SVR sponsor Joie de Vivre is California’s largest boutique hotel company. Started in San Francisco in 1987 by Chip Conley, Joie de Vivre has built a reputation for creating one of the most unique collections of lifestyle businesses in the U.S. with an eclectic portfolio that ranges from the budget-oriented, philanthropic-minded Good Hotel in San Francisco to the luxurious Ventana Inn & Spa in Big Sur to the chic surfer lifestyle inspired Shorebreak Hotel in Huntington Beach. Joie de Vivre’s brand personality has a lot in common with the California lifestyle experience: it’s fresh, inventive, casual, and grass roots oriented. Joie de Vivre also operates more than 20 restaurants in California and five spas.
Joie de Vivre’s new Joie of Life campaign is rooted in the belief that it’s the little things that matter — sharing an ice cream cone with a friend, a day on the Santa Cruz boardwalk, the way your dog greets you when you walk in the door. We talked to Linda Palermo, Joie de Vivre chief revenue officer, about celebrating life and other things joyful.
SVR: Tell us about the Joie of Life campaign.
Linda: Our company is named after the French expression Joie de Vivre — which means the Joy of Living. After what’s been a tough year for many, we wanted to create our Joie of Life campaign to talk about Joie — a new way of looking at the world around us and making the most of it. The site allows you to get a 3rd night free if you want to extend a 2 night stay, it offers special packages, contests (currently a Jump for Joie photo contest!), ways to express Joie or share Joie with others.
SVR: How does Joie de Vivre support the Silicon Valley community?
Linda: We have six hotels in Silicon Valley (Avatar Hotel, Hotel Avante, Wild Palms Hotel, Moorpark Hotel, Domain Hotel and Hotel Los Gatos) and all are active within their communities. One of our organization’s five core values is to have a connection and responsibility to our community. We participate in numerous community activities and each hotel is given a goal of how much they should donate throughout the year to local causes. The general managers of the hotels are evaluated on these metrics (along with customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction and profitability). Many of our hotels double and triple these donation goals.
SVR: In addition to being a hotel industry executive, you’re also the keyboard player for The Minks, who played at Silicon Valley Rocks! last year. How important was music education to you as a kid?
Linda: Music education was really important although I value it much more now as an adult than I did as a child! It helps to build confidence and conquer fear, build reasoning, improve self esteem, promote teamwork (when playing or singing with a group), stimulate creativity, and the list goes on! I have such a great appreciation today for music and if I could do it all again, I would have dedicated more of my time throughout my childhood and college to it. Most of all, music brings people JOIE!
