In an exciting collaboration with Patrick Brand of Hoteliers.com, Independent Hotel Show Amsterdam has been on the hunt for unique personal stories and insights into what drives hoteliers to deliver top-level performances every day.  

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On this wintry day, I cycle through the Vondelpark into the inhabited world of Oud-West. Here, in the former Pillows Hotel, Maison ELLE Amsterdam is now located. In the spirit of the magazine, Maison ELLE Amsterdam is developed as a Lifestyle hotel for guests that love fashion and enjoyment. The concept has blown over from Paris and is now set to conquer Amsterdam. I am warmly welcomed by the brand-new hotel manager Femke Rademakers. There is a fashion shoot going on where young girls in glittery outfits go wild with the camera.

Femke has just graduated from the Hotel Management School Maastricht and is newly employed. "I am 26 and started studying a bit later. I worked in the hotel industry and had more ambition, so I started studying again at 22. Through my hotel school network, I got in touch with the owner of the Maison ELLE concept, Black Label Hospitality. The owners also have a Hotel Management School Maastricht background. I have a lot of interest in social media and worked at a casting agency for a while. I have a feel for trends and the feminine and creative side appeals to me in this concept. Working in fashion is a girl's dream, it intrigues me to get a taste of this and to accommodate influencer events by ELLE."

"I think the owners gave me this opportunity because of my honesty. As a solution-oriented practical person, I think it's cool to make a difference with my own input. Our management hires young people who are given opportunities to grow. Skills you can learn, personality you have! I rotate in where needed and have a hands-on mentality, working a shift at reception is no problem. We have a diverse team with various backgrounds from art history to cover model."

"I live in Amsterdam near the skinny bridge with 2 housemates. My boyfriend I met during the first year of the Hotel Management School Maastricht. We set each other free and allow each other the freedom to pursue our own ambition and dreams. We are young and the only responsibility is yourself."

How would you describe your hotel concept to someone new to the brand?

A hotel needs love! The concept fits the building. Love is the homecoming feeling and is about the way you welcome, the right wording to the guest. The static approach, which you often see in the hotel industry, doesn't fit here. It's about striking the right balance between informal and professional, making the space homely with the help of the design team and bringing standard operating procedures to life. Your suitcase is taken as you enter, you get a drink, and the holiday begins! For local tips, we use our personal network, and we work with parties with the same level of service. We will build a SPA in the garden where you can go to the SPA with the ELLE bathrobe, take a yoga class or get a facial.

What does a great customer experience look like at your hotel, and what makes it unique?

We personalize the guest experience by being accessible and engaging in conversation with the guest. Sensing with whom you do this and how far you can go. We store all guest data in customer profiles within our PMS. Everything is noted and we ask for a lot of feedback.

We do a lot with social media, online plays a big role in the Maison ELLE concept and ELLE magazine also has a big online branch. We work with influencers and try to entice guests to become influencers! It's important to stay relevant. Offline for us is also personal contact with guests, which is essential in the concept.

If you are not already doing much with social media don't be afraid to give away a free night. It costs something, but advertising or paying commission also costs money. Clearly agree expectations with the influencer and make a contract. Influencers position themselves as brands and should appeal to the right target group. For example, we do not focus very much on families, in which case I do not want an influencer who promotes children's stuff as a mother. I pay attention to the target group and vibe someone brings. It needs to come across as genuine and authentic. Does it fit the hotel, is it the right target group and are we on the same page in expectations. The number of followers is secondary to the reach and the impact you can make with it.

What do you think are some of the major opportunities and challenges for you this year?

I have just started so that is exciting. I hope to have gathered the right team around me soon to get the concept across well. I want it to be as successful as it was in Paris. Besides a good business result, I want to build a community for women networking, this should become their living room and a place where events take place.

What piece of advice would you give someone looking to start a career in the hotel sector?

I don't know anyone who works in the hospitality industry who doesn't enjoy themselves. Dare to take chances, it doesn't matter to go down on your face and don't be afraid of that. The bar of life is high and if you do it then you do it well! It is important when you get up early that you enjoy going to work. Keep developing yourself, it seems boring to be in a job where you don't learn anything anymore. I work very hard and a lot but also live to enjoy myself. When I'm free, I like to go out for a meal, I got the Burgundy from home. I'm from Limburg! My mother says after a hard day's work, how about a nice glass of wine? My grandmother is my role model and worked in five-star hotels in Switzerland, which was very special in those days. She is very proud of me.

Do you have a Motto?

Never say never. This comes from my father's entrepreneurialism, there is always a solution.

How important is hospitality tech to your business - and are there any investments you've made that you think have been transformative for your hotel?

At the moment, I am less involved in this myself. Black Label Hospitality is investing heavily in this and is working on very interesting things. Technology is becoming increasingly important, even in the room we have a control panel and guests can control things like cleaning, heating and light themselves.

There will be another Signature ELLE Room, which is a copy of the rooms we have in Paris. This will be built in four weeks at the end of March. This will be a beautiful minimalist room which is going to generate the beautiful pictures on Instagram.