From packing light to securing an upgrade and discovering little-known gems to talking your way into the best seat in the house, frequent travelers pick up a few tricks along the way. We’ve convinced some of the top voices in the travel industry to share their experiences.

NAME: Alvaro Rey

OCCUPATION: General Manager, InterContinental London Park Lane

A true hotelier from the outset, Alvaro Rey undertook his training at Ecole Hôtelière Les Roches, Switzerland, and the Hotel Management School of Northwood Institute in Midland, Mich. In 1984, he took his first job at InterContinental Medellin in his native Colombia as a food and beverage assistant and has been with the company ever since. He has worked across most departments throughout South and Central America, the Middle East, Australia and Europe. In 1994, Rey returned to Colombia and took his first position as general manager of Las Lomas Forum, Medellin. Since then, he has been general manager at numerous properties internationally and is currently at the flagship hotel for IHG, InterContinental London Park Lane.

Rey’s unique sustainable approach to business, which rewards staffing development and community involvement, has been recognized with many awards, including Best General Manager Award (upscale/luxury) at the most recent Worldwide Hospitality Awards.

NUMBER OF ROUND-TRIP FLIGHTS PER YEAR FOR BUSINESS

More than 40. I travel for a large portion of the year visiting clients, staying on top of trends and attending conferences and meetings.

NUMBER OF ROUND-TRIP FLIGHTS PER YEAR FOR LEISURE

My family and I take three vacations per year. One is a riding holiday to our farm in Colombia with 15–20 of our closest friends, one is skiing and one is to a completely new destination.

FAVORITE DESTINATION

Home is our family farm in Colombia where my horses live. This is really where I relax and get away from it all. I love hotels, but sometimes I just like to get back to nature and be among the horses, cows, rivers and the mountains. However, when you live abroad, it is easy to always go home for your vacations, so it is important to keep seeing new destinations as well.

FAVORITE AIRLINE BUSINESS CLASS

Qantas. They have comfortable beds, excellent service and superb food.

FAVORITE HOTEL

InterContinental London Park Lane, of course! I will have been with the company 30 years in 2014 and I am a very loyal brand ambassador. Even my son tells his friends I work for the “best company in the world.”

FAVORITE RESTAURANT

When I am in London, it is Theo Randall at the InterContinental, which was just voted the top Italian restaurant in the United Kingdom. I love the simplicity of Chef Randall’s cooking and the beautiful flavors. When I am at home, it is Harry Sasson’s Club Colombia. Chef Sasson has a really modern approach to Colombian cuisine that still manages to be authentic.

 MOST MEMORABLE TRAVEL EXPERIENCE

That is a very difficult question, as each experience brings something memorable. I love to travel, which is one of the reasons I wanted to work in hospitality and I am keen to experience everything from the simple to the luxury and city to the mountains.

MUST-HAVE TRAVEL GEAR

I have to be honest and say it is my Blackberry. I am always on call and plugged in to work. I even ski with it attached to my helmet. This business is 24 hours a day and you must really love it to succeed.

ON A LONG-HAUL FLIGHT, I SPEND MY TIME …

I can never sleep so I try to read, watch a movie or catch-up on my emails. I don’t really eat unless I am on Qantas.

BEST TRAVEL ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED

Find out for yourself! I don’t seek too much advice before I travel and tend to ask the locals when I arrive. Concierges, taxi drivers, waiters and bar staff all often have the best tips.

MOST VALUABLE TRAVEL LESSON I’VE LEARNED

Every experience brings a new lesson. Take each opportunity to see new things and live as much as possible.

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