Quest Rotorua best in South Pacific

Quest Rotorua's Lisa and Colin MacPhee, with MC Howard Dobson (centre) at the Westpac Rotorua Business Excellence Awards. Photo / File

Apartment hotel Quest Rotorua Central has picked up two awards this month. Following its success in winning the Hospitality Business Award at the Westpac Rotorua Business Excellence Awards earlier this month, the hotel has been named the Quest Apartment Hotels South Pacific Franchisee of the Year 2015.

Quest Rotorua Central is a 36-unit complex in the heart of the Rotorua central business district, which next month celebrates its third year of operation under the management of franchise directors Colin and Lisa MacPhee.

Mr MacPhee put the hotel's awards success down to a commitment to customer service.

"The secret is putting the guest first in all that we do - customer satisfaction assists in all other areas of business performance," he said. "We have built a great team around us who thrive on this mantra, and as a collective, we all benefit from such accolades."

Management encouraged a customer-focused attitude in its staff. While not all of its staff had the necessary hospitality skills when they were first employed, they all had the right attitude, he said.

The MacPhees have an extensive knowledge of the Hospitality Industry, both having gained degrees in hospitality management and tourism, with a combined 39 years' experience in the trade.

Colin MacPhee has held various hospitality roles including food and beverage manager at Huka Lodge, he taught hospitality management at New Plymouth's Pacific International Hotel Management School and he has been a hotel inspector for Visit Scotland and Qualmark New Zealand.

His wife has also worked in Huka Lodge and as front office manager for the 5 Star Mar Hall in Glasgow and luxury lodge Cape Kidnappers in Hawkes Bay.

"We have a long background in hospitality, but this is the first hotel we've owned by ourselves," said Mr MacPhee.

Lead judge for the category, Merepeka Raukawa-Tait said: "Colin and Lisa have trusted their knowledge of the industry and worked hard believing they could create Quest Rotorua to be topline quality apartments. They were right. Rotorua is proud to have these outstanding young business owners in the community."

Quest is a franchise operation, with each franchise individually owned and operated. The franchise provides marketing support and monitors operations, but franchisees have autonomy.

Quest Rotorua Central has a 25 year lease on its property.

The franchise has 33 properties in New Zealand and Fiji, as well as more than 120 in Australia. Quest said the components assessed for Quest Franchisee of the Year were aligned with Quest best practice, business performance and high performance leadership.