FROM WAITER TO HONORARY DOCTOR
“The 101 Best” have honoured Horst H. Schulze
at the Hotel Das Achental with the “101 Icon Hotelier of the World – Lifetime Achievement Award”
for his life’s work
Horst H. Schulze, die 101 besten Hotels, carsten k. rath, tn hotel media consulting, tomas niederberghaus, tn hotels, 101, pr, hotel pr
Hamburg, 30 September 2024 – He started out as a waiter in Bad Neuenahr. He worked in some of Europe’s finest hotels, including the Savoy in London, the Plaza Athénée in Paris and the Beau Rivage in Lausanne, before his career really took off in the USA: After roles at Hilton Hotels and the Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Horst H. Schulze led the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company as President and COO to the top of the global luxury hotel industry. The operational and service standards he developed were legendary. With his philosophy, ‘We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen’, he was far ahead of his time and established as early as the 1980s what would only become established in the hotel industry more than 20 years later: staff are the key to true service excellence. He was the only entrepreneur in the world to have won the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award twice during his time at the Ritz-Carlton; the award was presented to him in the Oval Office by President Bill Clinton. After selling his shares in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company to Marriott, Horst H. Schulze decided to give it another go and founded the ultra-luxury hotel company Capella, which has become a leader in quality and now comprises ten hotels, resorts and residences.
“The 101 Best” will present the world-renowned hotelier with the “101 Icon Hotelier of the World – Lifetime Achievement” award on 24 November 2024 at their 101 Soirée at the Hotel Das Achental. “It is a great honour for us to honour Horst H. Schulze for his life’s work,” says Carsten K. Rath, founder of “The 101 Best Hotels”, who worked alongside the world-class hotelier himself for several years in the USA. Carsten K. Rath adds: ‘He practically invented service excellence and established it across all areas of his hotels on every continent. To this day, Horst continues to inspire the entire industry. He is, if you like, the successor to César Ritz, and that is why, to me, Horst is the king of all hoteliers and the hotelier to the kings.’ Johnson & Wales University awarded Horst H. Schulze an honorary doctorate in Business Administration with a specialisation in Hospitality Management. And Auburn University changed its name in 2022: the renowned hospitality school is now known as the Horst H. Schulze School of Hospitality Management. The entrepreneur, now 85 years old, is in demand worldwide as a consultant across various business sectors.
“The 101 Best” is the first independent and authoritative ranking in the German-speaking world. For the sixth time, “Germany’s 101 Best Hotels” will be announced in November, this time at the Hotel Das Achental. At this annual event, the most exclusive establishments are honoured across ten different categories. Well over 200 guests attend the 101 Soirée, including the crème de la crème of German-speaking hoteliers, the most prominent hospitality partners and numerous celebrities. Further information at: “The 101 Best”
We are always available to answer any queries and provide photos. We would be happy to arrange an interview with Horst H. Schulze.
