What is your vision for The Palace Boutique Hotel?
We envision branching out to two or three hotels under the same name. With this in mind, we have begun the renovation and rebranding of our hotel, including its iconic exterior shape. The idea is to create a unique positioning for the hotel in Bahrain ahead of its reopening in mid-November.
What have been your biggest challenges (and successes) over the past difficult years?
Personally, my relocation as I am new to the Middle East – just over 2 years. However, I really enjoy life in Bahrain. Professionally, as was the case with most businesses, COVID-19 posed challenges to recruitment and goods supply, while none of them were impossible to deal with.
Other than a great team, what qualities does your hotel have that make it stand out in Bahrain?
Our food and beverage offerings: breakfast at the Orangery, lunch at Masso, dinner at Circa, and a late drink by the pool of the hotel provide unique experiences to our guests. They can also enjoy in-room dining from any of these three restaurants.
What does hospitality leadership mean to you?
It is to empower people to make the right decisions, recruit talented individuals, and let them bring their energy into the business and inspire the teams to move forward. It doesn’t have to be a manager; anybody can be a leader in their own right. As a leader, you need to recognize and encourage the right behaviour, while monitoring if it is on-brand. Only then will we move as a unit in the same direction.
Is there a particular saying or motto that guides you?
Stay focused on the end result, and be optimistic. You always need to keep your eyes on the prize, this will bring success to the company and your people. Steer clear of worrying about the little things. As a German philosopher said, “The devil is in the details”.