New general manager at W Algarve shares what’s next for the brand

By: Maria Simiris

Photo: Christian Humbert

With over 20 years of experience in international luxury hotels, W Algarve’s new general manager Christian Humbert shares future plans for the first W hotel in Portugal

W Algarve, in Albufeira, was inaugurated two years ago and, in March, the hotel welcomed its new general manager – the German Christian Humbert. Familiar with the hotel industry since childhood thanks to his grandparents’ small business, he went on to study Hospitality Brand Management and Marketing and Sales. He spent the first years of his career in Frankfurt and Munich, moving later to Asia, where he worked for almost two decades.

He was Director of Sales and Marketing at The St. Regis Beijing, China, and at The St. Regis Bali Resort, Indonesia. In Thailand, he was part of the inaugural team at W Retreat – Koh Samui and was general manager at W Bangkok and Le Méridien Bangkok.

Back in China, he was there for the opening of W Shanghai – The Bund and later became general manager of The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong. In a highly competitive market, Christian Humbert has exceeded financial results year after year and is now in the Algarve for the first time.

“I still love what I do. I wake up happy to go to work. In the hospitality business, we are here to serve people and provide them with good times, and I enjoy doing it. I had already been thinking about returning to Europe to be closer to home when I received the invitation. So far, I’m really enjoying it here. Who wouldn’t?” says Christian Humbert.

Christian Humbert

Regarding his management style, he describes himself as a ‘people person’. “I like being involved with the teams and lead by example. I want to show them that we can do things in a simple way.”

As for what he hopes to bring to W Algarve, Humbert admits he does not want to “make any drastic changes” since the hotel “is beautiful as it is and sells well”, but there are plans to launch new ideas.

“The parties at the AIR bar are great, but we have been thinking about other pop-up concepts in our restaurants and gardens. We have amazing spaces and I think we can organise recreational activities such as sports, art and cultural events and even a gastronomy festival with local food. I’ve always been a fan of involving businesses in the community because I think we should help each other. The idea is to bring Albufeira and the Algarve into W,” he says.

Humbert’s long-term plans go even further: “I want W to be one of the best hotels in the Algarve and in Portugal. I think we have great potential. We’re a young hotel, but I want W to be seen as a destination and one of the best in the Mediterranean. I want fans of the brand, who already know the group’s other hotels, to come to the Algarve and enjoy our space.”

To make that happen, Humbert wants to start by making a difference with the service provided. “Offering an excellent service is the basis of everything; but we also have to diversify our offer. We cannot have a concept and let it stagnate. We must always try to do something different and new. That’s also part of the brand. We want to be the ones dictating the trends and what’s in, rather than following others. I think that if we keep doing that, we can achieve the goal of being one of the best.”

But before that, they are preparing to introduce some novelties, announces the general manager, starting with sunsets in the lounge, “an incredible space” for people to get together before heading off to dinner, which will give the area some life during the evening. “The space is beautiful, and guests want to be outside. We still don’t do enough to attract people to that space, so we’ve been discussing some ideas,” he says.

New townhouses are also on the table, with a tender already submitted to City Council and awaiting approval, as well as a new restaurant outside the hotel. “We’re not looking to increase the number of rooms or units, but we are certainly looking at other options. It’s all in the hands of the local council. We have a lot in mind and a lot is happening, but we don’t have anything concrete to reveal just yet,” explains Humbert.

As for the spa, there is a new programme with additional experiences that line up with its concept of holistic wellness, featuring nutrition and fitness, and, in the future, there are plans to create more packages for every season. The hotel also stands out for being a pet-friendly venue. “We have a pet-focused programme, and we want to invest in it. We’ve already talked about building a dog park as we want to set ourselves apart,” he added.

“Essentially, we want to ensure that we’re presenting the best possible experience for everyone at W Algarve,” Christian Humbert emphasises.