STRIVING FOR PERFECTION

Peter Birchall, new GM at The Palace of the Lost City at Sun City, is a veteran of the luxury hotel business and has managed famous properties all over the world.

Peter Birchall, new GM of The Palace of The Lost City at Sun City, has two primary goals in his new position: to build a team of staff with a shared vision and to boost profitability and occupancy through offering an exceptional experience. The target for 2001 was to maintain occupancies at the 72% to 75% level and an average room rate of R1100.

Sun City is a unique environment in which to manage a hotel, notes Birchall. The resort is isolated from city life and relies on guests making more than a detour to visit it. However, once there, they have a huge choice of accommodation and entertainment offerings in a sun-drenched safe environment surrounded by the Pilanesberg Mountains.

Security is a major selling point in the resort as a whole, as is the beautiful countryside, wildlife and climate and friendly people. The Palace itself is akin to Disneyworld, says Birchall, in terms of the overall themed experience. This is sensitively handled when it comes to spectators, who arrive in their droves to catch a glimpse of the impressive buildings and take photographs. While non-resident visitors are allowed to use the restaurants, Birchall is working on a plan to make the taking of pictures less obtrusive to paying guests by arranging planned tours.

The Palace has 334 rooms. Guests stay an average of three nights, with high double occupancy indicating strong family appeal. This differs from predominantly business hotels, which tend to have 10% to 15% double occupancy. It is the kind of hotel in which guests dress for dinner and the baby-sitting service is popular.

World-class service at a hotel of this stature is a must and extra emphasis is placed on staff matters. Training is vital and management and staff are encouraged to pay close attention to the details that make the hotel great, both in the rooms division and foodservice.

Because the hotel did not have a resident manager at the time Birchall took over, he has worked closely with staff to ensure that he understands every aspect of it. One of his goals is to train a member of staff to take on the position of resident manager and then to concentrate on constant service improvement.

He has also made a point of getting to know the resort as a whole and the ways in which visitors use the various facilities. "It is all part of one experience and as a manager of one hotel you need to know the entire complex."

Birchall is developing a five-year marketing plan to develop the hotel's business. "You have to be innovative to get people to come here, and work hard to generate repeat business," he says.

Also important is communication in a wide range of European languages. "We are fortunate to have several foreign language speakers, including Spanish, German, Portuguese and French among our staff, and written information will also be more multi-lingual," he says. Asian languages will also receive close attention.

The dramatic architecture of the hotel is a major selling point. Its African theme is captured in paintings, mosaics, statues, fittings and the building as a whole. Brilliant white linen in the Crystal Court restaurant and classic staff uniforms balance this.

The Palace is now nine years old and as Birchall says: "You need to maintain and improve your asset, but capex is planned and spent carefully". Ongoing maintenance ensures all equipment is in good working order and all rooms are upgraded every year.

Hotel guests can select from a huge variety of restaurants on the whole resort. At The Palace, there is Villa Palazzo, an upmarket Italian restaurant with chefs from Milan and an updated menu every three months, and the Crystal Court, which serves around 650 breakfasts/brunches a day. Meals are also served at the pool.

Executive chef Peter Washbourne from Australia manages the kitchens.

All other managers and staff are South African residents or nationals. Birchall says he finds the quality of management on par with any European country.

His primary objective, he says, is for guests to have a perfect experience, from a warm welcome as they arrive through to a sense of value for money when they depart. "A stay at The Palace must be a vacation of a lifetime".