The IHA team with Hermen Nijhuis, Hotel Manager of the Ruby Emma in Amsterdam, a modern, sustainable hotel located in the Amstelkwartier district of Amsterdam and close to the pretty Park Somerlust. The hotel is inspired by the mariners who used the power of nature to navigate the Amstel River, and incorporates a number of green energy features!

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Can you give us a brief intro into your role and your experience in the hotel sector?

After finishing the hospitality management school in Leeuwarden, I began my career in the F&B department, worked my way up from supervisor to manager and ended up in higher management in the hotel industry in Amsterdam (Inntel Hotels, Conscious Hotels, Room Mate Hotels).

At Ruby Emma I’m the Hotel manager and responsible for the day-to-day operations in this beautiful 21-story hotel.

What does a great customer experience look like at Ruby Emma and what makes it unique?

Our unique lean luxury concept makes the experience great, from super easy and fast self check-in to a high quality and healthy breakfast buffet to our cool bar with nice cocktails.

What do you think attracts guests to Ruby Hotels and especially Ruby Emma?

The look & feel of the public areas, the sustainability of the building as well as the accessibility; the convenient location next to the metro, close to the city centre and the music venues in the south.

Can you describe the design concept for Ruby Emma, what is your favourite design feature in the hotel, bar, or restaurant?

Being on the old grounds from the Southern Gas Factory of Amsterdam, our design concept is all about energy, from the sails above the bar to the peddle barstools, everything is designed to show that Emma is the bright sparkle.

How do you source new suppliers to work with for your hotel and restaurant? Are industry events important for you to discover new suppliers?

We want to work with local suppliers and we prefer unique, high-quality products. At breakfast, most of our products are also organic. Of course, we use wholesalers to minimize shipping and in good co-operation, we discuss if we can add more suppliers which fit our concept. Industry events can give a good overview and new inspiration.

What innovative, sustainable, or exciting new products have you implemented into the hotel recently that you would recommend to other hoteliers?

At breakfast, we introduced the JEGG burgers, very sustainable concept and something different than the standard scrambled eggs.

Outside of Ruby Emma is your favourite hotel in Amsterdam or in The Netherlands or Europe?

The new Ruby Zoe in London!

What two things do you think are important to making a hotel stay a truly memorable/ outstanding experience for guests (from your opinion when travelling)? 

Easy check-in, technology-based but always a clean room and a place which feels like home. Where you can choose to lay low or interact with staff when you chose to do so.

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

Invest time at the beginning of your career to get the whole picture, from reservations to rooms and from F&B to sales & marketing.