Obiekty hotelarskie w Łodzi w XIX i na początku XX wieku (1824–1918)

Abstract

Understanding how hotel industry operated in Łódź in 19th century and in the early 20th century, requires simultaneous analysis of different factors which directly and indirectly influenced the development and operations of hotel establishments. The task is difficult because of a time distance of the issue and a large variety of factors. Moreover, due to its specifics, the task bears a large margin of error. In order to analyze the issue, a specially modified method used by modern companies to examine causes and results of undergone activities was used. It is called the fishbone diagram and was created by Kaoru Ishikawa. The analysis is displayed as a multilevel top-down process, where causes fixed on a main axis are treated as the results of other causes. The chart displays hierarchical division of causes within the chosen categories (Kaczmarek and Sikorski 1999). The modification of the method, used in this paper, aims at collecting and generalizing the characteristics of hotel industry, their division into positive and negative (in relation to their influence on the development of operations) and finally a general evaluation of this industry sector in Łódź within the selected timeframe. The following division into cause categories was chosen: Man, Methods, Machines, Management, Environment, Product. Thanks to the application of the fishbone diagram analysis (Fig. 4) we are able to determine that hotel establishments in the 19th and in the beginning of the 20th century were institutions characterized by a great involvement of managerial staff. The main task of hotel establishment owners was to manage the facility so that the appropriate number of guests was served and the right quality of services was provided. The influence of activities affecting the proper standard of services was the key issue at that time. It was caused by the fact that only the wealthiest people could afford a room at the hotel. The most frequent hotel guests at the time were: industrialists, merchants and freelancers. There was a large focus on hotel staff. The employees had to be versatile and devoted to their work. Only people with highest skills were hired. Back in those days, it was already known that such a specific enterprise as a hotel or inn is all about the people who work there. It is worth to underline, that luxurious hotels such as Grand or Savoy required their staff to speak foreign languages. It was due to the fact that Łódź was inhabited by many nationalities. It is worth to focus on issues related to marketing and shaping of the brand of a hotel establishment. It had to earn renown in order to become the force to be reckoned with on the Łódź market of hospitality services. It was earned through the costly advertisements in the press, introduction of new technologies and creating an image of an establishment as an important meeting place, where the local elites socialize. Another factor, which shaped the hotel industry in the 1824–1918 period, was the strong influence of the environment, which due to its numerous, turbulent changes caused the number of hotels to increase rapidly but also led to the demise of many establishments. For example, the period of Łódź’s prosperity at the turn of the 19th and 20th century led to the increase in the amount of hotel establishments, whereas World War I resulted in putting some of the hotels into military use and subsequently, decrease in quality and quantity of the services provided. It is worth to mention the influence of hotels and other hotel establishments on the society of the 19th and 20th century Łódź. It is clear that at that time, apart from providing lodging services, the hotels were also centers of social life. They seated best cafes and restaurants, which served the wealthiest clients. The hotels were ornaments of the streets of Łódź and a testimony to city’s development. To conclude, the hotel industry in Łódź during the 1824–1918 period developed very rapidly. When analyzing the tendencies in the creation of new esta-blishments, it is clear that there was a large demand for this kind of services. If it was not for the outbreak of two world wars, Łódź would nowadays be able to take pride in numerous hotel establishments with over a hundred year’s tradition. Nowadays, it is worth to contemplate the development of Łódź’s hotel network based on prewar, traditional establishments. Grand Hotel can be an example of an establishment, which has offered top-quality hospitality services since 1888 and up to this day, remains one of the most popular landmarks of Łódź.