As the general manager of the Vibe Hotel Sydney Darling Harbour, Emma Sutherland has led and inspired a team to provide exceptional guest experiences and meet commercial targets.
Her day-to-day responsibilities range from being on the front line with her team, interacting and engaging with guests, to working closely with key stakeholders and business partners on driving revenue and financial targets.
“Daily, we work together to drive hotel performance in sales, revenue, finance, guest service, team performance, asset management, and overall quality across all business departments,” said Sutherland.
“My top priority in the next few months is to continue building and growing a highly engaged and motivated team. I will also continue to look for ways to innovate and improve the business by leveraging new technology, ideas, and industry trends to enhance the guest and team experience.”
Working with TFE Hotels for the past six years, Sutherland has had the opportunity to work across multiple brands, including Vibe, Travelodge, and Adina and most recently at A by Adina Sydney.
In addition to her operational solid focus, Sutherland has also participated in the rollout of company-wide projects, such as implementing Office 365 across Australia/New Zealand and contributing to TFE Hotels’ Guest Experience Project, which will be adopted globally in the coming years.
“I am well versed in the brands and offerings TFE Hotels has across its portfolio. With its thoughtful room design and fun F&B spaces, the design-led Vibe Hotel Darling Harbour had a great vibe and was a great next step for me in my career.”
Sutherland has showcased her leadership and commercial capabilities to drive success within the hotel and food and beverage teams. She has always been looking for new ways to do things, whether through process or technology change, and believes in constantly adapting, growing, and improving the guest experience.
With this mindset and the fabulous team, Vibe Hotel Sydney Darling Harbour will continue to improve in the coming months.
When discussing the Vibe Hotel Sydney Darling Harbour, Sutherland described it as an oasis in the city's heart.
“It's more than just a hotel; it's a vibrant hub that suits all travellers.”
The hotel includes 145 guest rooms and the Above 319, a rooftop bar on level 14. Its open-air terrace, lush floral walls and vibrant neon lights make it the perfect spot to hide away from the busy hustle and bustle from below.
The Sussex Store is another casual dining space on the ground level that segues from lively business lunches to a casual dinner and drinks venue.
It is currently running a Bottomless Aperol Spritz Brunch at Above 319 every Saturday and Sunday. It has different activations, such as Pizza O’clock and Happy Hour, which run every night of the week.
There are plans to run some events and activations across Vivid Sydney and Winter in the coming months.
The Sydney market has seen significant demand in the past 12 months, and as winter sets in and the cost of living continues to spike, the biggest challenge will be to grow in an unconstrained market.
“The two trends I see as a major focus that should be at the forefront of everyone’s minds are technology and sustainability. Our guests continue to look for ease of access, streamlined processes, in-room automation and personalised service through our technology.”
She emphasised that guests have become increasingly conscious of their environmental footprint, and hotels must respond by implementing green initiatives through sustainable and eco-friendly practices in line with CSR to continue to evolve in the industry.
