GCUC Podcast Recap: Ernest Lee

In an industry where innovation and disruption are the norm, citizenM hotels has carved out a unique niche for itself. With its modern, design-led approach to hospitality, the brand has captured the hearts of travelers worldwide. 

At the center of this success is Ernest Lee, Chief Commercial Officer at citizenM hotels. In this podcast episode, Liz and Ernest jumped into the journey, the insights on the hospitality industry, and secrets behind citizenM’s remarkable growth. 

The start of “revenge travel” that hit in 2022 has transformed back to normalcy this year, with business and large group travel hitting the market again. 

“As you can imagine over the past two years, the recovery in the hotel business has been quite incredible.” Ernest said, referring to the struggle of the industry during COVID-19. 

CitizenM hotels has a unique perspective on the trends, challenges, and opportunities that are shaping the future of hospitality. Much like GCUC, citizenM hotels aims to capture a high level of engagement with their guests without being purely transactional. 

“The biggest advantage we have is that we’re owner operative,” Ernest said. Compare this to most hotel brands who do not own the real estate, and you have a game-changer in the industry. With this, the hotel is maintained to a high standard and there is a more personalized and responsive service for guests.

Ernest highlighted the idea of citizenM hotels adding structure and organization to a feature of their membership, in comes coworking. 

In the world of coworking, citizenM has opened their facilities to the public based on their member feedback. “It’s not exactly coworking in the traditional sense,” Ernest said. “It’s much more in a highly engaged, energetic format that weaves in how you work as well as the lobby-feel you get at a hotel.” 

Instead of looking at it as an exclusive coworking operative, citizenM focuses on the softer impact it has on their overall community, once again making waves in the industry with its innovative approach to hospitality.

“To me, as a hotel operator, that is the key difference we offer in our space,” Ernest said. 

Check out this podcast episode to catch a glimpse of Ernest’s insights into the hotel industry, and how coworking may play a key role in shaping its future.