Ahead of Nordic hotel event The Lobby later this month, Sleeper catches up with hosts and founders Dorte Bagge and Mads Arlien-Søborg on what attendees can expect at the full-day event at Villa Copenhagen in Denmark, August 24th.
In a few words can you explain what The Lobby is?
This might sound very un-corporate, but The Lobby is all about love, passion and ambition. It’s a love of the hotel business. It’s a passion to change it. It’s an ambition to actually do something.
What prompted you to launch The Lobby back in 2018?
We had the opportunity to launch a hotel event back in 2018 and soon discovered there were no similar events in Scandinavia. So The Lobby 2018 was in many ways a pilot project. But everyone who came loved the concept, so we decided soon after to upscale the event and then move it from Herning to Copenhagen for 2019.
What is your mission with the Lobby?
The general concept behind The Lobby is to challenge the business – to revamp it and really make a difference. It’s about challenging people to act in new ways and to make a transformation into the future, where love and community comes first instead of occupancy rate and bottom line. Money should always be a consequence of your values, leadership style, purpose and vision.
Most of the industry still thinks and acts very traditionally. We believe service, design and luxury must come together. The feeling of luxury does not have to be about materiality. Luxury can be an enriching conversation – a scent of passion, a special atmosphere, a loving embrace. The Lobby is a movement. A meeting place in constant development. A family where we help each other, debate challenges and ask for help. So together we create something that is better for everyone – forever.
Who are the people behind The Lobby?
The Lobby is run by two dedicated and passionate hotel aficionados; Dorte Bagge and Mads Arlien-Søborg. We come from two very different backgrounds, Dorte working as a supplier to the hotel industry first at Bang & Olufsen and Kvadrat now with Louis Poulsen, and Mads as a lifestyle and design consultant and now Head of PR at the Danish Architectural firm 3XN. Together we share the passion and love for the hotel industry. We are fascinated by a holistic hotel experience that teases all the senses. We are curious about what creates innovative concepts and adds value to the business, the guest and the world.
Who were the main speakers at the first event and how was it received?
For the first event we actually just reached out to all our friends in the industry and those we knew could make an inspiring appearance on stage. What’s important to us is that our speakers can move and inspire people, that they can challenge us, tease our curiosity and present new surprising perspectives.
What are your plans for 2021? How has the pandemic affected them?
Unfortunately, we had to cancel The Lobby 2020 event and postpone it by a year. Luckily all our speakers from 2020 agreed to be part of the event in 2021 so the programme has remained more or less the same. Now we look forward to the event and are pleased that everyone including our sponsors, partners and speakers are onboard.
Can you tell us more about your new venue, Villa Copenhagen?
The Villa opened last year during the pandemic so it’s been a tough start. But it’s such a great place, a modern design hotel and a perfect match for The Lobby. Its location right in the centre of Copenhagen makes it easy for our international guests to attend the event.
What are the topics / themes you are planning to address?
We want to address several topics this year. The industry has been hit hard by the pandemic and we need to find new fuel for change. We believe hospitality players must recognise that they need to innovate to remain hyper-relevant for guests, as well as to grow in these difficult times. Yet, they have not necessarily turned this awareness into action. The industry has been lagging behind innovation efforts. One of the reasons for that failure is the fragmentation of decision-making processes, the lack of costs accountability, and the dispersion of the budgeting process.
We will also address what we call new ecosystems in the business. We want to address new collaboration models that dare to take responsibility for involving people who are excluded from society and including them in innovation and business, who would like to be part of an ecosystem where the solutions are created shoulder-to-shoulder in rewarding networks at all levels.
We like to think that we speak where others don’t. Gender inequality in the hotel business is a serious issue for us so we plan to highlight that this year. Other topics will include homeless hospitality and the new concept of space tourism.
Are there any key speakers you would like to highlight in particular?
We don’t highlight specific speakers as they all deserve to be mentioned. We are deeply committed to gathering all the visionary leaders in the industry to create true innovation. This year attendees will meet Bjarke Ingels, Ilse Crawford, Guy Heywood, Jan Garde, Henning Weiss, Suzanne Oxenaar, Pia Heidenmark Cook, Frida Oddsdottir, Jan Elhøj and Morten Kirckhoff and Mikkel Juel Iversen.
What steps are you taking in response to the COVID pandemic to ensure guests’ safety / comfort?
Safety always comes first. We are working closely with Villa Copenhagen to ensure that all regulations are being followed so everyone can feel 100% safe at The Lobby.
If you could give potential guests three reasons why this is a ‘must-attend’ event, what would they be?
Well first of all, lots of new inspiration and ”new fuel” to absorb and to pass on. Secondly, the joy of meeting again face-to-face, to meet colleagues and friends as well as existing and new business partners. Lastly, in all honesty we believe we have the best speakers and the best guests, which we are very proud of.
What do you hope will be achieved with this third edition of The Lobby?
Many in the hotel industry talk about innovation, but it’s difficult to bring it to the guest. We want to create lasting change through new collaborations that are driven by love for the sensuous, complete hotel experience – and less by profit. The Lobby itself is a non-profit organisation. We hope to be a place for new collaborations between organisations and people who dare to be brave, curious and challenge the existing order, so that change comes out at all levels and creates new, sustainable actions.
Book your tickets to The Lobby here
