Shining Like a (California Hotel & Lodging Association) Star

December 18, 2024 | Awards

Anthony Mattern, general manager of Hampton Inn & Suites Camarillo, has been honored among the California Hotel & Lodging Association’s 2024 class of Hotel All Stars.

Exemplifying the best of Golden State hospitality, this dynamic young leader was recognized for:

• Strong Performance Metrics: consistently ranking in the Top 5 of OTO’s balanced scorecard with success in top-line revenue, bottom-line profit, guest satisfaction, and team member engagement.
• Dedicated Pursuit of Excellence: earning OTO’s 2023 General Manager of the Year award within 12 months of being promoted into his role.
• High Employee Engagement: garnering top marks from team members who laud his modest demeanor and hands-on leadership style.
• Proven Commitment to Customer Service: providing an exemplary guest experience that consistently keeps Hampton Inn & Suites Camarillo in the #1 spot on Tripadvisor.

“Congratulations to our 2024 Hotel All Stars, who represent the very best and brightest in hospitality across the state,” said CHLA President & CEO Lynn S. Mohrfeld, when presenting the awards. “Your commitment to excellence keeps our industry thriving and ensures that California remains a world-class destination for travelers. We are proud to celebrate your achievements.”

Read on for more of what makes Anthony Mattern shine like a Hotel All Star.

 

Little Moments, Big Impressions

Anthony Mattern grew up in a Japanese family of extremely modest means. Travel was a rarity, but occasionally his grandfather took everyone to a small resort — where little moments made a huge impression. Some of Mattern’s favorite childhood memories are from these family vacations, where he reveled in the care and attention provided by the hotel staff.

Those interactions inspired him to choose hospitality as a career. At age 20, Mattern moved to the United States to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Tourism, Hospitality, and Recreation Management at California State University Northridge — while also learning English as a second language.

He joined Hampton Inn & Suites Camarillo in January 2018 through OTO’s internship program. He then worked his way through roles of increasing responsibility and now serves as the hotel’s general manager.

Excellence in Job Performance

Mattern is one of the top performers at OTO Development — indeed, just one year after being promoted to GM, he was recognized as the company’s 2023 General Manager of the Year. That recognition was based on his consistent demonstration of business acumen and success in top-line revenue, bottom-line profit, guest satisfaction, and team member engagement. In his first 12 months as GM, he consistently scored in the Top 5 of OTO’s balanced scorecard — a significant marker of performance excellence.

In addition to exceeding top and bottom-line expectations, Mattern supports his fellow participants in OTO’s inhouse leadership academy; he invests significant time to develop his team; and he shares best practices with his fellow GMs, including his own innovative method of expense forecasting.  

Leadership & Guest Service

Mattern’s leadership and service philosophy is deeply rooted in Japanese culture, with an emphasis on respect and appreciation.

He expresses appreciation by thanking every employee, every day, for their hard work and commitment. He implemented Employee of the Week and Employee of the Quarter programs as extra motivation. Mattern believes one word can often make a big difference, leading to a better work environment, which leads to better employee performance which, in turn, leads to a better guest experience.

A true hands-on leader, Mattern can often be found making beds and cleaning rooms alongside his housekeeping team (and they’ll tell you nobody gets a bathroom cleaner quicker than he does).

He’s never above scrubbing a toilet or unclogging a drain. He is adept at stepping in to assist even the most difficult guest at the front desk.

Because he works alongside them, Mattern has earned his team members’ respect and admiration.  He motivates others by exemplifying the true meaning of initiative.

He looks forward to every interaction with his team members — in fact, he says coming to work doesn’t quite feel like work because he enjoys it so much. He loves connecting with a couple hundred people every day while learning about their various countries and cultures.

Always, he remembers the hotel workers back in Japan who sparked his own love for hospitality and he’s inspired by the potential of likewise passing that passion on to someone else.

Innovation & Improvement

Mattern strives for continuous improvement. Indeed, this is a man who perfected his second language in a new country. How? By keeping a Japanese-English dictionary behind the front desk while interning at the hotel where he is now the general manager.

With a knack for time management, Mattern is constantly experimenting with better and quicker ways to get things done. For example, he has developed an innovative forecasting process that is so successful, it’s been shared with his fellow general managers across OTO’s portfolio.

He is also conscientious about recycling anything that can be reused for a good cause. Hampton Inn & Suites Camarillo participates in Clean the World, for example, a global hospitality recycling initiative to divert soap and small bottle amenities from landfills to communities in need.

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