The seasoned hotelier and native Austrian, Oliver Kreuzer, is ready to lead the ‘best address’ in Jakarta.
After joining the prestigious The St. Regis Jakarta as its General Manager in August last year, Oliver Kreuzer has now set his sights on the hotel’s glorious future. Indonesia Expat had an inspiring sit-down with him as the latter shared, among many things, which past experience that greatly shaped him as who he is now as both a hotelier and a leader, why the ability to listen is the ultimate requirement for being an exemplary General Manager, and why it is possible to shake things up and maintain consistency at the same time.
Hi Oliver! Let’s get started by introducing yourself a bit. What can you tell us about yourself?
I am the current General Manager (GM) of The St. Regis Jakarta. I was born and raised in Vienna, Austria. I pursued a career in the hospitality business, where I received a diploma in cooking and service, which means I’m actually a trained chef as well as a trained service personnel. I started my career in Germany, then I progressed to London, Oman, Germany again, the United States, and so on.
I spent eight years working at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group where I had the experience overseeing food and beverage (F&B) management as well as hotel management. In addition, during the COVID-19 pandemic, I founded a food-packaging company in Vienna which was sold three years later. In my spare time, I enjoy yoga and watching football. I am a passionate supporter of Bayern Munich FC.
I understand that you have amassed approximately three decades of incredible professional experience in the hospitality industry—spanning across America, Europe, and Asia. If you must choose, which singular experience or accomplishment that you gained in the past significantly shaped who you are now as a hotelier?
When I served as the Hotel Manager of Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo, from the year 2014 until the year 2016. How the hotel paid such detailed attention in order to achieve excellence was inspiring. The hotel’s then-GM taught me how to think of what the guests may need but from the perspective of the guests themselves, and that’s why, I think, that experience really shaped me in a way nobody has shaped me before. It was tough work, but I very much cherish it.
I’ve also gathered that you spent a great deal of your early career years working and specialising in the F&B sector. In your own words (and based on what you have personally seen thus far), why is it that F&B-related services continue to be such an indispensable aspect of any hotel’s operations?
Well, I believe that when it comes to hotel operations. F&B is the soul of a hotel. It’s the element that encourages guests to come to the hotel and meet up, create memories, and have shared and precious experiences —which is something that you cannot enjoy if you’re only couped up in a bedroom suite, correct? Furthermore, after delving into this profession for quite a while, I think it is truly important to provide good F&B services, especially in the luxury business and especially in the times in which we are now. I think, nowadays, hotels have evolved and become a holiday destination. And if you have good F&B, great chefs, and good restaurant concepts, it helps elevate the hotel experience as well.
You have been the GM of The St. Regis Jakarta since August 2024. Is it true that this is also your first time working in Indonesia?
Yes, this is my first time working in Indonesia. Having said that, professionally, I have spent 17 years in Asia, which has given me confidence in navigating Asian culture. I’ve worked in different countries in Asia, such as Singapore, the Philippines, Japan, and China. Specifically for Jakarta, Indonesia, I have seen how special The St. Regis Jakarta truly is. Furthermore, the Jakartans are such friendly and hospitable people. It is the sort of affability that you don’t necessarily encounter in Europe or the United States. Also, Jakarta has been experiencing interesting growth, especially when it comes to the city’s hotel, restaurant, and bar scenes. It is a very exciting and good place to be.
In your own words, what makes The St. Regis brand one of the best in the global hospitality industry?
Firstly, The St. Regis continues to stand out thanks to its concept and size. The St. Regis hotels are regarded for exuding a ‘boutique’ feel infused with a touch of luxury. Secondly, its history. The first-ever St. Regis hotel opened in New York back in the year 1904, and the brand has accumulated a lot of history, knowledge, and traditions since then. Furthermore, in the present, The St. Regis brand has continued to expand its presence in various parts of the world, including Asia. It is a beautiful brand, and things are only getting better from here on out. I envision a glorious future for The St. Regis brand.
Now that you are the GM of The St. Regis Jakarta, how would you describe your leadership style?
First of all, as a GM, one should have a vision for the hotel. Without a vision, nothing is possible. You also have to be able to inspire your team, as well as your guests, through that vision. And then, of course, you have to let your team do the best job possible, am I right? And if you’re a leader, you have to develop, encourage, and empower your team. In my case, considering most of my team members happen to be native Jakartans, I must be able to listen to them because they know more about the happenings in the city.
Only by listening, listening, and listening can you finally make a sound decision. But of course, being part of the internationally renown The St. Regis brand, we have high standards to meet. In order to do that, it requires a tremendous amount of passion as well as a right push. Last but not least, as a leader, I believe that being humble is also the key to success.
As of now, can you finally predict what the holiday and travel trends will be like for the year 2025?
That is a good question because it’s always interesting to read articles by certain media or publications as they analyse and predict travel-related trends that may be sweeping the modern era. One particular trend that I find fascinating is how travellers are currently into the so-called ‘new heydays’, meaning that they have started preferring to spend their holidays by visiting hotels and/or places that they have visited before because they wish to reconnect with their past—especially considering how people could create such enduring memories in a hotel where they once stayed perhaps a few years back.
Another trend that I find fascinating is the so-called ‘destination hotels’, meaning that modern travellers have started looking at hotels as holiday destinations as opposed to a place simply for rest and relaxation. This means that hotels should be able to provide the full package—not only rooms but also, for instance, spas, wellness facilities, good restaurants, and banquet spaces. Hotels in Asia, particularly, might experience this trend even more due to how, nowadays, Westerners are typically more inclined to travel further from their home countries.
Let’s talk a little bit about the restaurants here at The St. Regis Jakarta. In a bigger picture, what is going to be your vision for these restaurants? Are you going to continue shaking things up or your current priority is maintaining consistency instead?
I believe both things are possible—you can shake things up while maintaining consistent quality as well. Constancy is out of the question. As a hotel, we must be able to deliver new things to our guests.
For example, at one of our restaurants, Bel Étage, we spice up the market by bringing in guest chefs from different parts of Indonesia as they might be able to introduce the cuisines that even the locals might have never tasted before. Another example is our deli, Rosé Gourmand Deli, for which we are currently looking for some potential pastry-focused collaborations in the future.
The other day I checked the Instagram page of The St. Regis Jakarta, and you guys now have a slightly modified tagline: “Jakarta’s Best Address Showcasing Theatre of Memories.” Can you explain a little bit the meaning behind it?
“Best Address” means that The St. Regis Jakarta aims to be the place where anyone in Jakarta can seek first-rate F&B, hospitality, and wellness services. “Theatre of Memories”, meanwhile, is our tribute to the artists and architects who have helped design as well as inspired the spirit of The St. Regis Jakarta. We are not just a hotel—we are also an abode of arts, design, and culture.
The St. Regis Jakarta
- Instagram: @stregisjakarta
- Website: stregisjakarta.co.id