ADVERTORIAL
ROMAN KRABEL
DARE TO BE DIFFERENT
Roman Krabel , General Manager of the 4 * Accra City Hotel ( formerly Novotel ), winner of “ 4 Star Hotel of the Year 2016 ” in the Greater Accra Region from the Ghana Tourism Authority , talks about all things in hospitality , sharing his experience and knowledge with us .
Roman Krabel origin from Germany started his career in culinary arts ; he was a Chef for many years . In 2000 , he made career switch to Sales & Marketing , Human Resources and Food & Beverage Management and eventually , this led him to become a successful GM . His culinary art and F & B background gave him self-discipline and the mentality for attention to details .
You must feel passionate about living in Ghana to stay for over 5 years ?
Something must be right ! I think there are several things ; the dynamic of the hospitality industry here is great . There ’ s a real passion here for the industry as well , the constant reinventing of yourself and reinvestment in the property etc . Ghanaians are unique as well ; you ’ ll see for yourself , they are very friendly , flexible , great for hospitality industry , you see smiles everywhere . All the great Ghanaian food which you can experience at my restaurant in Accra City Hotel too . I think the multicultural nature as well , all the different people coming to visit Ghana , etc . You can go to the North of Ghana for fantastic trekking . You can go to the South for beautiful beaches . And Accra is fantastic , you have everything in Accra and it ’ s really a hub too .
What made you apply for this job ?
I was contacted by one Shareholder for this role , and as I knew of the hotel and its reputation , I was instantly interested . When I came to the hotel for my interview , it was clear that Accra City Hotel ( formerly Novotel ) has a good philosophy and work culture . As a General Manager , I knew that my beliefs would fit in with the rebranding from the branded Novotel to independent Accra City Hotel and I could make a positive difference to our guests , staff and overall business .
Are there benefits to being independent ?
It ’ s much tougher . Some of us are big enough to have affiliations with groups or brands . But for those who cannot , it ’ s much harder . In many cases , the brand does not pay off because you would be working for them rather than working for yourself . Depending on the market and location , some products do as well as independents and some do not . It requires hard work .
You have worked for several companies ; what is unique about Accra City Hotel ?
Accra City Hotel is different as it is a privately owned and run company . Rather than having to deal with all the layers of bureaucracy often needed in International companies , you have a direct relationship with the owners , which makes decision making faster and our work more efficient . Things happen quickly and that gives fabulous opportunities to impact business . However , you are also left to run your hotel as business ; they empower and trust their General Manger which , as hotelier , is what you want .
Do you have exciting plans for the hotel ?
Yes , we are planning a major renovation and extension of the property , actually . The hotel is made of two different wings . The South wing is the original hotel which includes all Guestrooms . In the modern wing of the hotel we have the sloping front with a deluxe restaurant and modern Conference and Banquet rooms .
We will hopefully complete that next year . The hotel is actually 29 years old and was the first 4-star hotel in the late 80s which has developed a lot since . Now with new hotels coming , it ’ s important to update and build upon what we have .
28 Business Times Africa | 2017