Le Saint-Martin terrace by night
The hotel strikes this balance by
creating a luxurious environment
within the property, and by exploiting
the off-site amenities unique to
southern France.
The hotel offers a La Prairie spa and
Michelin-star restaurant. While not on
an occasional day trip, “guests expect
the team to spend a lot of time with
them,” said Bon de Sousa. “And that’s
what the team likes.”
The hotel capitalizes on what southern
France is most known for gastronomy
and art. The well-informed staff helps
guests find and enjoy cuisine off the
property. And the Saint-Martin places
an emphasis on connecting guests
to southern France’s artworld with
exhibitions on site and arranging guest
trips to artist’s private ateliers and
galleries.
78 ILHA
Bon de Sousa believes there is
a significant difference in guest
expectations even between the two
destination resorts he currently
manages. The Saint-Martin is open
from April to October; in the
winter the staff operates L’Apogée
Courchevel, a ski resort in the French
Alps.
The purpose for visiting each resort
is different, and “the expectations
from the guests are different,” said
Bon de Sousa. At the ski resort, the
guest interaction is very brief, because
they want to access the slopes by the
morning.
“They have all the time for the staff,
and they expect the staff to have
time for them,” said Bon de Sousa,
describing the Saint-Martin. But at the
L’Apogée Courchevel, “the same guest
would not have time for us.”
The guest experience at urban-based
properties creates a dual mandate for
a hotelier. A hotel should facilitate
the exploration and enjoyment of its
city, which is the reason guests chose
that location. At the same time, it
must offer the highest quality service,
regardless of the time guests spend
on-site.
The Mandarin Oriental, Boston, in the
center of the city’s fast-paced Back
Bay area, has formulated the right
balance.
The hotel helps its clientele navigate
Boston tourist attractions, with an
emphasis on historical sites and sports
events. The hotel relies on a highly
professional concierge team “to make
sure the city experience is extremely