Running a hotel is not merely a matter of operational management; it is a constant exercise in leadership, negotiation and strategy. Every day, a hotel manager faces challenges that go beyond guest service: maintaining team morale, managing internal conflicts, negotiating with suppliers and competing in an increasingly fierce market. In this context, the thinking of Niccolò Machiavelli, often misunderstood as cynical or manipulative, emerges as an inexhaustible source of practical wisdom for those seeking not merely to survive, but to thrive in the world of hospitality.

Far from being a treatise on betrayal or deception, Machiavelli’s work is a manual of realism and pragmatism. His reflections on power, human nature and decision-making are timeless and applicable to any organisation, especially in the hotel sector, where perception, diplomacy and strategy can make the difference between success and failure. How do you maintain authority without creating fear? When is the right time to make drastic decisions? How do you build alliances without becoming dependent? These are questions every hotel manager asks in their day-to-day work, and Machiavelli has the answers.

In this article, we will explore how Machiavelli’s teachings can be applied to modern hotel management. From team psychology to competitive strategy, supplier diplomacy and crisis management, we will see how his principles can help us make better decisions, strengthen our leadership and ensure the long-term success of our property. If you have ever felt caught in a leadership dilemma or looked for a way to anticipate problems in managing your hotel, read on.

If running a hotel were simply a matter of manuals, Excel spreadsheets and regulations, anyone could do it. But reality is very different. Hotel management, like any form of leadership, is a game of power, diplomacy and strategy. Success is defined not only by service quality, but by the ability to navigate an environment of constant interests, expectations and conflicts. In this respect, few thinkers have been more insightful than Niccolò Machiavelli.

In my day-to-day work as a hotel manager, I see how power dynamics operate at every moment. Whether in negotiations with suppliers, team management, internal company politics or competition with other properties, Machiavelli’s teachings are not only still relevant; they seem to have been written for those of us leading organisations in the hospitality industry.

If you still believe Machiavelli is synonymous with manipulation or amorality, allow me to correct you: his thinking is a guide to understanding the world as it is, not as we might wish it to be. And if we want to lead intelligently, we must understand these rules of the game.

Below, I outline Machiavelli’s essential principles as applied to leadership in hotel management.

1. Human Psychology and Team Management

Machiavelli understood an undeniable fact better than anyone: human beings are not altruistic by nature. They are driven by interests, emotions and perceptions. A good leader cannot ignore this reality; they must use it to their advantage.

Machiavellian Lessons for Hotel Talent Management:

• • Fear is more effective than love (but without descending into tyranny). In the hotel industry, where service depends on people, a motivated team is essential. But beware: too much permissiveness breeds indiscipline. It is not about instilling fear, but about setting clear rules and consequences. If employees perceive that the leader lacks authority, respect erodes.
  • Employees are loyal as long as their interests are aligned with those of the hotel. Machiavelli reminds us that absolute loyalty does not exist; it is a matter of convenience. How do you retain talent? Not through speeches, but by ensuring that working with you serves them better than seeking other options.
  • Perception matters more than reality. A hotel manager must understand that their team notices everything. If you project weakness, uncertainty or favouritism, you will lose authority. Machiavelli would say: "It is better to appear strong than to be strong." Even if you have doubts, never show them.

Personal reflection: I have learned that a team does not follow a leader because it considers them a "good boss", but because it respects them. A manager who does not control their hotel will ultimately be controlled by their team.

2. Strategic Leadership: The Art of Governing a Hotel

Being a hotel manager is like governing a small kingdom. You have internal stakeholders (employees, executives, investors) and external ones (guests, suppliers, competitors). Machiavelli would say that, to lead effectively, you must be as cunning as a fox and as strong as a lion.

Principles of Machiavellian Leadership in Hospitality:

• • Stability is achieved through control. If you delegate too much without oversight, you will lose your finger on the pulse of the business. As a manager, you cannot rely solely on what department heads tell you. Walk through the hotel, speak with guests and observe details that others may overlook.
  • Do not promise what you cannot deliver. Trust is the most valuable asset. If you say you will improve working conditions or resolve an issue with a guest, do it. A leader who does not keep their word loses credibility.
  • Drastic changes must be swift and decisive. If you need to restructure an area of the hotel or change personnel, do so without hesitation. The mistake many leaders make is attempting gradual change in environments that require firm decisions. A poor manager waits too long to dismiss someone who is harming the team.

Personal reflection: I remember a case in which a toxic employee had been demotivating the team for months, but I hesitated to dismiss them. I thought doing so might destabilise the department. When I finally made the decision, the atmosphere improved immediately. Problems do not resolve themselves; if you do not cut them off, they spread.

3. Hotel Diplomacy: Allies, Suppliers and Competition

A hotel’s success does not depend solely on guest service. Relationships with suppliers, business partners and competitors are equally important. This is where Machiavelli’s diplomacy becomes indispensable.

How to Apply Machiavellian Diplomacy:

• • Never depend on a single ally. If a supplier believes you need them more than they need you, they will leave you vulnerable. Always have alternative options.
  • Avoid open confrontations when they are unnecessary. Do not fight with other hotels or with your team if you can avoid it. The best strategy is deterrence: make it clear that you have power, but use it prudently.
  • Divide and conquer. If two employees are creating problems together, separate them. If there are factions within your team, make sure they do not unite against you.

4. Conflict Management: How to Use Problems to Your Advantage

For Machiavelli, conflicts were not obstacles, but opportunities to consolidate power. In a hotel, crises can be used to reinforce leadership and improve processes.

Strategies for Managing Machiavellian Crises:

• • Control the narrative. If there is a problem involving guests or employees, be the one to communicate it before it becomes distorted. Rumour is more dangerous than truth.
  • Be ruthless with saboteurs. If someone within the team sabotages the work or creates conflict, act quickly and firmly. You cannot allow a single individual to destabilise the hotel.
  • Use crises as an opportunity to improve. A problem with a guest can be an opportunity to review protocols. A department head’s mistake can be the ideal moment to reorganise their team.

Personal reflection: On one occasion, a negative review on social media caused panic within the team. Rather than going into crisis mode, we used it to renew our focus on the guest experience. Every problem can be a catalyst for improvement, if you know how to manage it well.

Managing a hotel is not a job for the naive. It is a game of power, diplomacy and strategy. Good intentions are not enough; you must understand human nature, manage perception and make difficult decisions.

As leaders in hospitality, we can choose between two paths: waiting for everything to work out on its own, or taking control with intelligence and strategy. If Machiavelli were alive, he would remind us that leadership is not about being good or bad, but about being effective.