Name: Vineet Narayan
Position: Executive Assistant Manager (Rooms)
Hotel: Aloft Perth
Dream destination: I am a travel buff, so having a single dream destination is quite hard. If I had to pick, it would be India for its architectural beauties and amazing biodiversity; Kenya and Zimbabwe for their savannahs filled with amazing big cats; Norway for the Aurora Borealis… the list is endless!
Drink or treat of choice: Growing up in India, we had a humble drink called khus. The essence is derived from a root (called vetiver; and is also used in the perfume industry). It is my go-to drink when I am thirsty or want a quick pick-me up during the hot summer months in Australia. The bottled syrup of this drink is found quite easily in most Indian shops.

If there is one word to describe Vineet, it is ‘achiever’. His 15-year career in hospitality is a colorful mosaic of experiences that have shaped him into the dynamic individual he is today. Vineet started his Marriott Journey in 2022, following a variety of career experiences in hospitality. After just a year as Rooms Division Manager at Aloft Perth, Vineet was nominated for, and won the prestigious Australian Hotels Association’s Front Office Manager Award 2024.

“Never have my efforts been recognized on such a scale in any of the previous companies I have been employed at. Not only was I honored and humbled when I saw my nomination, but I was also thrilled when I won,” Vineet commented as he recalled the moment. “It would not have been possible without the collective support of the ExCom team and my Rooms team.”

Earlier this year, Vineet was promoted to Executive Assistant Manager of Rooms. Reflecting on his Marriott career thus far, he feels that “the journey has been fulfilling and very rewarding”.

→ Learn About the Wide Range of Career Journeys at Marriott

Discover more about Vineet’s fulfilling adventure and what fuels his dedication at work.

Congratulations on winning the 2023 Front Office Leader of the Year Award! Share with us how you felt.

When I won the 2023 Front Office Leader of the Year Award at the Australian Hotel Association, Western Australia Gala Event held in April 2024 – this was one of the proudest moments I have had in my career so far. I was nominated by my Executive Committee and GM for this award.  I gave an interview to a panel of 3 judges who then awarded me this prestigious award among several other nominations. When I went on stage to collect my award among several stalwarts of the Western Australian hospitality industry, it was both a moment of pride and humility for me.

Being in the hospitality industry for 15 years is a long time – when did you begin your Marriott career journey?

I began my hospitality journey in 2004 at Indian Institute of Hotel Management-Bangalore, India. After my graduation, I moved to Sydney, Australia to pursue my Advance Diploma in Patisserie at Le Cordon Bleu in 2007. I have worked in several positions in my career spanning over 15 years starting as a chef in 2009 in a remote resort in Australia. 

I started my Marriott journey on 16th May 2022 as the Rooms Division Manager at Aloft Perth. Recently, got promoted to Executive Assistant Manager (Rooms) at Aloft Perth on 7th March 2024. The journey has been fulfilling and very rewarding on a personal and professional level. I have been able to build a team, saw them succeed by giving several internal promotions, and the team had a very successful 2023 results. Another highlight for me was being nominated to attend the prestigious ELP (Emerging Leaders Program) program as well in 2024. I also won two leadership awards so far: the internal Leader of the Year Award for 2023 at Aloft Perth, and the 2023 Front Office Manager Award at the Australian Hotel Association, Western Australia Gala Event held on 15th April 2024.

I really feel that Marriott as a company walks the talk. One of our main pillars that we stand by “Put People First” is truly present. Marriott has changed my life by restoring the faith in wanting to be loyal to a company as they certainly value their associates.

Share with us what a day in your life as an Executive Assistant Manager of Rooms is like.

I start my day with a coffee in hand and by checking my emails and ensuring that my payroll is complete for the Rooms team. Looking at my VIPs and writing welcome cards is one of the most enjoyable parts of my day. I read my handover logs to ensure that any follow-ups with guests are done in a timely way. We have an Operations Daily Briefing held at 08:30 AM every morning led by our GM. We discuss our Guest Voice scores, any critical and positive comments from our recent GSS (Guest Satisfaction Survey) feedback and areas of improvements. 

Then I move on to doing my property walks. This is another way for me to get my steps in for the day! The property is not large, so it takes me about 30 minutes or so to complete my property walk. Catching up with the Executive Housekeeper and doing a proper walk of the public areas with her occupies the next hour or so. We chalk out plans for deep cleaning during these walks. We also discuss our areas of focus so that we can constantly be on top of our cleanliness scores. 

I enjoy lunch with my Sales team as they are quite fun to be around. Once lunch is done, I return to my office to clear and action emails. Afternoons are usually occupied by a few meetings depending on the day of the week. If there are no meetings, I come up with training plans for the Rooms division team.

With such a wide range of duties, what is one unique thing you love about working at front office?

Guests! Though not unique, Rooms division is all about guests. Without them, our industry does not exist! Our main job in rooms division is to assist with guest queries. Most often we come across guest requests that are quite easy to manage. But on occasion, one will come across something special that a guest wants. If it is within our means to deliver, then we deliver on that.  It might be something as small as buying a special variety of tea that we do not stock. But once we are able to get it specially for a guest who sees that we have gone above and beyond to do this, they feel that heartwarming hospitality from us. The guest leaves feeling amazing because of such a small gesture from us.

If you could change a stereotype or myth about the Front Office team, what would it be?

“Front Office team does not do much” or “they stand around looking pretty”.  These statements are often said about Front Office. However, this is a far cry from what the front office team actually does. Here is a little gist of what we actually do – we plan guest arrivals; allocate rooms as per the preferences of guests (especially the elite members); organize and deliver VIP amenities; attend to phone calls and guests lining at the front desk in front of us; guest complaints (even if they are other department related); operate the desk 24/7; chat with guests on GXP (Guest Experience); make reservations; action emails; enroll non-members; achieve our upselling targets for the month; and the list goes on!

How would you describe your experience as a Marriott associate?

As a Marriott associate, I have experienced a lot of different things that Marriott does to prove that it is a company that stands apart from its competitors.

I love the culture that we have of helping each other out. Being the largest hotel chain in the world, we have a massive leverage over other companies with the best minds in the respective disciplines. So, it feels great to connect with several of these minds to brainstorm should we need any assistance over some new project or need any pointers on improving our current procedures. This culture of networking and on a global scale, is astounding and heartwarming. When I say that I work for a Marriott property to someone I meet outside the hospitality industry, I can immediately see the respect in their eyes, as well as the body language to say that they are impressed. It is this feeling that makes me feel really delighted to be working with Marriott.

As an associate, I am allowed to have creative and critical thinking to make my decisions. I have no inhibitions to work with. This allows me to make decisions without any fear of making mistakes. Because I know that if I make a mistake, my superiors will assist me, (and I get to) learn from it and grow.

What’s an experience that made you feel that you belong to the Marriott community?

I had been to the Marriott International APEC Operations Conference held in Bali in 2023. This was the first post-COVID conference being held and all properties across APEC had sent their Operational leaders. It struck me how huge our outreach is. Despite the enormity of our congregation, I was able to make some amazing connections across Australia, as well as regionally. These connections have been able to assist me with some operational questions that aided with certain audits that I was doing for the first time. Any problem can be resolved when you can reach out to others for assistance. There is always help given to people in Marriott when they ask for it. I feel that this is one of the best feelings of being part of the Marriott community.

What advice would give to incoming Marriott associates?

Marriott has a vast network. It is an amazing company to work in. If you enter the Marriott world, be ready to run a marathon and not a sprint. Because, Marriott has a lot to teach and there are a lot of opportunities to grow. Your imagination limits your growth. So, if you imagine taking your hospitality career to the next level, Marriott is the company that can launch you. In Mr. Raj Menon’s words, “You are your own career’s CEO.” So, own your career, let your leaders know that you are passionate about growth and excellence in your field and learn.

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