Miguel Casas

What makes Hotel El Ganzo unique?

Our residency program and the closeness with the community. We purchase most of our goods from the local and vulnerable families in the La Playa Community. In addition, our staff and our employees are key to our success. We really value the mix of all this energy that makes us more than a hotel. 

What does it entail to be a B Corp-certified hotel in Mexico?

It’s a great responsibility to be the first B Corp Hotel in México because it represents our main purpose, which is to achieve universal well-being. We are aligned with our commitment to reducing social inequality by building a more healthy ecosystem, a stronger community, and the next generation of high-quality jobs with dignity. By using the power of business, we utilize part of our earnings for a positive impact on our employees, the community, and the environment. 

Tell us more about El Ganzo’s social and environmental responsibility efforts. 

Our main goal at El Ganzo is to create well-being for our community and staff. To meet this objective, we focus on programs that promote the inclusion, education, and economic development of the community. These elements definitely impact people’s quality of life and drive the ecosystem’s growth positively. For example, during the pandemic, we campaigned to support more than 600 families in the La Playa community whose income depends on tourism. Furthermore, companies are also part of society; regardless of size, they influence people’s lives and improve their living conditions. 

In a nutshell, what do you do, and how did you get here?

I’ve worked with companies that need a shift in their financial and operational strategy and helped them improve their performance. I’m the Managing Director of Hotel El Ganzo, and my DNA is focused on serving and creating experiences for guests by developing high-performance teams and revenue growth.

Why do you love your job? 

I love and enjoy what I do, especially when it comes to changing someone’s day or life.

Where did you get your sense of hospitality?

My Mexican culture is very welcoming and always cordial with friends, family, or new acquaintances. This has been planted in me since I was a kid by my grandmother, who would always bring the family together, host, and create great moments for us that left an impression on me. 

If you could choose a hotel to stay in that isn’t the one you work for, anywhere in the world, which one would it be?

I haven’t stayed at NoMad London. That’s my next holiday. 

The wackiest / craziest / most unexpected thing that ever happened to you at work?

I once had to create a complete afterparty event for Guns N’ Roses at Brick Hotel in México City. It was a quick notice and had very few days to plan, but according to Ron Bumblefoot, that was the most epic afterparty of the band. 

What advice would you give to someone starting their career today?

Travel a lot and work and diversify your experiences to expand your mind and understand the mindsets of different guests.

What excites you the most these days?

The mix of the hotel business with event production and more cultural-driven experiences like what we are doing with Ganzo X. 

If you would like to change anything in your industry, what would it be?

After the pandemic, travelers changed how to decide on a hotel based on the experience and less on the brand. I would change the traditional way of most companies that focus their efforts on bringing more clients by offering the same old experiences versus unique and tailored-made happenings to their guests. Also, most companies in this industry are not focused on changing their impact on global warming and sustainability. It is essential to do so for a better future. 

Check out Irina Lazar’s review of El Ganzo on A Hotel Life

Have you signed up for our newsletter yet? Never spammy, always bringing you the best and coolest hotels in the world and global lifestyle culture, all through the eyes of industry insiders and local tastemakers. Sign up here!