Ace Hotel / Atelier Ace

zunilda polanco has been the Housekeeping Manager at Ace Hotel Brooklyn since April 18, 2022. Zuni is a passionate manager who takes pride in her work at Ace. She has built strong relationships with the team, and we are fortunate to have her as a representative of the Latina community at Ace. 1. What’s the best advice you’ve received working in the hospitality industry? Never allow anyone who’s upset ruin your day. 2. What is something you've accomplished that you are proud of? I have been in hospitality industry for 28 years and I’m so blessed for being able to learn from so many departments. 3. How has working in the hospitality industry enriched your understanding of different cultures and perspectives? The different cultures and perspectives has made me want to travel  and understand different cultures better. 4. What 's something interesting you're currently working on? Personal or professional. I’m working on helping a family member that has cancer with their treatment. 5. How do you find balance between work and everything else? I always say, the way you find balance is never take work home. 6. With respect to LatinX Hispanic Heritage Month, what book/film/podcast/artwork/etc. do you think everyone should experience? Everyone should read “The Dominican Kitchen” by Vanessa Mota. Homestyle recipes that celebrate the flavors, traditions and culture of Dominican Republic. 7. How does Ace differ from other companies you've worked for? To me Ace is different because it brings people all over the world to express Art and Music.

If you've been to Ace Hotel Brooklyn, you've likely met Jesus. As part of an already exceptional front office team, Jesus stands out with his warmth, always making you feel like family. 1. What’s the best advice you’ve received working in the hospitality industry? One of the best pieces of advice I received within years of working with people came from a previous manager I had, he told me; "Jesus, the key is to always try to understand guests needs and emotions, a simple interaction can turn into a memorable experience". 2. What is something you've accomplished that you are proud of? I’m incredibly proud of my journey from starting in my first job for JetBlue as an airport operations agent to becoming a flight attendant from an airline within 6 months and then a supervisor within a year! My love and passion for customer service blossomed during those years, where I engaged with people from all cultures. Despite facing personal challenges like losing my mom 5 days before my first job, I pushed through and achieved significant milestones in my career. 3. How has working in the hospitality industry enriched your understanding of different cultures and perspectives? Working in hospitality has profoundly deepened my appreciation for diverse cultures and people overall. Engaging with humans from around the world has opened my eyes to all types of traditions and stories. This exposure has fostered a greater sense of empathy and understanding within me, allowing me to connect with others on a more personal level. 4. What’s something interesting you're currently working on? Currently, I’m focusing on my mental health and well being. I’m exploring mindfulness techniques and self care practices to ensure I stay balanced and present, both personally and professionally. 5. How do you find balance between work and everything else? I love what I do and I love sleeping so having no time in between for nothing else is ok as long as I have my satin bed sheets and my AC always on. and THAT helps me recharge and stay focused. 6. With respect to LatinX Hispanic Heritage Month, what book/film/podcast/artwork/etc. do you think everyone should experience? I'm not gonna lie but reading or watching something else that has nothing to do with latin queen Lady Gaga is rare, I remember a novel good enough to recommend; and been in my mind for years, is called "Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez. This powerful book tells the story of the Mirabal sisters, who bravely opposed the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. 7. How does ACE differ from other companies you've worked for? Ace has been easily my best job ever. I've never ever felt like MYSELF more than ever after I started working here. The best thing is that from guests to my co-workers, everybody makes me feel included and heard every time I bring my ideas to the table. 

Kudos to our team in Sydney.

On July 4th, the MICHELIN Guide announced its new One, Two, and Three Key distinctions for Japan's most outstanding hotels. Among them, Ace Hotel Kyoto received One Key. Japan's selection includes 6 Three Key hotels, 17 Two Key hotels, and 85 One Key hotels.

This just in from our team in Sydney! Since Camilo Finlez joined the team, he has brought incredible energy to everyone around him, including me. His enthusiasm is contagious, creating a positive and uplifting atmosphere. Camilo's confidence in who he is has been truly inspiring, and he encourages others to be their authentic selves and celebrate their unique qualities without hesitation. -Erika Cacha Front Office Manager. In today’s global environment, what qualities do you think define a truly inclusive leader? In my honest opinion an inclusive leader prefers to prioritize the authenticity and psychological safety of his team. Inclusion can be reflected when people feel free to express themselves and be themselves. On the other hand, a good inclusive leader should have the curiosity to learn new things, educate himself as much as possible on inclusion issues, and be able to question certain structures instead of blindly following rules. What’s an exciting project you’re currently involved in, and how does it connect to your personal interests? My main goals right now are to keep learning more about who I am as a person, advance my career in the hospitality sector, and absorb as much knowledge as I can while living overseas. My interests as an immigrant in a new nation include primarily exploring new places, experiencing and learning as much as I can about differently cultures, and striking a balance between my personal and professional life. Does your family have any traditions that are especially important to you? I could say that one of the few traditions we preserve as a family is celebrating our birthdays together as much as possible, enjoying those delicious homemade meals are part of my most precious memories. As I mentioned before, being away from my family, a tradition could be to maintain constant communication via Face-time, keeping each other informed about our lives weekly is another of our traditions. With respect to Pride Month, what book/film/podcast/artwork/etc. that resonates with the LGBTQIA+ experiences and why is it impactful? When I was a teenager, I watched my first LGBTQIA+ film, Brokeback Mountain, which had a profound effect on me. It was a harsh reality check that illustrated how members of our community are mistreated, harassed, and in some cases, unjustly killed because of who they are. Though much progress has been made in the area of rights, I feel that, in light of this film, there is still more work to be done. How does Ace differ from other companies you've worked for? What I appreciate most about belonging to the Ace Hotel Sydney team is that in some way they have managed to celebrate and enhance our differences, I love the way in which together as a team we celebrate the diversity of our personalities, they make me feel that it is okay to be who I am. Working at Ace feels like working with a beautiful little family that works and helps each other inside and outside of our workplace.

Sharing our final Pride Spotlight, we bring you Kassandra Jackson. Kasey's thoughtful contributions and support have made a significant impact on the Kyoto HR office. - Victor Simmons (He/Him/His)   What’s an exciting project you’re currently involved in, and how does it connect to your personal interests? For this year’s April intake of new grads, we took a completely new approach to their onboarding and training as compared to previous years. In developing this new training plan, one of my main priorities was creating opportunities for the new grads to connect with each other, with the existing Ace members, and with the broader community. Human connection is such an essential part of what we do, so implementing that as a central goal was both challenging and, now seeing the results towards the end of that training period, incredibly rewarding.   What strategies do you use to maintain a healthy balance between your professional responsibilities and personal life? For me, clear boundaries and giving my mind a break are the keys to maintaining a good work-life balance. So, unless there’s something that will unfold into disaster without my immediate attention, I don’t check emails on my days off, and I trust that the team will call me if there’s something they really need. Outside of work, I intentionally set time aside to spend with family, friends, and for my hobbies.   Does your family have any traditions that are especially important to you? I’m the eldest of three siblings and my mum is a single parent, so we didn’t always get a lot of one-on-one time. But, every year on each of our birthdays, she would let us take the day off school and spend the entire day together hanging out, having treats, just the two of us. Even though it’s not something we do any more (although I still make every effort to take my birthday off), it was special to me, and I often think about it.   With respect to Pride Month, what book/film/podcast/artwork/etc. that resonates with the LGBTQIA+ experiences and why is it impactful? I appreciate how shows like Brooklyn 99, Sex Education, even Bridgerton, portray LGBTQIA+ characters. They’re dimensional, complex, and interesting. While some of the storylines do focus on themes specifically related to sexuality, they come up naturally and aren’t the character’s entire personality. I think it’s just good for everyone to see representation like that – of queer people just being people. Also, I absolutely love fantasy books, so if anyone has recommendations for books featuring queer characters, magic, and dragons, I’d love to hear them!   How does Ace differ from other companies you've worked for? I feel like Ace takes action in line with the company values. Both public and internal events and initiatives reflect the importance placed on inclusivity, collaboration, a love of art and culture and music. That hasn’t always been the case in other companies I've worked at, and it’s also what drew me to Ace in the first place.