When Matthew came out of high school all his friends were doing Bachelor of Commerce Degrees at Otago. This however was not for Matthew. “I wasn’t really interested,” he says.
Matthew did a lot of career forums. “certain individuals come and bombard you with sales pitches for what universities you should go to.” A hotel management school based in Switzerland was mentioned and so Matthew started his journey. “Immediately as you walk in the door I was hooked”.
Matthew traveled a lot with his parents for work and loved seeing the different hotels. This gave him great insight into hotels and how they work. “things changed in each hotel from place to place.” He says.
Matthew then got his Bachelor of Hotel and Events management. “the Swiss aren’t like us kiwis, they drill you to a fine degree of what service quality is.”
“We did a lot of internships, 6 months study, 6 months internship.
He gained valuable experience through these internships. “one day the builders were still putting insulation around the pipes, then we got a night of -12 degrees and all the pipes froze. So no one had a shower, that was just chaos and the hotel was full. Small detail's like that are what you remember.”
He came back to New Zealand when his visa ran out and worked at Sky City grand for a year and a half. He then got the position at Quest headquarters in Auckland. Matthew loved the way Quest operated and at the young age of 26 he started up Quest Whangarei.
“Some people say I’m too young to do this, a lot are surprised when I say I’m the manager,” he says. When people want to talk to the manager he has to explain to them he is the manager. They then ask for the owner and he says “also me”
The last 6months Quest business has really taken off. Matthew’s goal was to be one of, if not the top provider in Whangarei.
Matthew has a strong backing from family and friends. Quest has 3-4 housekeepers, one receptionist and Matthew. “I had a customer come to me the other day and say to me that she won’t be staying anywhere else, thats the cream to me hearing customer satisfaction, that beats any review online.”
At Quest Whangarei you are checked in by the owner.
He gained valuable experience through these internships. “one day the builders were still putting insulation around the pipes, then we got a night of -12 degrees and all the pipes froze. So no one had a shower, that was just chaos and the hotel was full. Small detail's like that are what you remember.”
He came back to New Zealand when his visa ran out and worked at Sky City grand for a year and a half. He then got the position at Quest headquarters in Auckland. Matthew loved the way Quest operated and at the young age of 26 he started up Quest Whangarei.
“Some people say I’m too young to do this, a lot are surprised when I say I’m the manager,” he says.
The last 6months Quest business has really taken off. Matthew’s goal is to be one of, if not the top provider in Whangarei.
Matthew has a strong backing from family and friends. Quest has 3-4 housekeepers, one receptionist and Matthew. “I had a customer come to me the other day and say to me that she won’t be staying anywhere else, thats the cream to me hearing customer satisfaction, that beats any review online.”
He wants his hotel to be a Home away from Home.
'A Home Away from Home'