What first inspired your journey into hospitality, and how has that passion evolved to bring you to The Diamond, Amsterdam today? 

I started very young. I was 14, working as a dishwasher in a local pub, and from there I grew into becoming a bartender and then a waiter. After that, I worked in clubs, and everything around that, and it was really the diversity of hospitality that interested me. I idn’t work in restaurants until I was 25 and didn’t go into hotels until last year. So, it’s been a journey of doing different things, and it never ends, which is nice. 

Hospitality is full of lessons learned along the way. What’s one that has truly shaped your leadership or philosophy? 

I think it was when I moved to Amsterdam. I was very much into micromanaging and trying to do everything myself. At one point, I had a manager who said, “Wesley, you can make as many mistakes as you want, but make every mistake only once.” He explained that if you don’t make mistakes, you’re not working hard enough. So, work harder, make mistakes, learn from them, and keep going. Don’t be afraid of them. He said he’d rather have me make 400 mistakes in a year, but only once, and then ace everything the next year. That’s something I carried with me. When I get stuck now, I remind myself that I have to trust people to make mistakes too; I can’t control every inch. That really changed me, learning to let go. 

Every career has defining moments. Was there an experience that made you realise this industry was where you’re meant to be? 

There were many. I always worked for smaller, independent companies, but the big companies intrigued me, how they’re run and how they think about everything. I worked for Soho House in the UK and in Amsterdam, and the whole idea from the owner was so passionate. Every detail was thought about, both for the guest experience and for how the company was structured. 

I remember talking once with Nick Jones, the owner at that time, and he explained that every company around Soho House was his, the products in the rooms, the glassware, the interior design studio, and when he sold Soho House, all the surrounding companies stayed with him. That level of thinking in this industry is what interests me. It never stops; there is always something more inventive to do. And the consistency they had, especially in London, is something I really admire. 

The Diamond, Amsterdam is known for its distinctive character. What about the hotel, its vision, design, or story, resonated with you most? 

There has been a lot said about the building. It was in the news a lot. People in Amsterdam thought the building was so ugly that a newspaper organised a contest for readers to send in more beautiful drawings of what it could have been. So, it got a lot of attention. But it's funny, now people have gotten used to it, and they come in saying, “Maybe I was too harsh actually, we like it.” 

Is that because of the glass? 

Yeah. I think change is always difficult. It’s like when Facebook changed its layout back in the day, everyone was angry. So, imagine that, but with a building. 

When guests step through the doors, what do you hope they feel or discover about The Diamond that sets it apart from other Amsterdam stays? 

What we want to achieve is maybe not very different from what other hotels want, but we want people to feel at home. When you come in, you get a cava on the house, in your room or here at the bar. When you walk in, everything should drop from your shoulders. It’s all about the experience. We’re very proud of the attention to detail, and that feeling of being at home is very important, the “good morning,” not “What’s your room number?” 

Amsterdam is such a vibrant, creative city. How does The Diamond connect with its local community, whether through partnerships, sustainability, or culture? 

Like we mentioned earlier, we do a lot of events and activations. We host a club party on Saturdays, and before that we have a networking drink here. Then we show people the basement. Of course, the clubbing scene is very different from people coming for a Christmas dinner, and the week after we host a Christmas dinner for 100 people where we take out all the tables and set long tables with linen and decorations. 

So, in just a few days, you have two very different groups. But those are the people who also come back during the week. It’s very vibrant and always changing, a mix of everything. Some come with their parents when they’re in the city, others come for dinner upstairs, others go to the club. 

The festive season is such a special time for hotels. How does The Diamond celebrate Christmas in Amsterdam? Are there any traditions, experiences, or touches that make the season feel magical? 

Tradition is a bit difficult; it is only our second year, so I don’t know when you can officially call something a tradition. But we always add Christmas decorations. And from this year on, we’re introducing a full-month Christmas menu with beef Wellington. It’s something that’s a lot of work, and many places only make it for a couple of days at Christmas. We decided to do it for the entire month, which will be interesting. I feel like that will become a tradition in the future. 

The Independent Hotel Show Amsterdam 2025 is just around the corner. What are you most excited to experience or explore this year? 

What I’m really looking forward to, not officially part of the show but still a big part, is that since opening, I haven’t really had the chance to talk to my colleagues. So, I’m excited for things to be a bit more settled so I can talk to everyone about their experiences and what they would have done differently. I’m very curious about opinions, because everyone in hospitality always has one. I want to hear from people from the outside, how they experienced the opening and what they would have changed. 

I’m also really looking forward to the networking. We’ll be doing a lot of it because we’re introducing our app next year, encouraging people to schedule meetings before the show. So hopefully there will be lots of networking opportunities. 

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