What the Job Looks Like: Adrian Grant, the General Manager of Club Barbados
1. The perfect place to work!
Grant is surrounded by blue-green water and white sand, sunny days with occasional (but brief) gentle rain drops, swimming pools, and lovely guests ambling through your gardens in swim suits and tank tops.
2. Your Responsibilities
It appears that all Grant has to do is watch guests sip a morning espresso as the day fills with sunshine or slowly taste an iced-tumbler of rum in the evening as the stars fill the skies. It may be necessary for him to periodically warn a guest to replenish their sun screen, or suggest they order another dessert.
How difficult can it be to make sure these guests are able to enjoy all this languid beauty while being pampered by an amiable staff, satiated with good food, lots of booze, and comfortable accommodations – every day (24/7/365), without anyone noticing!
Skill-Set
Truth be told: if anyone has ever done business in the Caribbean, managing a hotel, let alone an all-inclusive property, in a global economy that is economically challenged, this “glamour” job takes the skill of a brain surgeon and the patience of Buddha.
The Perfect Host
With charm and panache, Grant makes the running of Club Barbados look as easy as opening a new bottle of rum and splashing it against a hill of ice in the appropriate glass. Fortunately for his guests, he possesses the attributes of an executive who understands the strengths of his property, the nuances of working cooperatively with a 24/7 staff and the demands of turning a Caribbean hotel into a profit-making venture…Grant does all this without appearing to break a sweat.
Expertise and Experience
Prior to his association with Club Barbados, Grant was the GM of the Almond Casurina Resorts, the Director of Hotel Operations and Purchasing with Almond Beach Village and the Manager of the Rooms Division of the Almond Beach Club. These Neal and Massy owned properties were recently closed and The Almond Beach Club was acquired by Elite Island Resorts and renamed Club Barbados by President Steve Heydt. Because Grant knows the history of the hotel – for him, there are few surprises.
In addition to his hands-on experience in the hotel industry, Grant brings a Cornell University perspective to operations where is has participated in the University’s General Managers Program (2001) and the Executive Housekeeping Program (1992). Grant received certification from the Barbados Institute of Management and Productivity (1995) and is certified as a Caribbean Quality Facilitator (1996). In addition, he has studied at the Caribbean Hospitality Training Institute where he focused on human resources, train-the-trainer and front office management programs. Known for his management acumen, Grant has been able to consistently reduce labor expenses and food costs while maintaining a level of quality that is appreciated by his guests.
At the Club
Club Barbados is a small (160 rooms), all-inclusive (food available just about 24/7), adult – only (thankfully) resort that seriously addresses the guests’ wish to relax in a serene and unpretentious environment. With most of the guests from the UK – the rest of us are practically guaranteed a peaceful holiday – to do – whatever: my choices ran from swimming and sunning to reading and drinking. Other guests selected hugging and kissing, dancing, dining, and dunking like tea bags in the pools as their daily activities.
Grant’s staff is incredibly kind and resourceful, willing to coax the chef into making a treat that is not on the menu, or to encourage the bartender to blend an excellent cocktail while being overwhelmed with drink demands from dozens of other thirsty guests.
Sustainable
In keeping with current trends for hotels to be eco-friendly, Grant makes sure that all bottles and cooking oils are recycled and solar power keeps the water hot. With plans for the future growth of Club Barbados, Grant is supervising the upgrade of all hotel rooms, as well as the design and development of updated gym facilities, and a new scheme for one of the restaurants.
Location
The swimming pools and dining rooms are steps from the bright and airy rooms that have contemporary furnishings, showers and tubs, modern a/c and plasma TVs. The hotel is strategically located near a good medical facility and a short cab ride to dental services. Duty-free shopping and a busy shopping mall are within walking distance.
Heartbeat
Club Barbados is not Sandy Lane. It does not pretend to be anything other than what it is: a well-priced all-inclusive resort for adults who want to spend their days in shorts, t-shirts, bathing suits and flip-flops. It is about having an abundance of good food and good booze available – whenever the idea pops into mind. Would I return? In a New York minute!
For additional information: www.theclubbarbados.com/
WHAT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ARTICLE:
- Fortunately for his guests, he possesses the attributes of an executive who understands the strengths of his property, the nuances of working cooperatively with a 24/7 staff and the demands of turning a Caribbean hotel into a profit-making venture…Grant does all this without appearing to break a sweat.
- It appears that all Grant has to do is watch guests sip a morning espresso as the day fills with sunshine or slowly taste an iced-tumbler of rum in the evening as the stars fill the skies.
- Prior to his association with Club Barbados, Grant was the GM of the Almond Casurina Resorts, the Director of Hotel Operations and Purchasing with Almond Beach Village and the Manager of the Rooms Division of the Almond Beach Club.
