal Bar that mixes some mean never-to-forget cocktails. Icing on the cake: 50% guest discount at the restaurant and our River Wellbeing Spa. “Value for money” just can’t get better than this!

The “Rafayel experience” is well summed in this review posted by one of our guests:

AMAZING HOTEL, ESPECIALLY FOR A LONG BUSINESS STAY

I booked Rafayel for 10 nights while on research trip for work at Kew Gardens and the British Library. The experience from the start was amazing. I was picked up at Clapham Junction with the free shuttle service. I was then escorted to my Amazon Suite room, which is absolutely gigantic. It has touch temperature control, a huge hallway leading to the main room, a large desk, sofa and coffee table. The bathroom was huge as well, the shower enormous. The one issue I had was the water, while hot, was not hot hot. Also, the shower nozzle in my room was hard to turn at times, but this is a minor issue, the main point is that bathroom was HUGE. Bigger than mine at home!! The bed is extremely comfy, and I had a 32 inch flat screen at the foot of the bed, and with a great selection of channels. Huge windows also (although I did not have river view ;-(....Overall, the Amazon Suite is a stunner at the price....another hotel in central London...over £400 easy...which is funny, because its pretty easy to get to central London as the bus number 170 to Victoria runs directly outside the hotel, so it very easy to get to either Clapham Junction, or just straight in to central London on the 170...

Now, this is not all...the hotel had so much more...I am a gym rat, and wanted a hotel with a gym,,,don't be fooled by the limited pics of the gym, its good size, and has all the equipment for a good solid workout. It has a dumbell set up to 20kg, it has a cable machine! and plenty of nice, high grade cardio and nautilus equipment...I love my lifting, and while I could not do squats, bench or deadlift, I still got a good workout....also, it was nice to take a run along the Thames when the weather was nice...Now, after the workout, I hit the Sauna, then Steamroom, and polished it off with the Hot Tub!! Now that is quality...and after I headed back up to my enormous room. Awesome!

Now comes the food. Hotel guests are offered 50% off for dinner if you get a starter and a main...the food is fantastic! Real quality, nicely prepared, and for one person, after the discount, was never more that £20, even when I had the filet mignon with a crab/shrimp starter. The breakfast is good too. Nice selection, and always the full monty on offer....but I am on a strict diet, and still had good option of wholewheat bread, cheese, cold cuts, fruits etc. Coffee is also good!

However, what makes the Rafayel really fantastic, above and beyond all this: the STAFF!! The staff were ALL nice and helpful, always ready with a smile, and nothing was too much to ask. The drives, Iain and Ali were amazing blokes. When I was waiting in line to speak to reception about getting some extra coffee 'sticks' for my room in the morning (I like two cup while I wake up, before breakfast) he came over, asked me what I needed, and then he went upstairs and actually got it from housekeeping himself, and he is the DRIVER!! He went out of his way to do something completely unrelated to his job. That is called service.

Overall, the hotel is in good shape, the rooms and facilites are top notch, as is the food and service. And all for very cheap..ridiculously so....if you're on a long stay in London, and aren't bothered by an extra 20mins to get to central London, and can't spend £400-500 a night for luxury, than this is for. It truly is affordable luxury...whenever I am back in London, I'm always, without question, staying at Rafayel, its that good...Hope this helps fellow travellers!!

Room Tip: Amazon Suite, is sweet!

You can’t win ‘em all

2011-09-19T05:08:00.000-07:00

There is no doubt that Rafayel has a distinctive incomparable uniqueness. It is devoid of the generic corporate aloofness or dismissive attitudes of management executives in the hospitality industry. Even in its operations and functionality, Rafayel exhibits a hands-on, roll-your-sleeves-and-get-down-to-it imperfect rawness and urban sophistication in equal measure making the hotel a living, breathing, social being. No effort is spared and no stone left unturned in Rafayel’s hallmark policy of “exceeding expectations,” but just like a human being, there may be a slip-up or more often than not waves of genius exuding from its personality which some may even find over-exuberant.

No single individual is alike. Each has a different sense of aesthetics, a social sense of no-nos or do’s and don’ts, or to quote a clichéd line, “One man’s food is another man’s poison…” We do our best to ensure that our guests receive the warmest hospitality, get the best 5-star services at the best rates which may or may not be appreciated. Therefore Rafayel feels much pride in sharing the rave reviews and negative views to give an insight into the living breathing entity the hotel is.

“Excellent Hotel, can't fault it!”

We spent 2 nights here on a last minute break, 5* hotel for 3* price. We really loved it, cool, chic decor, big room with a view of the river, comfy bed, smart bathroom with jets in the shower. everything was spotlessly clean, with all that you could need. Staff were polite, helpful & friendly without being over the top. Location is far enough out of centre to be quieter but still easy to get about on buses. Would definately stay here again when visiting London :)

“Chic hotel on the river”

Beautiful hotel in a great location, bus number 170 stops right outside which you can take from Clapham Junction to the hotel & then from the hotel to Victoria.

Room was modern & the bathroom was a great size with a powerful shower.

Staff were polite & friendly & we even got a card & tray of posh mini cakes as it was our wedding anniversary, a really sweet touch.

Only negative was the lack of vanity items, not a major thing though!

“Amazing best boutique hotel in London”

Beautiful hotel tucked away in corner of battersea decor cool staff friendly and exeptionally helpful the room was huge and tastefully decorated beautiful bathroom when we visit again which we will definitely asking for a river view cool bar and restaurant busy so I guess good food the owner very welcoming can't wait to go back an absolute gem of a hotel and exceptional value

“Fabulous!!!! boutique style - amazing service”

Just got back from a stay at the rafayel and its was amazing. we got upgraded to a suite becuase they were quiet and it was HUGE! really modern, clean and very impressive for the price. comfy bed, robes, tv in bath! great views of the thames and the complimentary pick up from clapham common was fast and polite. didnt eat at the restaurant but looked lovely and the roof terrace had amazing views.
Took a look around the spa and loved equally luxurious, as were the function rooms.
if you need to get into town another way the bus stops directly outside so if your coming back late it is loads cheaper than a taxi. Not really that far out of town (just across the river from chelsea) and i'd rather pay what we paid for this 5* than 3 times as much for a worse place that is more central.
definately a savy choice if you want affordable luxury! - the location is actually really nice so dont be put off. (lovely battersea village 2 mins walk for breakfast/dinner/drinks very european). Cannot speak highly enough of this hotel.

Planning to stay there again next trip.

Outstanding service, reasonable price, availability of a secure garage, exceptionally large and well appointed room. Now that we have found this hotel we will use it again when we come to see family, and the next time it will be less of a rush and give us time to enjoy other facilities offered by Hotel Rafayel. Superb hotel in a very good location. Many thanks for making our brief and busy stay stress free. We have already recommended the Rafayel to friends.

Amazing junior suite, staff added the extra touch of a anniversary card and cupcakes. Much appreciated!

The design of hotel and rooms exceptional.

The staff were the best i have ever met in a hotel,very friendly and made you feel like you have known them for years,very much the stars of the hotel.

At first the location,but this was changed with the courtesy car and driver.

Great hotel and great views
Stayed two nights and can recommend this hotel,it is clean ,spacious rooms with great river views ,very comfortable high tec rooms all with mod cons,mini bar and fantastic bathrooms ,power showers tv in bath tub !! Only downside the hotel is a fair way out of the centre of london but the hotel runs a free complimentary shuttle service to the nearest tube station which is clapham common which is 10 mins by there shuttle car and did not cause us any problems wht soever you just ringa nd they turn up and collect you and drop you off ,all in all best hotel and service we have stayed at for several years and we are fairly well travelled people both in the uk and internationally

Business stop-over on short notice
Arrived late circa 10pm and staff were friendly and efficient. Room was larger than I expected and was fitted out to a high standard. For business travel it was perfect and a tourist would be very pleased also.
The restaurant had an special offer (effectively half price) and for this price the food was good value - and very good. The staff were fine, but catching their eye required more effort than subtlety.
The only complaint was the various noises in the room. The a/c system, even on low speed, was too audible, more air noise than machine noise. Having turned that off, it was the turn of the LED drivers, buzzing away in the background.
Nevertheless a good stay, good value (at the Late Rooms price of around 30% of the normal rate), and will use again

Regular guests
Never disappointed by this hotel. Can't fault it.
A few drinks with friends on the Thames side terrace is a great way to end the day.

Sanctuary in a Bustling Capital
If there is such a thing then Rafayel on the Left Bank is it. Rarely do you find such unashamed luxury at an affordable price. Far enough away from the hustle and bustle to relax, close enough for a short taxi or train ride to the centre. The hotel is perched on the banks of the Thames and is not over declaring of it's 5 stars. If you really want enormous, luxurious rooms with absolute attention to detail then Rafayel is for you. I will stay again and again.

“Nice rooms but lacking in service”

We stayed here for one night after a long haul flight before moving on from London. The room was perfect for crashing out - a nice shower, comfy bed, loads of room for luggage. What was disappointing however were our experiences outside of our room. The reception area was chaotic, not from guests but from the huge number of reception staff who, despite their numbers, were very near to completely unhelpful. Save your money on the breakfast, selection is limited, service was lacking and when I ordered poached eggs (made to order) they were inedible given the huge amount of vinegar the cook had used. To set your expectations appropriately - come expecting a nice, modern, pleasant room but don't expect anything near 5 star service from the staff.

Management Response:

Dear Guest,

We thank you for your choosing to stay with us after your long haul flight to London, and for taking the time to comment on your experiences at Hotel Rafayel. We appreciate the fact that you gave our room accommodation the highest rating and would like to thank you for pointing out the comfort of our Hypnos beds which are individually made to measure by hand.
Rafayel on the Left Bank also offers more revitalization facilities for guests after long haul flights, from Jetlag-recovery rooms through to the specially designed SPA treatments and the 24-hour room service form our highly rated Banyan on the Thames restaurant. We are considered by many to be a perfect location after a long flight, convenient for both Gatwick and Heathrow Airports.
We would like to offer our sincere apologies for the poor service you feel you received as we pride ourselves on attention to detail. Rest assured your comments will be taken on board and our procedures reviewed to ensure high levels of service are maintained at all times. We are generally praised for the outstanding performance of our front of house staff, but it seems that during your short stay we failed to impress. We are constantly working towards improvement and adopting the totally customer-centric approach in everything we do.
We would be very proud to receive your patronage again in the future and are confident we will be able to meet all your expectations of a 5 star hotel.

Best Regards
The Management

“Amazing 5 star hotel at 3 star prices”

We wanted somewhere special to stay for our 20th wedding anniversary for 2 nights. Tha room was the amazon suite and it was perfect, amazingly clean and spacious, with a tv in the bathroom!!!!! The staff were very helpful and the free shuttle service to the underground was great. One tip would be to get back to the hotel from the city after the shuttle service finishes (after 10 pm) get off at Victoria and get the 170 bus and it stops right outside the hotel. They even made sure my car was outside waiting for us at 5.30 in the morning. Faultless service. We will definitely be back, maybe with the children in a suite next time!!!!!!!!

A fistful of pearls - from Rafayel’s Management Handbook

2011-08-09T04:15:00.000-07:00

Rafayel – a living breathing thing – has its unique approach on training its executives and staff. We are proud to share a few tidbits off its management handbook.

Human culture is a sum total of constructive and destructive activities of our leaders, scientists, brilliant minds and tyrants of the world. Let optimism, confidence and hope thrive over cynicism and negativity.

Aesthetics and ambiance of any place comes from variability of ideas.

Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don't interfere as long as the policy you've decided upon is being carried out.

We incorporate outside the box thinking, maximising and multitasking within a person helps person grow, it is all about growth in terms of capacity and capability and this is the challenge that the contemporary companies face.

The Mantra

“All work is honorable.”

No Excuses, No Regrets
"Wisdom knows no rank."
"It's not our abilities that define us, it's our choices.
Time should be precious, but not anxious.

Build your team

The industry will need new kind of MBAs with great emphasis on skill training, interpersonal skills, reaching out, technical and software awareness:

Continuous Communication between employer and employee is most important.

Teaching them new skills should be the goal.

Keep an eye on over-ambitious internal power strugglers.

Teach them the whole hospitality not a part of it.

Recruiting the "hospitality mindset" is more important than any number of degrees. Technicalities can be taught, but being a "hospitable mind" cannot.

Any employer who cannot empower people to take decisions when they are required will fail to keep employees.

Customer complaints needs big decisions to be taken at the spur of a moment, an employer who does not empower its front office staff to write-offs when they deem it necessary will make them feel miserable.

Time to listen and learn about philosophy of service industry - do you really want to work for satisfaction of others or just fill in hours?

Customer service should be your pride and a career path you choose with sincerity. Those who think of it as ‘servants work’ and beneath them will hurt the industry and themselves.

Living in the mighty bygone days of majestic hotel standards without realising that the world around has changed is a self-serving and destructive approach.

On success

Success is about three things asking the right questions, liberating from daily chores to have a view from the balcony, and admitting responsibility of failure. Failures are ladders to greater success.

99 percent of your results will depend only on 1 percent of your tasks. So quit wasting your time on unproductive activities, like idle chatter - idling should be constructive.

Focus your life on the activities that produce the greatest rewards of human endeavours. Focus on your priorities by sharing knowledge and experience; optimism and positive outlook will help you grow.

Get the best out of your team by giving the best to the people around, become an icon of change.

Let people look forward to you for change that you can bring by your talks and ideas; be an “idea” man.

Most people only accomplish a fraction of what they could accomplish because they spend majority of their time working on meaningless tasks.

No two days should be the same. If you want to have a successful day, you must plan your day.

Planned days are productive days! Think what you achieved out of the whole day, anything optimistic will add to your armoury of experience; all unconstructiveness will destroy your career.

You must fight for want you want! Don’t get “depressed” when things get hard. Remember, it’s darkest just before dawn.

Tough times will come on the “road to success,” …but you have to keep on moving!

Instead of self-destructive obsession in proving one’s self-importance through shortcuts, one should immerse in the quest of true knowledge.

You can’t make progress until you know your weaknesses well. You build your vitality by protecting your Achilles' heel.

You expand your mind by constantly associating with people who think in a different way; if someone is not challenging you, something is seriously wrong. It is from your worst critics you learn your best.

You are a product of who you associate with. You should be known by the company you keep and the best company you can keep is with ‘knowledge’ and impart it well.

Don't selfishly accumulate knowledge; it only is effective when dispersed.

Learn every day; nothing can take the place of experience. Do what you’ve never done, to get what you’ve never gotten. You have to expand your horizons; you have to enter new waters. When you do, you will grow, and you will change.

Those who learn everything all around and are seekers of knowledge they will break the barriers of ignorance and become stalwarts.

Mountains don't cry they only grow taller. The twist and turns of life are such; the sand of today becomes the mightiest peaks of tomorrow.

Your time will come just keep thinking and daring yourselves with a new challenge. The triumphant always has a number of projects planned, to which he looks forward. Anyone of them could change the course of his life overnight.

On failure

Admit failure freely - Admit mistakes and move on.

Don’t blame others - Don’t make excuses. Be strong enough to assume immediate and full responsibility.

Learn from failure - Every success I know has been reached because the person was able to analyze defeat and profit from it in the next undertaking.

Don’t take failure too seriously - Develop a sense of humour. Don’t take yourself too seriously.

Have courage - Do not be intimidated by setbacks.

Balance your life - Develop interests in several areas of your life. Then, when you fail in one area, your whole life doesn’t lose meaning. "No single venture should support your entire emotional life".

Set new goals - "Failure is the only opportunity to begin again more intelligently." Henry Ford

Separate failure from self worth - Losers say, "I’m a failure." Winners say, "I failed in my attempt, but I shall win and overcome these obstacles facing me". People must separate performance and occasional failures from their worth as a person.

Be willing to fail more often - Nobody learns to walk without falling. Expect failure regularly.

Failure is part of winning and many people don’t win more because they are too afraid of failure. Successful people fail often.

Remember, failure is success - Failure is success in the making. The person who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.

Hospitality and how to handle people

Don’t criticize, condemn or complain.

Arouse in people an eager want.

Give honest and sincere appreciation.

Make People Like You.

Remember to smile.

Use the person’s name often.

Listen well and encourage people to speak first and often.

Become genuinely interested in people.

Always make people feel important.

Always talk about people’s interests.

Hospitality is a business of love and amour, it is about exceeding expectations, hurdles always define our objectives.

''You can have the best looking property, the best chef in the world, the most expensive operating equipment or the most consistent service style day in and day out, without hospitality which is lived and breathed within your organization you have already failed.''

Improving your learning skills

The best workmen DO have the best tools, but it's not about the tools.

To learn how to learn, you need to revisit the way you learn. You need some kind of program that will take you from where you are to where you want to be.

You need to get on the program of lifelong learning. You need to get to understand good learning principles so that you can record and retrieve information as quickly and accurately as possible.

You need to have a vision, become motivated, and set goals.

You need to manage your time effectively.

You need to read faster, with better comprehension.

You need to record what you have read with more creativity and accuracy.

You need to remember what you have read.

You need to maintain a sound mind and a sound body.

How to lead

“Leading from the balcony” allows you to focus on your most important work – improving the overall functioning of your team rather than just doing the day-to-day work.

When your team functions at a much higher level, the quality of their work improves, their confidence soars and their pride in their accomplishments increases.

It is only when they feel “we did this ourselves” that they will assume responsibility for on-going improvements that would have escaped your notice.

Self-accountability is key for a high performing team.

That management is best which manages least, and in the end, when workers are ready for it, that management is best which manages not at all.

Imperfection cured...to perfection!

2011-07-26T05:56:00.000-07:00

A perfect product can only be perfect if it is a culmination of successes achieved through failure, through trial-and-error, through honesty and integrity and above all, commitment and dedication to a common cause and a perennial pursuit to improve and exceed expectations.

We at Rafayel strive to seek that elusive quality of “perfection.” To achieve that, fairness and transparency have been one of our cornerstone policies. Thumbs-up guest reviews, which we get 95% of the time in nearly 3,300 reviews posted on social and travel media networks, are a joy to share with our fans and friends, but when we get the odd poor review, we feel privileged to share it as we believe that it is not a reflection of any shortfall in our efforts to excel, but a desire to humanize Rafayel, which may be subject to praise or criticism from another individual’s perspective and personality. This is the new age of social media. It has revolutionized interpersonal skills and opened new doors of productive and profitable communication. Those who wish to take advantage in this fantastic New World will have to live with both the bright and dark sides.

From the sublime to the ridiculous… we value each and every guest opinion and are proud to share it!

“Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!!!”

Reviewed July 25, 2011

I didn't stay in the beautiful hotel, unfortunately, but I ate dinner there. The hotel itself is immaculate and oozes sophistication. We had a starter, main and pudding each, with lizz jazz. The staff were so friendly and chatty, and came over and chatted to us whilst waiting between courses. We had bruschetta to start, lovely and I have seafood linguine for main with salad, and my partner had lasagne. His lasagne was a bit dry, however he ate it all so couldn't have been that bad! He had fruit salad to finish and I had tiramisu. Overall a gorgeous hotel, with beautiful staff - I only wish I'd stayed the night there!! Would definitely come back.

“Excellent Experience. Can’t wait to go back!”

Reviewed July 25, 2011

Excellent overall experience. On arrival, a free valet car park service by friendly staff and on entering the restaurant, we were greeted with a warm welcome by a person who I later found out is the owner of the business, a rare combination in my experience especially for this type of establishment. The management was accommodating despite the fact that we were late for our reservation. Very polite and attentive bar/restaurant staff. It is slightly away from the hustle bustle of west-end but nonetheless a great location to wine and dine in style on the bank of river Thames. It is evident that a lot of thought and care was taken in designing the interior/layout of the bar and restaurant. Really loved the food. The atmosphere was great, a cool fusion between east and west. We were the last people to leave the restaurant and I just can’t wait to go back!

“It’s a scam”

Reviewed July 8, 2011

Its located far away from any good transportation service and the furniture is easily the worst taste I have seen in my life, as well as being cheap and of bad quality, tv does not work and towels and details are of cheap quality. It is all done so they comply with 5 star standard but with cheap solution and cheap staff that doesnt dress properly or has no education whatsoever. If they burn it down they would do a favour to humanity.

“Phenomenal!”

Reviewed July 25, 2011

I had a fabulous stay! The rooms were gorgeous and exhilarating, enhancing and complementing the romantic moments I had with my girlfriend! Food and room service were friendly and prompt! The mixing and matching of artwork was pretty creative and mentally stimulating! I got everything I wanted; guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder; and boy my eyes saw nothing but good!

“Fabulous Find”

Reviewed July 21, 2011

I usually stay in Mayfair when visiting London on business but fancied a change and the Rafayel seemed to be offering a similar standard at half the price.I was expecting there to be a catch but could not have been more pleasantly surprised.The staff in particular were exceptionally good.The superior room was very large and superbly well appointed.The facilities are first class.Ok so its not bang slap in the middle of Town but its not that far out and if you drive there it is outside the congestion zone and valet parking is £15 a night as opposed to £40 ( plus congestion charge) in Mayfair.You can be in central London by minicab in 15 minutes.I will stay there again.

“A lot of good and a lot of bad, all in one hotel”

Reviewed July 18, 2011

The Rafayel is a bit of an odd hotel, there is a lot of good and a lot of bad -- all in one hotel. I'll start with the good. The hotel is new and clean and does not have any of the grungy run-down feeling that characterizes so many London hotels, including expensive London hotels. The one exception to this is the multiple stains on the carpet. The rooms are huge by London standards. Much of the hotel is of a sleek contemporary design with modern features, including well-functioning air conditioning, an enormous bathroom with water jets in the shower, free wireless internet service, and a flat screen tv that is suspended from the ceiling. Much of the hotel is also extremely attractive. The rooms are partly tiled with large contemporary tiles. The bathrooms have beautiful Roca fixtures, including a contemporary large white porcelain sink and toilet. The ceilings in the rooms are very high and the furniture is new and appealing. Some of the other finishes are also quite nice: glass tile in the bathroom; white glass counters on the desk; large dark-stained wood doors.

Some more good: The hotel staff is very friendly and accommodating (There were several occasions when they brought me a bucket of ice late at night and cereal bowls in the morning. The "IT" manager helped me print out a contract I needed to get signed and emailed back to the states); There is a free car shuttle service that takes guests to and from a tube stop and a train station; The restaurant serves a good dinner and gives a 50% discount (with several restrictions) to hotel guests; the rate was quite good considering general London prices.

Now the bad. The Rafayel bills itself as a five star hotel. When I stay at a five star hotel I look for an ambience and an aesthetic that makes the hotel uniquely pleasing and beautiful. Unfortunately, the Rafayel is lacking in both. While many of the individual components of the hotel are quite attractive, they are mixed in with so many unattractive components that you're left with a bit of a mess. As discussed above, much of the hotel is sleek and contemporary. The problem is that other components of the hotel are traditional and a dated throwback to the 80's. The hotel's lobby is most afflicted by this problem….

“Nice hotel but the location wasn’t great”

Reviewed July 20, 2011

Recently went to London with my Boyfriend and decided to stay in Hotel Rafayel on the Left Bank. Hotel is a bit difficult to get to, Closest tube is Clapham Junction (about 5 minute drive away) the hotel offers complimentary pick up service. We phoned the hotel and they sent a driver to pick us up within 10 minutes. When we arrived at the hotel we were given a lovely room but it was on the ground floor and the windows were down to the floor so wasn't at all private. We contacted reception and they moved us to a room further up which was lovely. Very modern and luxurious.
We went down to the hotel bar for a couple of cocktails in the evening, was lovely overlooking the Thames on a sunny evening.
Overall we enjoyed our stay but found the location a bit far away from central London. Hotel was really nice though.

“Impressed”

Reviewed July 20, 2011

Exceptionally good staff, large rooms, very impressed.

“This hotel was a very great experience for us.”

Reviewed July 16, 2011

Loved all the hi fi gadgets installed in the rooms, valet service was quite a necessity as there were no parking spaces for residents which I did find should have been included... But overall this is by far one of the best we have been to.. The rooms were always scented discreetly which makes it feel fresh... Loved it , we dint have to use the shuttle service so would not be able to comment... Enjoooyyy,

Nah nothing bad worth writing about :)

“Oustanding Hotel and Staff”
Reviewed July 2011

I travel all over the world and this hotel rates in my top 3 of all time.
Rooms are fantastic, spacious and well designed.
Every single member of staff could not have been more helpful they are credit to the hotel.
Usually I avoid eating in hotel restaurants but I could not keep away from eating in this one.

Guru corner- 5 Rafayel ethos that we drill every day in our colleagues’ heads:-

2011-07-10T01:53:00.000-07:00

Human Beings are Amazing!

The pulse of our work is creative empowerment. We really, really want people to be better and to reach their highest potential. It gives us a real kick to see a person grow.

For this week I have selected special 5-pointer kind of reflections on success across generations by a very senior executive:

1. “All work is honorable.”

2. No Excuses, No Regrets
3. "Wisdom knows no rank."
4. "It's not our abilities that define us, it's our choices.
5. Time should be precious, but not anxious.

First, "All work is honorable." Most of us will end up at some point in our careers in jobs that are not fulfilling, or at least for a time working on tasks that seem pretty frustrating. But, interestingly, we often learn more from those 'uninspiring' tasks — or we are watched or admired more for how we perform in them — than we might realize.

In his autobiography, My American Journey, Colin Powell tells this story of a summer job he had in college working at a Pepsi-Cola bottling plant. He wrote, "When I reported in, I was handed a mop, an experience that black workers had for generations. I took the mop. If that was what I had to do to earn $65 a week (this was in the 1950s), I'd do it. I'd mop the place until it glowed in the dark. Whatever skill the job required, I soon mastered it. "It could be godawful work, as it was the day fifty cases of Pepsi bottles came crashing down from a forklift and flooded the floor with sticky soda pop.

"At the end of the summer, the foreman said, "Kid, you mop pretty good." "You gave me plenty of opportunity to learn," I told him. "Come back next summer, he said, "I'll have a job for you." Not behind a mop, I said. I wanted to work on the bottling machine. "And the next year, that is where he put me. By the end of the summer, I was deputy shift leader and had learned a valuable lesson: All work is honorable. Always do your best, because someone is watching." So, remember — all work is honorable. It is our effort, our attitude, and our values that make it so — not the title on our business card or the number of people reporting to us.

We need to make the most of our effort — because all work is honorable. We need to make the most of all our relationships — because wisdom knows no rank. And we need to make the most of our time — so our hours are precious, not anxious.

A Booz Allen employee headed out of the office in his gym clothes — and his t-shirt proclaimed in big block letters, "No excuses. No regrets." Of course, the t-shirt was talking about fitness — it pictured a huge dumb-bell. But, it occurred to me that this sports proverb was, in fact, a powerful guidepost for success in life. "No excuses. No regrets" aptly summarizes the feelings of the senior executives and young professionals I heard from. Distilling the common themes, I believe the key to having "no excuses and no regrets" is — making the most of our effort, our relationships, and our time.

Let me talk about these in more detail — in the form of three principles:

1. All Work is honorable.

2. Wisdom knows no rank.

3. Time should be precious, but not anxious.

"Wisdom knows no rank." - One final piece of advice on choosing and doing honorable work — is from a senior partner Paul Anderson who just celebrated his 40th anniversary with the firm. Paul relayed this advice given him by a b-school professor: In any organization, you will find things that trouble you. Even the best companies are far from perfect. There are four responses you can have to this — three of them are acceptable and one is not. "One — you can decide to overlook the 'bad things' and focus on the positive. Two — you can try to change things for the better. Three — you can decide that the shortcomings really bother you and leave. All three of these options are valid. The fourth one is not — and that is to dwell on and complain about the things that trouble you, yet fail to move on or take positive action."

The second major theme that emerged from the e-mails and interviews, is this: "Wisdom knows no rank." It's fascinating to listen to the most learned, most confident person in the room. And, in the world's top business schools, as in the profession of management consulting, we are blessed with the company of incredibly smart, hard-working people. There are times I sit in a meeting and just get caught up in the intellectual stimulation and energy — listening and enjoying the interplay of ideas and solutions. It can be exhilarating. And, we are very lucky to have this kind of education and experience. But we can learn just as much — maybe more — from meeker voices — from those not in corner offices.

The best advice I got early in my career was from my office mate, Paul Boehm, at RCA. Paul was quite senior to me in experience and expertise and the more I talked with and learned from him, the more I saw that he was perhaps the smartest person in the whole company. But, instead of occupying a corner office with a large division reporting to him, Paul was sharing a cubicle with me. When I asked him why, Paul explained this was his choice. He gave his all to RCA while at the office, but he got to go home at a reasonable time and he didn't worry about work after he left. Paul spent a lot of time with his family and playing the piano which was his passion.

"Time should be precious, but not anxious."

A profound quote — that I had heard in a very unlikely place — a dumb movie. The movie was "Bruce Almighty." Back in June, my wife Janice and I went to see this movie in which a whiny TV reporter (Bruce, played by Jim Carey) rails at God for his lot in life. God, played by Morgan Freeman, decides to give Bruce all his powers to see if he could wield them better. Needless to say, almighty powers don't make Bruce any happier or more successful. And when he comes to ask why, God replies, "It's not our abilities that define us, it's our choices." So, think about that — "It's not our abilities that define us, it's our choices."

In this case, wisdom came literally from on high. But in our day-to-day lives, wisdom knows no rank.

Time should be precious, but not anxious. The last "umbrella theme" from the advice I gathered, is about time — specifically: Time should be precious, but not anxious. So, what do I mean by that? I mean that we need to cherish the days and hours of our lives and those of our loved ones — but we need not be so anxious and pressed about time that it becomes a worry rather than a gift.

I'd like to share with you some thoughts on this that I wrote in an e-mail to Booz Allen's worldwide staff on September 11, 2002. The subject line was "Moments in Time." And it read, in part:

I wish you great success in your chosen careers. And, I wish for all of you, that in thirty years, you will look back having 'No excuses, No regrets' — and you will look forward to great things still to come.

Selections from the Speech given by Ralph Shrader (Booz Allen Chairman & CEO) at the University of Michigan Business School.

Rafayel's simple principles for success and career growth

2011-06-05T09:13:00.000-07:00

I always highlight one thing – that knowing the answer makes a person a great subordinate; the ones who ask the right questions will make great bosses. My question is: Do you ask the right questions?

Topping a class is a sign of trouble for me. The mediocre academic descent of many a great successful man only goes to tell me that all of them asked the right questions, which is what matters the most in life. If you don't ask the right questions, you will never find peace within yourself.

Be inquisitive and curious. Ask and know! The University of Life serves its cards in a very diverse manner and form.

Instead of self-destructive obsession in proving one’s self-importance through shortcuts, one should immerse in the quest of true knowledge. You can’t make progress until you know your weaknesses well. You build your vitality by protecting your Achilles' heel.

Not just curiosity, but imagination and dreaming with it are very important. “Everything you can imagine is real.” The first issue is to confront your own demons. Ask yourself plain and clear, why are you stuck here if you really don't want to be here? Have you invested enough in life and are you bold enough to stand for what you believe in and whether you have the courage of failure? That all you stood for so far may have been misplaced and wrong? Most of us are unable to answer these dilemmas.

“Should I go after my dreams?” And the answer is, “Can you live with the consequences if you fail?” If you can live with the consequences if you fail, then you should go after your dreams, if you are unwilling to deal with the consequences of failure, then cease your pursuit. We often get side-tracked, derailed, or “depressed” on the road to success. Instead of pushing through we give up.

“Every act of creation is first an act of destruction.”

Sometimes things get worse, before they get better. Even after you climb one mountain, you have to venture into a deeper valley to climb the next mountain. Life happens in cycles; sometimes you have to tear down before you can build up.

Our task is to surround ourselves with optimistic people and ignore those who bring negativity and pessimism. Taking the ‘evilest’ out of us is the ugliest of tasks. Say what you mean and do what you mean; don't say “yes” you when you mean “no,” and don't say “no” when you don't mean it either.

We are confronted with a ‘glass ceiling.’ A ceiling or a wall exists to limit us and keep us out; these walls of hindrance and failure should come down! The only way to bring these walls of underperformance is to address our own demons.

You have to think bigger and clearer. If you don’t, the glass ceiling will remain, and you will remain exactly where you are right now. You expand your mind by constantly associating with people who think in a different way; if someone is not challenging you, something is seriously wrong. It is from your worst critics you learn your best. You are a product of who you associate with. You should be known by the company you keep and the best company you can keep is with ‘knowledge’ and impart it well. Don't selfishly accumulate knowledge; it only is effective when dispersed.

Talk “big” to yourself. “I am always doing that in which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” - Picasso

Succeeding at any given task is at least “twice as hard” as you think. Associate it with Picasso's “Action is the foundational key to all success.”

The reason many people don’t succeed is because they underestimate the amount of work requisite for success. Those who play with timing and allocate rotas to their work ethics will only end up as subordinates. Those who learn everything all around and are seekers of knowledge will break the barriers of ignorance and become stalwarts.

Success usually requires at least twice as much work as you think. Oftentimes it requires three, four or even five times the amount of work. The price of success in high. Maya Angelou said: “If the grass looks greener on the other side, you can bet the water bill is higher.”

The formula for personal and professional success

99 percent of your results will depend only on 1 percent of your tasks. So quit wasting your time on unproductive activities, like idle chatter - idling should be constructive.
Focus your life on the activities that produce the greatest rewards of human endeavours. Focus on your priorities by sharing knowledge and experience; optimism and positive outlook will help you grow.
Get the best out of your team by giving the best to the people around, become an icon of change.
Let people look forward to you for change that you can bring by your talks and ideas; be an “idea” man. Most people only accomplish a fraction of what they could accomplish because they spend majority of their time working on meaningless tasks.
No two days should be the same. If you want to have a successful day, you must plan your day. Planned days are productive days! Think what you achieved out of the whole day, anything optimistic will add to your armoury of experience; all unconstructiveness will destroy your career.
You must fight for want you want! Don’t get “depressed” when things get hard. Remember, it’s darkest just before dawn. Tough times will come on the “road to success,” …but you have to keep on moving!

Why is employee turnover so high in the Hotel industry when each candidate is interviewed thoroughly by multiple panelists?

2011-06-02T04:44:00.000-07:00

The era of diplomatic, sugar-coated answers in an interview to impress potential employers has just gone. We need to define new avenues of recruitment in this interconnected world of service industry.

Employee retention is a sum total of the ‘Management approach’ to work and the ability of senior management to translate into easy words ‘the dawn of a new era of service’ to a mass of very young people who think saying ‘hello’ is some kind of curtsy.

‘Mindset change’ is the first hurdle that every senior manager faces and that is the first hurdle that a prospective employee needs to pass with flying colors too.

Menu for the perfect candidate

The moment of truth is that the industry has to redefine its recruitment biases. The old ‘model questions’ need to be chucked in the dustbin and prospective employees should be tested at the altar of:

1. Personality

2. Articulation

3. Openness

4. Versatility

5. Adaptability to change

6. Academic interest to grow

7. Team player

The above seems to be the menu/requirement for a big man, but these qualities are widely available in the larger catchment of the talent pool. The industry has to recruit from outside the limited ‘profile’ raised by hospitality schools; a lot of people out there with plenty of ambition can be attracted to the industry if we create the right environment and sell them the big picture.

Hospitality industry will have to move forward and accept that the training grounds for skill are not the schools alone but their own organizations. Great hotels have produced great managers who started as bellboys.

The ideal symphony
‘Exponential high curve of learning’ is what employees should be trained in by the ‘high and mighty sitting in the offices.’ Employers should recognize that an employee must understand his role as an integral part of the orchestra with the General Manager as the conductor. A GM who is not out and about and not part of the daily chores but locks himself up in his posh office is partly responsible for a high turnover. The whole idea of perks and more perks for the GM is sickening. It is his role as a conductor to reach out to all and sundry to share his vast experience, teach the nuances of the fine trade to everyone in what is a very difficulty industry to survive.

Hero worship is out. And those with a dynamic profile, which most are gifted with, reaching out should be given the top chance, even if we have to train them for bigger challenges. No single hand is ever responsible for the big trading numbers; it is all about the team work. You need to search for a conductor who can compose his ‘music’ well in the song of global connectivity and changing requirements of new global service/travel industry. Anyone unable to give credit to the team is not a good team player.

Socially responsible ethics at Rafayel
Yes ‘Hospitality’ is often a stepping stone and there will always be a high turnover, but it is all about training employees in different departments and setting them a schedule to learn the whole set of skills in the next few years that they will hang around. The first thing any youth is interested in is his career and future – give him hope and arm him with knowledge, bring education and training in the forefront of your whole management and corporate style. That is the ethic we work at Rafayel.

Hotel industry – no room for loners or introverts

Hospitality is about service and about exceeding expectations. One should be a ‘peoples’ person to be successful in this industry; if one is a loner and doesn’t have much desire for interaction any number of degrees or diplomas will not help. One should love meeting people and enjoy learning new skills and styles every day; service and hospitality is an ever-changing chameleon. Either you are born a successful hotelier or not fit for the job.

Hospitality schools teach management skills, one thing they should now teach is the ever-changing panorama to master the craft of serving with distinction in a connected global village. Dealing with global set of citizenry who are interested to pen reviews about ‘one employee’ actions that can destroy even the best of properties is the new challenge.

The art of connection
The disconnect between employers and employees’ reality and expectations in a much regimented industry is growing huge day by day. Living in the mighty bygone days of majestic hotel standards without realising that the world around has changed is a self-serving and destructive approach.

The new rules of the game

It is absolutely required to address every customer complaint. The hurdle of satisfaction and survival rate of good properties will just move a tag higher; far more concentration is required by the employers and employees. The industry will need new kind of MBAs with great emphasis on skill training, interpersonal skills, reaching out, technical and software awareness.

Some effective suggestions would be:

1. Continuous Communication between employer and employee is most important.

2. Teaching them new skills should be the goal.

3. Keep an eye on over-ambitious internal power strugglers.

4. Teach them the whole hospitality not a part of it.

5. Recruiting the "hospitality mindset" is more important than any number of degrees. Technicalities can be taught, but being a "hospitable mind" cannot.

6. Any employer who cannot empower people to take decisions when they are required will fail to keep employees. Costumer complaints needs big decisions to be taken at the spur of a moment, an employer who does not empower its front office staff to write-offs when they deem it necessary will make them feel miserable.

7. Time to listen and learn about philosophy of service industry - do you really want to work for satisfaction of others or just fill in hours?

8. Customer service should be your pride and a career path you choose with sincerity. Those who think it as ‘servants work’ and below them will hurt the industry and themselves.