“A goal is a dream with a deadline.”
– NAPOLEON HILL
About Hervé Houdré
Hervé Houdré is widely recognized as one of the most respected hospitality leaders in both Europe and the United States. Born in an inn in France’s historic Loire Valley—a region celebrated for its Renaissance heritage, gardens, and world-renowned wines—his lifelong connection to hospitality began at an early age and evolved into an international career leading some of the world’s most iconic hotels.
Over the course of four decades, Hervé has held senior leadership roles at renowned luxury properties including Hôtel Plaza Athénée in New York, Hôtel de Crillon and Hôtel Plaza Athénée in Paris, the Willard InterContinental in Washington, D.C., and the InterContinental Barclay in New York. He also served as Chief Operating Officer of Kempinski Hotels & Resorts.
In recognition of his visionary leadership, readers of HOTELS Magazine named him Independent Hotelier of the World in 2006. That same year, he authored Sustainable Hospitality© – Sustainable Development in the Hotel Industry, a seminal white paper promoted by Cornell University’s Center for Hospitality Research, in which he coined the term Sustainable Hospitality. He later co-edited Hotel Sustainable Development: Principles and Best Practices (2011), published by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute.
A pioneer of sustainable hospitality since 2004, Hervé has been a leading advocate for integrating the Triple Bottom Line—Profit, People, and Planet—into hotel strategy and operations. Under his leadership, properties he managed became global benchmarks for responsible hospitality, earning him international recognition including the Condé Nast Traveler World Saver Award, the D.C. Downtown Citizen Award, and the D.C. Chamber of Commerce Leadership Award.
Beyond hotel operations, Hervé has shared his expertise extensively as an educator and speaker. He taught Responsible Tourism at New York University and has lectured at institutions including the New York Institute of Technology, Michigan State University, and the Tourism College of Zhejiang in China.
Deeply engaged in industry leadership, Hervé has served on the boards of numerous organizations including The Leading Hotels of the World, the New York State Hotel Association, the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the United Nations International School, and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, where he also served as Treasurer and member of the Executive Committee. He chaired the Hotel Association of New York City and served on the Executive Committee of NYC & Company, where he led the organization’s sustainability initiatives.
Today, through H2 Sustainability Consulting and the H2 Sustainable Hospitality Toolbox, Hervé advises luxury hotel brands, independent properties, and tourism organizations on practical ESG strategies, operational sustainability, responsible sourcing, and long-term resilience.
Drawing on more than four decades of operational leadership at some of the world’s most prestigious hotels, Hervé advises hotel owners, investors, hospitality groups, and mixed-use developments on operational strategy, governance, positioning, and long-term value creation.
Through H2 Advisory Services, he provides guidance across hotel and restaurant operations, concept development, branding, recruitment, pre-opening support, and operational due diligence. His experience allows him to bridge the perspectives of ownership and management companies, helping align operational execution with financial objectives, brand standards, guest experience, and asset value enhancement.
He also advises international organizations and tourism entities seeking to introduce products, sourcing initiatives, and cultural experiences to the hospitality industry in the United States and internationally.
A firm believer that hospitality must play a leading role in shaping a more responsible future, Hervé continues to advocate for an industry where luxury, sustainability, and profitability evolve together.
The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.
Some people dream of success while others wake up and work.
“Management is all about managing in the short term while developing the plans for the long term.”
"A goal is a dream with a deadline."
"Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime."
“Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.”
“Face reality as it is, not as it was or as you wish it to be.”
“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”
“If you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete.”
"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."
“The best way to predict the future is to create it."
“The one who believes in himself or herself has no need to convince others.”
"Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life."
“Excellence is the best deterrence to racism and sexism.”
“Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.”
"I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have."
“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”
“Opportunities don’t happen, you create them.”
“I never dreamed about success, I worked for it.”
"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."