The Fitzpatrick Manhattan is a veritable New York institution that holds a special place for New Yorkers and those visiting the city
Corkman Chris O’Sullivan is the General Manager of Fitzpatrick Manhattan Hotel, where he has been working for 12 years now. The last time that he thought about moving back to Ireland, the Covid Lockdown hit. Since then, he no longer thinks about moving back to Ireland. He has become accustomed to the way of life in Manhattan and he certainly doesn’t miss the Irish weather.
“My favourite part about life here is the season. I love the weather in New York. When I was back home, my asthma used to kill me in the winter whereas here, you don’t have that damp cold – it’s a dry cold… and you have clear seasons here. The last time I was back home, it just rained and rained.”
Inside the Fitzpatrick Manhattan Hotel: A New York Institution with Irish Soul
The Fitzpatrick Manhattan is a veritable New York institution – a 4-star hotel that strives towards a 5-star level of care, it holds a special place for New Yorkers and those visiting the city; its guestbook boasting a stellar list of dignitaries and celebrities from all over the world.
“A lot of the properties that I worked with in Ireland would have been welcoming a lot of American tourists coming into the country, whereas now I enjoy seeing a lot of Irish people coming over to America. And for many, it’s a dream to come to New York and stay at Fitzpatrick’s… We’re not a Marriott or a Hilton but it has that special place in the hearts of so many Irish people.”
When Chris joined first, it was as Assistant General Manager. He then moved to Hotel Manager and became General Manager after Covid.
“My role here is to oversee the day-to-day management of the hotel; to see that things are running smoothly. The plus side of it is we’ve got a great team here, so I don’t have to worry too much. With Siona Gomes, our housekeeping director, she manages all downstairs and makes sure that everything is in order in that direction. And with Andrea and the rest of the team… really the hotel runs itself from a day-to-day perspective.”
Chris hires people purely on the basis of personality, he says, because “you can train people to do anything; I want people to have personality and not just generic qualities.”
First Steps in Hospitality
Chris’ first venture into the world of hospitality was in his native Kanturk, where he worked at the Assolas Hotel.
“They were one of the founders of the Blue Book of Ireland,” recalls Chris. “Years ago, my mother sent me there, praying to God that I would hate hotels. It was a country house with, I believe, eight bedrooms. I worked there as a waiter/server. My parents bought me a Honda 50 motorbike to get to work. I was only about 16 or 17 at the time – I loved the freedom of it! When my mother asked me how I liked it, I said, ‘I’m not sure I like working there but I love the industry’.”
During college years, he worked at the Park Hotel in Kenmare at a time when he was on the Irish team for the Wine and Dine WorldSkills Awards at San Remo in Italy, where Chris was practising his flambé skills.
“The Park in Kenmare was the best place in Ireland to practice one’s flambé techniques so I went and got my own placement there.”
Technology, Direct Bookings, and the Future of Hotel Marketing
The evolution of technology has been a feature of his career path but even though technology levels have evened out amongst countries, companies and individuals by now, he initially found that Irish hotels were ahead of the curve compared to many American counterparts.
“Even when it came to redesigning our website, we actually went back to Ireland to get a company to do it,” recalls Chris. “Nowadays it’s all video content with hotels. A short video is what everyone wants to see on any website.”
Nowadays, he sees more and more people booking directly with the hotel instead of going through aggregator sites or even through the hotel’s own website.
“People want to avoid the resort fees and for them, it means an extra pint or an extra glass of wine,” says Chris.
In terms of the future of sales and marketing, Chris sees it evolving along the lines of social media, with most of their customers coming through that prism rather than the more old-fashioned route of international trade shows.
Irish Hospitality in New York: A Personal Touch That Keeps Guests Coming Back
The uniquely Irish family vibe is, he says, a highly appreciated aspect of the hotel. It comes from core values espoused by the owner John Fitzpatrick and it means lots of repeat business, lots of personal thank-you cards from clients and lots of real friendships forged over the years.
“I would say that when I was working in Irish hotels, I didn’t make as many friends as I do here. You knew guests and you were friendly with them but it’s different here… I know some guests, for example, that would contact me to tell me that they’re in town and invite me to go for a drink with them. I would never have done that in Ireland.”
There are plenty of similarities between the hotel industry in Ireland and that of America, including the difficulties in getting staff, but he feels that the attitude to the hospitality career in the USA is a healthier one than that in Ireland.
“Hospitality here is a career,” says Chris, “it’s not seen as something that you’re going to do for a few years while you figure out what you want to do… For example, room service in Ireland is seen as something that you would do when you’re in your teens, when you’re at university. Whereas here, it’s a career. When the Waldorf Astoria closed (in 2017), the longest-serving employee’s payout was nearly $600,000 and he was in room service.
“For me, I know that when I got into the business, it was to travel. I wanted to see the world. With the skill sets you take from it; you can work anywhere.”
Looking Back with No Regrets: A Life Dedicated to Hospitality
Thinking back on the days of his Honda 50 in Kanturk, Chris feels that there’s nothing about his career he would change.“I went into the five-star experience, I was working in receivership properties in 2008… I was working with the Travelodge group with Richard O’Sullivan – consulting and working with him… I’m glad I worked in every aspect of hotels. It’s a good eye-opener, getting varied perspectives on different clientèle types and it gives you a very good discipline, I would say.”
