Founded in 1956, Meliá Hotels International is a global leader in hospitality, having more than 400 hotels open or in the process of opening, in more than 40 countries. With 42,000 employees worldwide, Meliá is renowned for Mediterranean warmth and core brands such as Gran Meliá, ME by Meliá, and Paradisus. The company centers its business around people and values, making excellence, innovation, integrity, and well-being foundational to its strategy.
To uphold these ideals, Meliá adopted Cornerstone to deliver highly personalized, value-driven learning experiences, blending rigorous service standards with a culture of collaboration, proximity, and personal development. As Head of Learning Sonia Guisado asserts, “When we invest in our people, we ensure those same values reach every guest, in every stay, around the globe.”
Championing values by building on Meliá’s people-first philosophy
Meliá’s “Closer” philosophy champions proximity, responsibility, and belonging at every level. Employee well-being, professional growth, and work-life balance are woven into daily operations. Meliá fosters an environment where personal development aligns with business excellence, nurturing a workforce that embodies Mediterranean hospitality, no matter the location or role.
Meeting global challenges with personalized solutions
Meliá’s rapid expansion and diverse global presence presented unique challenges:
- Delivering high-quality, personalized learning to 42,000 employees across varied cultures and functions
- Balancing in-person, hotel-based training with robust digital content tailored to both hospitality and corporate teams
- Reflecting values of well-being and work-life balance in every aspect of learning
- Facilitating seamless onboarding amid seasonality and turnover
- Supporting clear career pathways so hospitality is a fulfilling, long-term profession
“Most of all,” explains Sonia, “we wanted our learning platform offer to be about more than ticking a box. We wanted it to inspire, to help people grow personally and professionally, and to reflect the values we live by every day at Meliá.”
Why Cornerstone: Structure, flexibility, and value-driven learning
To realize its ambitious vision, Meliá chose Cornerstone for its flexible, robust content library and unparalleled ability to power self-directed, personalized learning. Cornerstone’s seamless integration with Meliá’s business structure enabled targeted content and communications by location, role, and brand, bringing the company’s core values directly into each employee’s daily experience.
“We chose Cornerstone because it blends the structure needed for our service standards with the freedom our people desire to cultivate their own careers,” shared Pilar Lopez Moreno, Learning Specialist. “Importantly, it allowed us to bring our values Service vocation, excellence & consistency, proximity and innovation— directly into the development journey of every employee.”
Transforming learning from compliance to empowerment
Cornerstone helped Meliá shift from compliance-led learning to a culture focused on employee empowerment. Content libraries were curated to reflect best practices in hospitality and service, personal development, sustainability, and well-being. As Learning Specialist Pilar Lopez Moreno notes, “We’ve moved from just teaching how to make a bed or serve a table to offering tools and skills for colleagues’ career and life.”
- Personalized learning and academies – With Cornerstone, Meliá reimagined digital learning for every department, career stage, and hotel brand. Specialized academies — Luxury Academy, Food & Beverage Academy, and soon, Rooms Academy — provide highly relevant development. When employees access learning, they see content tailored to their job, location, and brand, encouraging engagement and ownership.
- Work-life balance and well-being – Everyone can access mental wellness, work-life balance, and soft skills courses, integrating Meliá’s core values into every learning opportunity.
- Tailored onboarding – Distinct onboarding journeys, particularly for luxury brands, immerse new hires in the guest experience and company culture from day one, fostering belonging and excellence.
- Performance-driven growth – Structured performance management is foundational. Managers hold regular reviews, then partner with Cornerstone Learning to identify skill gaps and growth opportunities.
- Unified, agile talent team – In a major evolution, Meliá’s integrated learning with development, acquisition, and employer branding. As Sonia says, “Attraction, retention, and continuous development all have the same importance and the same impact in having the best talent in the company.” This collaboration ensures a holistic approach to talent and learning.
Engagement, communication, and well-being at the forefront
Engaging, multi-lingual communications help reinforce the well-being and growth messages core to Meliá’s identity. With Cornerstone’s communications tools, the organization can power visual, timely, and personalized recommendations, making it easy for employees to discover learning aligned with their goals.
“It’s much easier now for employees to find what matters to them,” Pilar notes. “Our communications are visual, engaging, and always aligned with our message: your development, your future with Meliá matters.”
Meliá drove more growth, engagement, and retention
Meliá’s tailor-made approach has transformed learning into a living expression of its Mediterranean, value-driven DNA:
- 93% of digital learning is employee self-requested which is a strong signal of a motivated, empowered workforce
- Created high engagement and clarity through targeted academies and well-marked career pathways
- New hires, especially in their luxury brands, reported feeling welcomed, valued, and integrated from day one
- Every training initiative is now a direct reflection of core Meliá values, ensuring employees embody and deliver them to every guest, every day
- Highly visible development opportunities fostered both talent retention and a sense of personal and professional fulfillment
“Meliá’s investment in our learning is an investment in ourselves,” a recent hire shared. “You feel the company’s values not only when you start, but every day, growing both at work and in life. It’s no surprise our guests sense that same spirit in the service we offer.”
Meliá brought their values to life with Cornerstone
With its values embedded at every layer, Meliá has built an ecosystem where people flourish—and so does guest satisfaction. Cornerstone, together with the empowered Learning team, underpins a blend of Mediterranean warmth and global best practices, driving a proactive, skilled, and engaged workforce.
“Continuous improvement, excellence, and well-being aren’t abstract goals for us—they’re daily practice. Thanks to Cornerstone, we deliver the same care inside our company that we promise our guests. That’s why we stand out,” concludes Sonia.
Meliá’s journey exemplifies how a hospitality brand’s lived values directly power employee fulfillment—and unforgettable guest experiences.
