Rotorua lodge feted by consumers

HIGH ACHIEVER: Fred Novella, director Hamurana Lodge Boutique Hotel

Gaining Trip Advisor certificates of excellence, for both his hotel and its restaurant, was a proud moment for Hamurana Lodge Boutique Hotel's Fred Novella.

Trip Advisor Certificates of Excellence are awarded annually based on visitor feedback on the organisation's website, recognising a high overall user rating and high volume and quality of reviews.

"While we enjoy providing a high level of service to our hosted guests, it is extremely satisfying to read their personal reviews and know that their experience has exceeded their expectations."

Customer-driven accolades are particularly gratifying for Fred and he says sites such as Trip Advisor provide a great push for online bookings and inquiries.

"I believe social media and an online presence is the way forward. There are endless possibilities online and they are instant, as opposed to publications which always have to be planned, booked, contracted in advance, which makes it very tricky for any future changes if anything happens."

Fred also enjoys the opportunities these formats offer to interact with guestS and uses their feedback to refine products.

His career has always had a strong customer focus. Fred graduated from Hamilton's Waikato Polytechnic before starting a career as an air traffic controller with Thai Airways International. He moved back to his native New Caledonia to head Air New Zealand's operations there.

"I learnt how to pace myself with work and work under pressure and deadlines but, at the same time, I realised I wasn't made to work with computers and needed to have people contact in my life."

The new millennium heralded a change in direction as Fred returned to New Zealand to invest in a motel joint venture in Rotorua and take on the role of hotel operation and residential marketing manager for the Quest Apartment Hotel Group.

But he wasn't finished with the airline industry and was lured back as a cabin crew trainer when Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways launched.

His various roles have enabled him to work closely with many nationalities, developing skills put to good use in Global Asset Solution Ltd.

"Hotel management was a natural step. You need to understand the specific location of each property, your workforce, ethics and clients. Every one of our properties has its own specificities and its really important to not base them all on the same model."

With Hamurana Lodge, the organic focus of Le Manoir restaurant is very much part of the ethics of the business.

"We had the chance to go organic, having a 15-acre property, with large green grounds. We wanted to utilise this as much as possible and firmly believe the world is moving back to ancient ways of cultivating, cooking and eating."

Fred says the policy of using organic produce and goods sourced within a 100-mile radius of the property gives the lodge a huge point of difference with other restaurants and fits with the desire to create a green hotel.

It is all part of the service and product that earned Hamurana Lodge Boutique Hotel Trip Advisor excellence certification for two years in a row and put it among the finalists in the Hospitality and Attractions category of this year's Westpac Rotorua Business Excellence Awards.

Host chef Charlie Brown is also a finalist in the Employee of the Year category.

"Our staff is like a family unit and we all take pride in achieving finalist status for the Lodge, and particularly in Charlie's nomination as a finalist in Employee of the Year."

IN HIS OWN WORDS

What are your top three tips for excellent customer service based on your experience in the hospitality and airline industries?

Love the job - you just can't do it properly if you do not have a real passion

Be genuine and sincere - you can smell a fake smile from a mile away

Be a good listener - use both verbal and physical expressions

What attracted you to set up businesses here in Rotorua?

I spent all my childhood school holidays in Rotorua while my grandparents were doing thermal treatment at the QE hospital so slowly became addicted to the city and the friends I made along the way.

We bought our first property here in 2000 and are still running it.

Having worked with many different nationalities, what Kiwi trait do you see as our biggest advantage in hospitality and which is our greatest downfall?

Being genuine and relaxed is seen as the great trait of Kiwis by the rest of the world. But our downfall is that hospitality jobs are seen as an easy, second-choice career move and we are not protecting it from people who don't have a love of the service industry.

How difficult is it to source organic and local foods and products?

Its challenging as it involves many different producers as opposed to one contact. It also means we are never assured of what we can get until very close to the time, which makes planning a bit more difficult. But our in-house guests of a few nights appreciate that menus are crafted daily, subject to the sourcing and availability of products.

Hamurana Lodge now has a spa and five-day fitness package - how much of a focus is there on well-being in your target markets?

Our largest target clientele, whether overseas or domestic, is 28-45-year-olds. Most of them put health at the top of their game.

The organic food, the full gym and the fitness programs are all a great combination for any holidays they choose and I think, as we go forward, we will add more on-site, health-centred activities.