Jean-Paul Dantil arrived at The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain as general manager in late January this year, ahead the country’s biggest sporting event — the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix. He took the mantle and a ceremonial key from outgoing GM Christian Zandonella, who had held the position for the previous two years, winning many accolades in that time. So Dantil knew he was stepping into big shoes at a significant time.

Dantil takes some time out to talk to Hotelier Middle East just an hour before the Formula Race sets off. “That’s because everyone is at the race and it’s a bit quieter. The teams and drivers are away for the day. Obviously it is busy [in the morning] because we have to prepare breakfast and look after the smooth transportation of the drivers and team to the track. And we use the time they are away to gather, consolidate and prepare for when they return to the hotel,” says Dantil.

He adds: “It’s one of the biggest events for Bahrain and quite important as well; the track is one of the drivers’ favourites.”

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Dantil credits the success of the Bahrain Grand Prix on the FIA Formula 1 calendar to a few different aspects. “This has got a lot to do with the friendliness of the Bahraini people. It’s well-organised, and Bahrain is easy and welcoming, which plays a huge role. Bahrain also has great hotels that can host the teams and drivers. You do not have this feeling of claustrophobia that you might get from other events — Monte Carlo and Singapore, for instance,” says Dantil, adding that it’s the first time he has worked at a hotel directly linked to a Formula 1 race.

The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain has been associated with the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix since 2004, and it’s one of the factors that Dantil claims makes his job slightly easier. “At Ritz-Carlton we are very much about guest preferences, and experiences, that’s why they like coming back. Our history helps us, I haven’t had to change things too much because some of our associates at the hotel have been with us for more than a decade. They are aware of specific guest requirements, and it’s then down to allocating the right rooms, equipping them with everything the guests need.

“We will also make restaurant reservations and pre-book spa appointments and all the facilities they require. It seems to work very well, and guests seem to like the fact that we are a combination of a resort as well as being in the city. That has made us one of the favourite destinations for the F1 drivers and the team management,” Dantil claims.

Displaying his humility, Dantil heaps praise on his associates. “I am fairly new [to the property] as you know, so I cannot come here and pretend to know everything. I have a great team and I listen to them, and it’s about constantly improving ourselves. I have a lot to learn from them. Sure, I can come in and say, ‘for the F1, do this and change that’. But it's important for me to respect their judgement since they have been doing it for longer at this property.”

He adds: “Which means it’s about pushing ourselves to excel and get better. It’s hands on, working together and listening to each other. Being a hotelier is much like being a football coach who knows which players are best suited for each position. I might not be the best football player but I understand whom to put where, and managing and motivating them to do their best.”

“I have a fantastic team, which helps a lot because we are not a new property, and guests like to see familiar faces. One of the biggest advantages we have is that we have so much history here” he tells Hotelier Middle East.

A few colleagues, Dantil reveals, have been with the property before it became a Ritz-Carlton. “Some colleagues have been with the hotel for 20 years,” he notes. “They are happy to live and work in Bahrain and the Ritz-Carlton brand does a lot of learning and development; we keep our ladies and gentlemen very happy, that is the most important thing. And our owners are fantastic as well.”

Dantil is ‘very bullish’ about the performance of hotels in Bahrain for 2017. Expecting to achieve a “mid-60 occupancy by the end of 2017”, he explains: “Bahrain is also doing a great job in promoting itself as a destination with lots of new investment. Everyone knows about Dubai, and it’s become very expensive. [But] Bahrain still has great value. The infrastructure is very well developed, which makes us positive as well.”

Saudi Arabia continues to remain the largest feeder market for Bahrain, and for The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain as well. “This is followed by the USA and we are also seeing a lot of interest from the German market. The UK market of course [performs well]. Russia and China could also be interesting, but obviously we need a lot of support from the airlines.”

Renovations are planned for the hotel, but the timelessness of the building structure has prompted Dantil to be cautious during the process. “I cannot divulge more details of when we plan to start or finish, but renovations are definitely on the cards.

“We will deliberately not renovate certain parts of the hotel. For instance, our villas have a unique feel and soul to them, which can be entirely ruined if they undergo a complete renovation. Hence, we looked at elements that made it special, decided to preserve those elements and change only a few things. The marble in our lobby is wonderful, and with age it gets that character. Then it’s up to our associates to give it the atmosphere,” Dantil concludes.