Like a chef who doesn’t want to go out to dinner on her day off or a lifeguard whose idea of a day at the beach isn’t an actual day at the beach, Hassan Abdel-Moneim, Pala Casino Spa & Resort’s vice president of hotel operations, has some reservations about staying at a hotel.
“I find it difficult to vacation in hotels because you’re always on,” said Abdel-Moneim, 54, who has kept a meticulous eye on the accommodations at Pala’s 507-room hotel since he was hired in 2017.
The London-born executive began in the hospitality business more than 25 years ago when he got his first hotel job — after graduating from the University of Houston with a business degree — as a front desk clerk at the Hilton Houston Westchase.
“It was a lovely, luxurious hotel, and all you had to do was make people feel good,” he said. “I was immediately hooked. It was a natural calling, I guess. I had been a lifeguard, I bartended, but this to me was ideal.”
His career has taken him from Hilton to the Sheraton and Radisson chains and then to casino hotels at a time when the industry, outside of Las Vegas, was just emerging. With Pala undergoing a floor-by-floor hotel renovation and upgrade, Abdel-Moneim and his team have been able to put a discerning stamp on the resort’s hospitality offerings.
Abdel-Moneim is a married father of three, the youngest of whom is 5, and lives in Temecula. We checked in with him recently about what distinguishes a good hotel from a great hotel, where he stays on business and how he made a real Mickey Mouse mistake.
Worldly start: Abdel-Moneim spent his early years in London before moving to east Africa with his family (his father was from Sudan). At 16, he moved to to learn the language and then got a taste of superior lodging during his time living at the medieval St. Donats Castle in Wales. (The historic site was owned for a time by American publishing tycoon William Randolph Hearst, who renovated it so lavishly, it was reportedly described by Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw as “what God would have built if he had had the money.”) Having studied at United World College, Abdel-Moneim came to the U.S. to earn his business degree at the University of Houston. His studies included finance, operations, sales and marketing.
Travel essentials: Hotel guests shouldn’t just expect efficient and friendly service, he said; those are the minimum standards of hospitality. Truly elevated service requires an adroit touch. “You need people who are kind and genuine and proactive. If you can get people to anticipate others’ needs and try to facilitate them, (you’ll) achieve the best results possible.”
Living large: Abdel-Moneim said that Pala’s hotel rooms — at 560 square feet — are larger than the industry standard. Suites range from 800 square feet to 1,100 square feet. But it isn’t only the size that matters: comfort, design and attention to detail are what set your accommodations apart. “They have to be comfortable — from the linens and towels to the product selection, like the toiletries,” he said. “In today’s (high-tech) age, they have to have the technology, the TVs, the connectivity for your phone. But above all that, cleanliness is king. People will forgive many things if there’s a clean product.”
The luxe life: “Luxury is really about the senses,” Abdel-Moneim said. “As you walk in, it’s the visual, it’s the items that you touch. Your bedsheets should have a good hand feel. The towels should be plush. Even the scent of the soap and the shampoo are important. ” A well-designed room shows attention to detail, he said. “Extra large TVs, dimmable lighting to create different moods in the room, very plush seating arrangements, high-end finishes, the correct products — the teas, the coffee, the water — the things you provide in the room should be recognizable and add value.”
A hotel that gets it right: Work takes Abdel-Moneim to Las Vegas often, and when he’s there, he’s a repeat guest at Vdara, which he likes for its large rooms and location. “It’s close to the action but a little removed from it as well, he said. “When you find a place you like, you tend to go back. I’ve visited all the hotels in Las Vegas and that’s my favorite.” He added that the “Bellagio is glorious.”
When he’s checked out from work: Abdel-Moneim enjoys visiting the local vineyards in Temecula as well as spending date night with his wife at restaurants in Old Town Temecula. But as the father of a 5-year-old, he also stays active exploring San Diego’s beaches (one of his favorites is Encinitas’ Moonlight Beach) and Southern California’s many family-friendly attractions. “We’re steadily going through all the theme parks — Legoland, Disney, SeaWorld,” he said.
Speaking of Disney: Abdel-Moneim might have found his calling in hospitality with his first job as a front desk clerk, but at his second hotel, he learned a lesson from a guest who was, shall we say, a character. “We accepted checks from guests then. I was at hotels before we had a computer system,” he recalled. “I took a check from one guest, and the check bounced. I sitting with the comptroller and him showing me the check. Back then your picture was on the check. Well, the picture on the check was of Mickey Mouse,” he said, with a laugh. “They gave me all sorts of grief for that.”