Monsieur Fidel Montana new Managing Director

Mr. Fidel Montana is a highly experienced Director in the hospitality industry. His background is lined with the following properties: Intercontinental Corporation, Hilton International, Grand Metropolitan Hotels, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, Worldwide (ITT), Meridien Hotels & Resorts, Forte Hotels, Granada PLC and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. in Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean islands. His experience trail has been mostly in Senior Management but also in the Operations and Administrative Department, Food and Beverage, Room Division as well as Marketing and Sales. Mr. Montana has been active in the industry for more than 40 years. His success is in part due to his charismatic personality but above all to his high work ethics and deep regards and respect for the client. His credo: "The Client is Number One".

Q: Mr. Montana, you have taken charge of Hotel La Batelière in March of this year and we can already observe so many refreshing changes.

FM: Thank you, I appreciate your comment. Indeed, we have achieved not only physical improvements of the hotel itself as a structure but we also have, and are still giving, close attention to enhancing our service quality so as to match international hotel standards. To accomplish this, we had to involve all parties dealing with the tourism industry on our island. As an example, we have worked closely with the proper authorities to increase our fresh water capacity and our internet access quality. The cooperation and assistance we received has been very valuable and has allowed us to meet the needs of our clients, particularly our business guests.

Q: Could you please give us some specific areas that you will concentrate on in the near future?

FM: At this time, let me only mention a few of the main areas we focus on.

Refurbishing rooms: we are presently upgrading our room facilities. We will be doing this in phases and by floors. Upgrades will include new bedding; free Wi-Fi internet access. Additionally we will also install convenient work desks, charging facilities for cell phones and laptops, reading lights. On the amenities side, we have upgraded the bathroom items and soft and fluffy bathrobes have been added to the De Luxe room category.

Gastronomy: a good start to a great day is a balanced breakfast. This is achieved by our copious American buffet breakfast with a full variety of very fresh fruits and healthy items. Lunch and dinner will soon boast of a new menu that our Award Winning Chef is implementing. One important touch we added is our happy hour where our guests will be able to enjoy Tapas and relax at the West Indies Bar.

Business corner: Have you ever tried to print a document in a hotel? It is quite a challenge; at La Batelière it is different. Our Business Corner will help clients have a desk away from the office.

Booking a room: Our new website is now on a "state-of-the-art" level. With just a few clicks you are able to visualize all availabilities & rates and to make firm bookings, paying online. We offer special  Internet rates and packages for our corporate clients and individual travelers.

Q: At the start of our conversation you mentioned service quality. Tell me more.

FM: Thank you for bringing this point up again. I understand that this is a very sensitive matter in our region. And I must emphasize that I attach the utmost importance to it. La Batelière has a very enthusiastic staff eager to understand the client's needs and expectations. We do take pride in high service quality and to this end, we have scheduled top-notch training programs to achieve the famous Pacific Rim quality of service and allow our dedicated staff to show their cooperation in this vital facet of our industry.

Q: Do you consider the hotel location to be a safe one?

FM: Absolutely yes. Schoelcher is a quiet residential area. We have a gated entrance to the Hotel and additional guards roaming the property and its perimeter. These provisions contribute to an excellent record to date and provide a safe and relaxing environment for our guests.

Q: Mr. Montana, will you give us a few of your goals for the hotel?

FM: Certainly. To mention just a few, my objectives for La Batelière range from a brand-recognition of a well known international flagship in the industry, full-scale refurbishing of the 193 guest rooms, restoring the public areas, landscaping and beautification of the gardens, extensive staff training, creation of a new gourmet restaurant and last but not least a new look to the "Sucrier", our beach grill at the foot of the hotel.

Q: Thank you very much, Mr. Montana, for your valuable time and insight on the exciting changes coming up at Hotel La Batelière.

FM: It was my pleasure. I am looking forward to welcoming all our guests to the new La Batelière and invite them to enjoy the facilities and the warm hospitality of the Island of Flowers.