Accommodation Challenge 2008. Building confidence amongst youth

It was a ‘one of its kind’ event when the Jetwing Group held its annual ‘Accommodation Challenge 2008’ at The Beach, which is an up market boutique property of the group, situated in Negombo.

by Prasad Abu BAKR

This whole idea was conceptualised by the hotel’s top management levels as a unique move to keep a track on the performance on its staff involved in granting and accommodating guests who check-in to the ten properties owned and managed by the group spread out island wide, on a daily basis.

The programme which keeps with standards that apply to similar competitions which takes place elsewhere in the hospitality trade worldwide is been implemented by the Jetwing Group with a view of improving the quality within its public relations and accommodation sector. A large one taking into consideration that it spreads through ten properties of the chain.

An experienced team of judges were present to scrutinize every detail before any final decisions were made with regard to the employees serving in the public relations (Reception) and accommodation (House Keeping) departments of the group’s hotels.

Nimali Rajapakse, Nalin Kahatapitiya and Leonard Perera of the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (formerly Ceylon Hotel School) together with Ruvini Ranasuriya, a former lecturer at the institute, made up the panel of judges in attendance.

Myself together with another journalist who covers matters pertaining to the leisure sector were appointed to play the role of two ‘mock-up guests’ approaching the reception counter requesting for a room reservation. We were selected on the grounds of having had prior experience of travelling widely and checking-in into a variety of hotels all over the country.

While we were busy asking questions and making inquiries judges Nimali Rajapakse and Nalin Kahatapitiya were busy assessing many aspects of the employees (actual receptionists) with regard to their approach, response and attitude towards their guests. We, the acting guests were supposed to approach each set of receptionists, coming from different hotels, seeking assistance for a variety of needs.

Be it checking-in with or without a reservation, looking for a cab to pick you up to be at the airport at an odd hour, wanting to have a guide who will take you around to places of interest or having to get information pertaining to places of interest, the judges were closely watching how confident and well informed the receptionists were in answering our questions and in attending to the needs of their guests.

For the receptionists, most of them fresh out of school and had joined in for in-house training at the hotels they were employed at, the entire exercise was an eye opener and a challenge to prove their metal

While all this was happening downstairs at ‘Black Coral’ the fine dining restaurant of ‘The Beach’ where a ‘mock-up’ hotel reception counter was set-up, judges Leonard Perera and Ruvini Ranasuriya were busy on the first floor in the conference room putting to test the capabilities of the House Keeping staff.

In the process, the judges later stated, that through utter enthusiasm some of the staff had over decorated the bed during ‘Turn down Service.

This is a service that is performed by the house keeping department of any hotel where the bed is re-set for the guest to retire into when they return after dinner. Generally the bedspread or coverlet is removed and done away with while the top sheet is folded into some design with a simple flower or leaf placed and the ‘Good Night’ message attached to it.

In both competitions personal deportment was placed as top priority. While for the receptionist’s their knowledge of English was naturally an important asset, for the house keeping staff besides their trained knowledge on their day to day work was compulsory, efficiency and getting their work done in ‘double quick’ time was counted to add on to their mark sheets.

The competitive edge to the event came to an end with a quiz competition based on tourism and the competitors related field of work, which was held at Blue Oceanic Beach Hotel.

After a long day of events the much awaited final results were announced at a grand awards presentation function graced by Rev.Shiran Karawagoda who was Chief Guest while Ruan Samarasinghe, Managing Director Jetwing Group was Guest of Honour.

At the ceremony it was revealed that the Front Office Challenge (Practicals) Award 1st place was won by Blue Oceanic Beach Hotel - Negombo, House Keeping Challenge (Practicals) Award 1st place was won by St. Andrews - Nuwara Eliya.

Both the Quiz Competition and the overall Championship was won by Hotel Blue Water - Wadduwa. With a large number of competitors from all parts of the country employed at various Jetwing hotel properties present at this event and the many other guest who were invited to witness this unique event it was tipped to end as it did.

With pomp amidst a festival atmosphere which took the form of a cocktail evening at the Blue Oceanic for the guests and a grand dinner at The Beach for all the contestants.

The venue - Extraordinary

It is only fitting to include here a miniature description of the fine venue where the ‘Accommodation Challenge 2008’ was hosted

Built in 1987 by architect Geiffery Bawa under the name named Royal Oceanic, today The Beach stands as tall as it did better dressed and more programmed to suite today’s travellers needs.

Though it was built at a time when the country was not at its height of attracting travellers from the west owing to the ethnic conflict that occurred three years prior to its appearance and the youth unrest that was brewing in the south at the time the property has survived all those and many more short comings that the tourism industry here had to face since then with endearing grace.

With its recent refurbishment and face lift, preserving the architectural qualities which are unique identity traits of the man who designed its structure 21 years ago architect Vinod Jayasinghe has re-dressed the present 78 rooms, which includes 3 suites, in a theme consisting of white, wood and cement which has brought out serene surroundings to dwell in expected by modern holiday makers.

In contrast to the above, public areas such as the lobby, spa, restaurant including the fine dining restaurant ‘Black Coral’ has been dressed with a sharp taste of modern elegance by Anika Fernando Singh.

Her choice of flame orange and some times splashes of burnt gold or lemon green combined with large areas of black gives the entire product a appearance of an ‘Av ant Gard’ studio product befitting the most interior elements that fits into today’s designer manifest.

The new dressing up has brought in a large sprawling swimming pool sitting parallel to the shoreline far left from the restaurant below and many modern attributes catering to the up market tempo that the contemporary travel market is fine tuned to.

The General Manager of the hotel Hyacinth Gunawardena said that since its refurbishment the quality of its patrons has risen from an economy to a niche bracket. With a fine menu list of international cuisine and a friendly staff to attend to your need during ones stay at The Beach makes it a highly recommended holiday stations all year round.