The maxim that you can’t go home again clearly doesn’t apply to Tim Terceira. Three years ago, the hotelier left the posh Ritz-Carlton Toronto to head to Boston, where he helmed the Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common. Today, he’s back in Toronto at the recently rebranded St. Regis Hotel, where for the past 16 months, he’s been overseeing a complete makeover and new direction for the former Adelaide Hotel (and previously the Trump Hotel).
The native of Bermuda is no stranger to the hotel industry. At the age of 14, he was asked to be a beach boy for the summer at a small luxury resort in Bermuda. “I loved it,” recalls the Cornell Hotel school grad. “I made a lot of money and enjoyed making guests happy; keeping the beach and dock immaculate and servicing guests renting sail boats, masks and snorkels.”
Though he’s a veteran of the hotel industry, having also served in Market Operations for Marriott Hotels & Resorts, this post is different. “The entire assumption of management, change to and managing an interim brand (The Adelaide Hotel) and conversion to the world’s most prestigious luxury brand (St. Regis) is unique to any project I’ve worked on,” explains Terceira.
The hotel is Marriott’s first St. Regis property in Canada. “At the heart of the brand are the rituals that endure at St. Regis hotels today — from the glamour of afternoon tea and evening sabrage, to the magic of Midnight Supper and the brand’s iconic butler service. Each is a modern articulation of a timeless tradition and an opportunity to invite guests to experience, not only the St. Regis legacy, but also the story of each hotel.”
The hotel’s condo structure with multiple owners has only added to the complexity of the renovation process. “Communication is crucial,” says Terceria. “We have continued to operate during this entire process — it’s like changing the wheels on a car, but the car is moving at the same time…and we have to transform into a Bentley.” The hotel also assumed management of all food-and-beverage and spa services, which had previously been operated by a third party.
Overseeing a staff of 346 and a room count of 258, Terceira says his biggest challenge has been “optimizing performance for our interim brand to the best possible extent while preparing for the conversion to a new brand — both physically and culturally. Everything we do is laser-focused on being ready to launch the first St. Regis Hotel in Canada,” says Terceira.
Competitive by nature, Terceira is driven to be the best. “I’m energized by complex challenges, am positive and genuinely care about our owner, my team, guests, brand and our company culture,” he says. Having been schooled at some of the industry’s leading brands, his philosophy is grounded in providing top-notch service. “At the moment of truth, we need to ensure we deliver on our brand promise,” says Terceira.
