Checking in at…Residence Inn by Marriott London Kensington
With over two decades of hospitality experience spanning Germany and the UK, Stefan Engelhardt, the General Manager of Residence Inn by Marriott London Kensington brings passion, resilience, and a strong sense of purpose to one of London’s most competitive hotel markets. From his early days as a welcome host to managing a 315-room extended-stay property, he shares his leadership philosophy, the unique strengths of his hotel, and why building personal connections is at the core of long-term guest satisfaction.
What has been your journey to becoming the General Manager of this property? What is your story?
My journey in hospitality began over 23 years ago when I started to work during my A-levels on weekends as a Welcome Host in a Spa Hotel, back home in Germany. I loved entertaining guests and was impressed by the variety of work opportunities. I completed a 3-year apprenticeship, followed by a Hotel Business Economist degree at the Hotel School in Dresden. London was calling for me in 2010, which turned out to be one of the best decisions in my life. After spending 10 years in a 5-star hotel in Central London, I embarked on my first Hotel Manager role right at the beginning of Covid. Followed by a hotel refurbishment and rebranding, I was hungry for the next adventure and started in April 2024 in Kensington, continuing my loyalty with Marriott International and joining the Axiom Hospitality Management Company.
What leadership lessons have you learned from managing a hotel in such a competitive London market?
Our product is unique as all our 315 rooms are equipped with kitchenettes and are basically mini-flats, which attract a lot of extended stay business. I love the concept as it allows our guests to make themselves really at home. As leaders, we have to be on top of what is happening in the market as London can go from zero to 100 overnight and I want to be ahead of the game, to get the most out of it and grow market share. Our industry has changed and allows so much more personality, flexibility and celebrates diversity and inclusivity for many years already. Try to be the best version of yourself each day, inspire your team to follow and be appreciative of the hard work that is done around you. That’s what I believe in.
What sets Residence Inn by Marriott London Kensington apart from other extended-stay hotels in the city?
It’s a mix of product, location and brand. Despite operating on very high occupancy over the past years, our product is well maintained and has been invested into over the years. We are very well located to major transport links that allow guests to get into Piccadilly Circus within 20 minutes or take a train from Paddington to anywhere outside London. It’s a great location for leisure and corporate business. Lastly, being a member of Marriott Bonvoy, allows access to over 200 million members, who love travelling within our over 30brands, earn points and enjoy the rich benefits at the same time. I am a firm believer in loyalty and Marriott Bonvoy supports us to be better than our competition.
What are some of the biggest operational challenges in running an extended-stay property compared to a traditional hotel?
One of the biggest challenges is getting into the rooms to conduct tasks such as preventative maintenance or deep cleaning. It requires good coordination, communication and work relationship between housekeeping, engineering and front office - especially, as we also operate on very high occupancy throughout the year.
Managing costs is critical as tasks, such as the daily stayover cleaning, takes naturally a little longer due to the fully equipped kitchens in each bedroom.
On the flipside, being an extended-stay property allows our teams to really get to know our guests and build strong, meaningful connections. I encourage all my teams to be themselves, allow their personalities to shine and create memorable stays.
How do you ensure high guest satisfaction for long-term guests who may have different needs than short-term visitors?
We listen carefully to any feedback – may it be via social platforms or direct feedback. We continuously challenge ourselves to be better and add more and more benefits to our guest suites, extend and change our breakfast, based on trends, season and guest mix. Because we have such close connections with longer staying guests, we can learn more about their stays which enables us to react whilst guests stay with us.
How do you approach personalization for long-term guests to make them feel at home?
We have the wonderful opportunity that we meet around 90% of all our guests during breakfast, as the breakfast is included in the rate. That’s the most critical time for us as we see and learn their preferences and have opportunities - be proactive, create special moments with kids or celebrate special occasions. Most of my staff are local to the area and they love to share their personal recommendation on what to explore in the area.
What’s next for Residence Inn by Marriott London Kensington?
We look forward to an amazing Easter period, which also starts the high season for us. Summer in London is amazing (and busy) with so many events taking place again this year. Many exciting projects are in the pipeline, which require our teams to get involved – never a dull moment as they say. Success is the best motivator, and our guest satisfaction scores are growing better and better – this motivates the teams and we are all fired up to deliver a great 2025.
What are your favorite restaurants in the area?
Warwick Arms – most amazing Indian kitchen, Cacciaris Italian – all homemade products, great service and simply tasty & Mriya Neo Bistro – a Ukrainian restaurant close to Earls Court, serving fantastic, authentic Easter European cuisine in a great atmosphere.