As General Manager of Hyatt Regency London Olympia, Georges Moura is preparing to launch a hotel at the centre of one of London’s most ambitious regeneration projects. Drawing on extensive international experience, we spoke with him to discuss creating a people-first culture, building strong community connections and establishing the property as a welcoming hub for visitors and locals alike.
Olympia is undergoing one of London’s most significant regeneration projects in recent years. How do you see Olympia London evolving as a hospitality destination, and what role will Hyatt Regency London Olympia play within that transformation?
Olympia has always had a strong place in London’s story, but the scale of this next chapter is remarkable. It is becoming a true destination, with entertainment, culture, hospitality and business sitting together in a way that feels very relevant to how people want to spend time in the city today.
For Hyatt Regency London Olympia, the opportunity is to be more than a hotel beside major venues. We want to be a warm and trusted base at the heart of the destination. A place people arrive before a concert, a conference, an exhibition or a night in West London, and a place they want to return to because the team made them feel genuinely looked after.
That is the role I see us playing. We will welcome international travelers, event guests, business visitors and local neighbors with the same care. Olympia will bring people together at scale. Our job is to make those moments feel personal.
You’ve led and repositioned hotels across Europe, the UK and North Africa. Which experiences from previous roles have most influenced your vision for Hyatt Regency London Olympia ahead of its opening in 2026?
The biggest lesson I have taken with me is simple. Hotels are built by people.
A good location matters. Design matters. The product matters. But the feeling guests remember almost always comes back to the people they meet and the care they receive. That has shaped how I think about every opening and every repositioning.
For Hyatt Regency London Olympia, my focus is on building a team that believes in the purpose of the hotel before we open the doors. We need colleagues who feel confident, supported and proud of the place they are helping to create. When that culture is strong, guests feel it immediately.
I have also learned the value of listening closely to the destination around you. A hotel should not sit apart. It should understand its neighbors, its partners and its community. Olympia has an incredible mix of venues, restaurants, offices, cultural partners and public spaces. Our success will depend on how well we connect with that wider ecosystem, not just how well we run the building.
The hotel is set to combine contemporary design with flexible food, beverage and meeting spaces. What type of guest experience are you hoping to create, particularly for both international travellers and the local London community?
I want the hotel to feel easy to use and good to spend time in. That sounds simple, but it is very important.
For international travelers, we will offer the reassurance of a Hyatt Regency experience, with the warmth and energy of West London around it. Guests should feel they can arrive, settle quickly, work efficiently, meet people, eat something they enjoy and then step straight into everything Olympia and the surrounding area has to offer.
For the local community, the hotel will feel open and relevant. Not somewhere reserved only for overnight guests. The food, beverage and meeting spaces will give people reasons to come in during the day, meet a colleague, celebrate, host a conversation or pause before an evening event.
The best hotels create a sense of belonging without forcing it. That is what we are aiming for. A place that works well, feels welcoming and gives people a reason to come back.
With the hospitality industry continuing to evolve rapidly, especially in London’s competitive market, what do you believe today’s guests value most, and how is Hyatt Regency London Olympia responding to those expectations?
Today’s guests value ease, but they also value care. They want things to work smoothly, but they do not want the experience to feel cold or anonymous.
Technology has an important role to play. Flexibility matters too. People travel for business, leisure, events and often a mix of all three. Their plans shift. Their expectations are higher. They want spaces that adapt to them, not the other way around.
At Hyatt Regency London Olympia, we are responding with thoughtful design, flexible spaces and a service culture built around attention. The aim is not to overcomplicate the experience. It is to notice what matters to each guest and make their stay feel effortless.
The wider Olympia destination also gives us something very special. Guests will have access to live music, theatre, exhibitions, conferences, restaurants, public spaces and strong transport links. Our role is to help them make the most of that, with a team that cares enough to guide, connect and anticipate.
Opening a hotel as part of a major regeneration scheme comes with both opportunities and challenges. What excites you most about launching the property, and what are your key priorities in the months leading up to opening?
What excites me most is the chance to help shape a new hospitality experience at Olympia right at the beginning of its next chapter. Openings are intense, but they are also very special because you are building the culture, the habits and the standards that will stay with the hotel for years.
I tend to look at challenges as opportunities, part of the learning process. With a project of this scale, you have to stay close to the detail, keep listening and keep adjusting. You test, learn, refine and adapt. That is how strong openings are built.
In the months ahead, my priorities are clear. First, we need to build the right team and create a culture where colleagues feel cared for, prepared and proud. Second, we need to deliver operational excellence, because guests should feel confidence in every part of the experience. Third, we need to build meaningful relationships with the Olympia partners and the local community.
A memorable opening is important, of course. But the real goal is longer term. We want to create a hotel that earns trust, adds value to Olympia and becomes a place people are genuinely happy to return to.