The Most Famous Hoteliers of All Time. Volume 1 / Robert Woliński

The hotel industry has a rich history and a future yet to be discovered. Centuries-old, it evolved over the years, adopting the traditional concept of a “home away from home” to the needs of modern life. This history was written by hoteliers of different nationalities, not only by Americans and the Swiss. The Most Famous Hoteliers Of All Time is a series of books dedicated to prominent figures in the lodging industry from different countries and eras who contributed to the growth of this profession and of the entire hospitality industry.

The two volumes comprising thirty-six chapters unravel incredible stories of forty-one hoteliers: builders, constructors, developers, hotel owners and managers, chefs and maîtres d'hotel, creators of new concepts, hotel brands and entire hotel chains. The series provides information about the origins of hospitality companies and hotel chains, such as Ritz, Hilton, Marriott, Radisson, Holiday Inn, Oberoi, Sheraton, Accor, Four Seasons, Days Inn, Residence Inn, Howard Johnson’s, Hyatt, Best Western, Trust Houses Forte, and many more.

Much space has been given to the true pioneers of the trade who have long been forgotten, yet undoubtedly improved the professional status of hoteliers and enhanced the prestige of the industry. The Most Famous Hoteliers Of All Time is a tribute to the legends of the hotel trade worldwide who went down in history. For this reason, this unique compendium of knowledge is addressed to all hoteliers across the globe who wish to explore the origins of their profession and investigate the standards implemented in the industry over the years.

1. Johannes Baur. The pioneer of professional hotelkeeping
2. Henry Flagler. The builder of hotels in Florida
3. Franz Josef Bucher. A hotelier and the lord of the mountains
4. César Ritz. The king of hoteliers and the hotelier of kings
5. Auguste Escoffier. The emperor of chefs
6. George Boldt. The genius of hotel management
7. The Sarkies Brothers. The hoteliers-colonizers of Asia
8. George Nungovich. The Napoleon of the Egyptian hotel industry
9. Anna Sacher. The queen of the Austrian hospitality industry
10. Conrad Hilton. The pioneer of globalization in the hotel industry
11. Merile Key Guertin. Mr. Motel, or the icon of the Best Western brand
12. Howard Johnson. The Host of the Highways
13. Mohan Singh Oberoi. India’s first hotelier
14. John Willard Marriott. The leader in the American hospitality industry
15. Kemmons Wilson. One of a thousand who influenced the 20th century
16. Jay Pritzker. The initiator of atrium hotels and the Hyatt chain
17. Paul Dubrule and Gérard Pélisson. The architects of European chain hotels
18. Ian Schrager. The guru of boutique hotels