In 2019, Mario Flanagan took on the role of general manager at Andaz London Liverpool Street, bringing with him 22 years of experience in the industry. Since then, he has played an indispensable role in the hotel’s journey throughout the pandemic, as it continues to redefine five-star luxury in the capital.
We sat down with Mario to find out more about the hotel’s incredible dining options, the striking interiors and why Andaz London is such a good place to work.
Tell us your story. What is your background and how did you get to where you are now at Andaz London?
My hospitality journey started in the world of five-star luxury as a porter in the South African wine region. In 1997, I began work at the flagship The Table Bay Hotel, as part of the Leading Hotels of the World opening team, growing into the role of valet supervisor.
From this, I took on roles from junior concierge, where I chauffeured celebrities like Kate Moss and Michael Jackson, and then acquired the position of assistant concierge manager. The succession led me to become South Africa’s youngest head concierge at the age of 21, and then, not long after, the youngest concierge in the Leading Hotels of the World group.
After joining a leadership program, the next stepping stone was progressing into the room division specialist at The Table Bay Hotel in 2003. This was an invaluable experience for me as I worked in all areas within the rooms division, from the line duties up to, and including, the management of each department.
Later, I joined Hyatt Regency in Johannesburg as the director of rooms, and in 2008 I was promoted to executive assistant manager. Not long after this, however, I made the big decision to move to the UK and explore the world of opportunities that its hotel industry had to offer.
After holding the position of the hotel manager in Hyatt Regency London, The Churchill, I made my way to Birmingham in 2013 to become general manager.
In 2014, I piloted a £6 million hotel refurbishment, which eventually led Hyatt to win BID’s ‘Best Hotel in Birmingham’ for 2015. This was in addition to the hotel’s famous Gentleman and Scholar Pub’s success, winning ‘Best Bar’ in the Conference and Hospitality Show (Leeds, 2015) as well as ‘Best Classical Bedroom’ in 2016. I had the pleasure of winning ‘Manager of the Year’ at the Westside Business Improvement District annual dinner for 2016, and was also included in 2016’s ‘Power 250’ by Birmingham Post – a guide to the region’s most influential people.
In 2019, my journey brought me to Andaz London Liverpool Street. After the challenging years of the pandemic, some of my proudest achievements involve pre-pandemic records being broken at the hotel. I’m very excited and passionate about the many incredible projects we have in store at Andaz London, as well as the astounding growth of the hospitality and travel industry.
Andaz London is a luxury lifestyle hotel that effortlessly blends the vibrant culture of East London with the bustling City of London. Would you agree with this description? Tell us more?
Andaz London Liverpool Street can be found between the beating hearts of both the City of London and East London’s cultural hotspots, making it the ideal destination for a diverse range of experiences in the capital: corporate and leisure.
With this in mind, Andaz London weaves the rich history of its unique building into a dynamic guest journey, reflecting the attitude of the surrounding area and today’s modern aesthetic, while also holding onto those key historic design elements of the original hotel. Andaz London acts as the meeting point between the two unique locations and London personalities, introducing the traditional city to the ever-evolving, vibrant and artistic vibe of East London. This really is what makes the hotel a destination for everyone.
Following the pandemic, we’ve all realised just how much we’ve missed having the opportunity to experience something new. How does Andaz London fit into the post-Covid era mindset of going out of your comfort zone and trying something different?
At Andaz London, we have hugely embraced this post-Covid era, having gained so much from our journey through the pandemic. Hospitality suffered the most and we value this incredible industry so much, along with the passion of those within the industry. I think what we learned the most is to value and care for our people. At Hyatt: “We care for people so they can be their best”.
For guests, Andaz London offers a touch of modern lifestyle to five-star luxury. We understand that the trends, as well as guest needs, have changed and we are here to oblige. Those who are used to typical luxury hotels in the capital may be a little surprised by our approach. Both in attitude and interior design, the hotel blurs the lines of traditional hotel spaces in order to open barriers between staff and guests, and allow discovery.
Our ethos is all about inspiring guests to think differently and explore a different perspective, such as in the locations surrounding us. One example is that we don’t require our staff to wear uniforms. Much like our guests, we encourage them to express their own unique, personal style.
Everyone loves a trip to Central London, but that trip usually involves shopping on Oxford Street and a theatre visit in the West End. Why should travellers expand their horizons and come to Liverpool Street?
Central London is not far out of the way – we’re still within the City of London!
And, in addition to the existing transport lines next door, the new and wonderful Elizabeth line at Liverpool Street Station makes us more accessible than ever. While yes, Oxford Street and Covent Garden can be the ideal spots for shopping, many of the retailers in the West End can be found anywhere, everywhere and online. Take a trip to Spitalfields Market or Brick Lane and you’ll find unique, original sellers you can’t find anywhere else. As you move further into East London, there is no denying the community feeling that you cannot experience in Leicester Square or Soho.
Andaz London is one of hundreds of luxury hotels around the capital. How does it differ from every other luxury hotel and how does this impact customer experience?
Andaz London is the first five-star hotel in the City of London: It redefines luxury with lifestyle.
The hotel brings a richness in history, as well as luxury: Andaz London was originally known as The Great Eastern Hotel, erected in 1884, and has remained a key railway hotel with close access to Liverpool Street Station.
As mentioned, our approach to luxury is a unique concept created with all aspects of life in mind. Our diverse range of five dining outlets offers something for everyone to choose from, so there’s never the feeling of being stuck with the same food for days on end. You wouldn’t eat the same cuisine every day at home and Andaz London aims to recreate these home freedoms.
Life doesn’t stop at dinner – so, we have all kinds of spaces for work and play. The hotel has an astounding 14 different event spaces, designed for weddings, birthday soirees, conferences, meetings, engagement dinners, you name it! These are all embedded with the same luxurious and creative designs that define the hotel.
Our focus is on the experience of guests. We get to know them, and ensure to accommodate them in a way that makes sense to their lifestyle. While all our experiences are luxurious, daily life must also go on, and we emphasise that in our services.
Most London hotels are lucky to have just one restaurant, but Andaz London has five! Can you tell us a little more about them and how they each provide a distinctly different dining experience for guests?
Having five restaurants and bars is just one aspect of Andaz London that demonstrates our commitment to personalising each and every guest journey. Not everyone has the same preferences – so why would we offer just one restaurant?
With our five distinctly different and unique dining experiences, we cater to every one of our guests’ tastes, whether they’re in the mood for Japanese one night or British pub classics the next.
Rake’s Café Bar offers our guests an escape from the hustle and bustle of the outside world. It’s a place from which to work or play accompanied by an artisan coffee or a signature cocktail. As a café by day and bar by night, Rake’s offers a wide range of food and drink options, including breakfast, brunch and all-day dining. Every Saturday, guests can also enjoy the café bar’s bottomless brunch concept, Scandal at Rake’s Brunch.
Ideal for intimate meals between couples or corporate meetings, Eastway Brasserie is a relaxed London dining experience with high-quality British classics and buzzing views of Liverpool Street. The menu reflects the restaurant’s interest in quality market produce and the chef’s passion for delivering variety.
Miyako is an intimate and authentic Japanese restaurant, offering diners a traditional menu of sushi, sashimi and teriyaki, alongside a range of sake and Japanese beers. The head chef has been with us since the opening.
Lady Abercorn’s Pub and Kitchen is Andaz London’s take on a traditional British pub – we can’t do without! Need not say anymore.
And last but not the least, 1901 Wine Lounge offers wine tastings and afternoon tea, along with a selection of sweet and savoury delicacies honouring the East End’s history and flavours.
The hotel’s interiors are incredibly striking, some of them even being designed by local East London artists. How did an idea like this come about – for the East London creative community to be so closely incorporated in the hotel?
It’s all about being in touch with our local community, something that so many luxury hotels in the capital do not have the chance to connect with.
We have some incredible art in our lobby designed by local artists, like Sophie Mo, who also created illustrations for our guest rooms. There are even subtle nods in our design, like the use of the tattoo art on the tan-leather bed headboards, which represents the silk weavers that used to dominate Shoreditch’s textile industry. Her work reflects the hotel’s history and location, because we believe this is key to the identity of Andaz London.
Guests can also spot photography of the area within the hotel by Martin Usborne, and experience The Andaz Design Suite, which is the work of British designer Sir Terence Conran, with interiors inspired by East London.
Nothing better defines Andaz London than the word ‘local’.
Andaz London has received a number of awards for being one of the world’s best workplaces for its employees. What makes the hotel such an exceptional place to work?
It all comes from a place of not only allowing, but embracing self-expression. We don’t believe in trying to fit our staff and guests into one box. Our staff certainly do not follow a script when speaking to guests and the clothes they wear mirror the person that they are inside and outside of work.
‘Andaz’ actually translates to ‘personal style’ and this is noticeable in our design, but also in the way we treat our staff and guests. We want them to come here and continue to march to the beat of their own drum. We celebrate individuality and uniqueness, and have designed a space that is both luxurious and accommodating of our guests’ true selves. This is the message behind our #BeWhoYouAre campaign, which launches on September 26.
Above all, we take diversity, equity and inclusion very seriously at Andaz London, and at Hyatt overall. We care for our employees with no exceptions, so they can be the best version of themselves everyday; we’re committed to ensuring that this is reflected across everything we do, from actions and behaviours to policies, procedures, workplace environment and culture. This is emphasised in the Hyatt World of Care, our global approach to advancing care for our people.
Hyatt takes action to do better and be better in this realm through its Change Starts Here Grant Programme, which supports Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE and I) efforts to address the legacy of institutional racism, systemic injustice, racial inequality, and police brutality against the black community in the United States.
The hotel recently partnered with Moët and Chandon to celebrate Afternoon Tea Week. Tell us more about this and how Andaz London’s afternoon tea stands out amongst others in the capital.
We recently partnered with Moët and Chandon to put together our best afternoon tea yet, hosted at the 1901 Wine Lounge. Originally, this was created to celebrate Afternoon Tea Week in August, but now we’re taking this extra special experience into the autumn period.
We’ve got an extensive selection of premium Jing teas on offer, as well as incredible savoury and sweet delicacies, like gravlax salmon, cream cheese, avocado and dill cress, and raspberry and rose mousse, along with the classic addition of scones with jam and clotted cream, all made by our brand-new pastry chef.
Afternoon tea is often associated with the royals, and we wanted that high-profile, top-tier quality to run throughout Andaz London’s experience. It is not only luxurious to the taste but also in sight and touch, as guests are surrounded by elegant interiors as they eat and comfort at its finest.
We hear there is something a little scandalous over at Rake’s Café Bar every Saturday. Tell us more about this and how you would define ‘scandal’ in the eyes of a Rake?
Scandal at Rake’s Brunch is the brand new brunch concept recently launched at Rake’s Café Bar and it is all about pure indulgence.
Based on the Victorian term, Rake’s Café Bar plays on the concept of a contemporary ‘Rake’. While in the 18th Century, the term ‘Rake’ referred to a man who had a love for high risks and no morals, Rake’s Café Bar is all about the modern-day Rake and being brave enough to have your own take on life.
A contemporary ‘Rake’ believes in working hard and playing hard and is out for bigger rewards than mere pleasure. Dropping the routine and making indulgence the priority for the day is an appetising scandalous thought and that’s what Rake’s Café Bar’s new brunch is here for.
Everyone knows the feeling of getting too caught up in productivity, and the Scandal Brunch encourages guests to let their hair down, get a bit messy and allow the lines to blur a little in pure scandalous indulgence.
Scandal brings guests a brand new menu of brunch dishes and bottomless drinks, never before seen at Rake’s. Each dish and drink offers something a little different, with surprising, unexpected elements throughout, reflecting the confident, daring personality of a Rake.
What is the latter half of 2022 looking like for Andaz London? What can we expect from the hotel as we approach the New Year?
The upcoming autumn/winter period is set to be very exciting and, of course, busy, at Andaz London.
Scandal at Rake’s Brunch will continue throughout this last quarter, offering the perfect party and drinks destination. The entertainment for the brunch is only getting more vibrant and immersive and will be sure to mark various festive occasions as we reach the new year.
As mentioned, our #BeWhoYouAre social media campaign commences this month, which will bring an exciting launch party in October. From September to December, we are working with local brands and influencers to highlight the hotel as a space for self-expression without barriers. With the help of local fashion designers, we are showcasing the stories of staff, guests and influencers, and their journeys to being who they truly are.
While honing in on our existing values, #BeWhoYouAre is a unique campaign that has never been done at Andaz London, and we are proud to put our staff members in the spotlight in a way no other hotel has before.
We will also be relaunching our elegant 1901 Wine Lounge soon, which will see a fully-refreshed, exciting new menu and wine selection.
Factbox
Address: 40 Liverpool St, London, UK, EC2M 7QN
Phone: +44 207 961 1234
Website: hyatt.com
Photography courtesy of Andaz London Liverpool Street
