<B>Did you say perfect ?</B>

The Swiss gentleman did not hesitate when he was offered the management of the Sands Resort. His native land, renowned for the exceptional quality of its hotel training must have given him his main quality in work: the will to always be on top.

He had been to Mauritius once before settling here 20 months ago… but that visit lasted only 12 hours! “I always hoped to come and work in Mauritius one day!” This lover of the hotel industry has travelled the world. “I knew that a post in Mauritius would be a plus on my CV. So, when I had the opportunity, I didn’t hesitate!”

Jean-Pierre Simon is a perfectionist who can’t stand doing things by halves. His colleagues describe the manager of the Sands Resort in Flic-en-Flac, as someone “who would not accept any compromise on quality”. As he sits in one of the hotel’s restaurants, he calls the waiter a hundred times to make sure customers won’t have anything to complain about.

This severity in no way means that his team feels uncomfortable and there is no tense atmosphere at the Sands. On the contrary, his main aim when he arrived was to integrate perfectly into the team. “I criticise a lot because I believe that any work deserves to be well done, but the ultimate satisfaction comes when it is done very well.”

This was probably why he decided to live on the hotel premises during his first six months. “My wife and two daughters had not yet come to join me in Mauritius; so I thought this was the best way of integrating into the team and establishing the new strategy of the hotel.” This must have given the expected results, as the Sands Resort is now famous as a hotel for couples and honeymooners where simplicity and luxury are the leitmotivs.

With 35 years experience in his native land, Switzerland, then in France, Singapore, Dubai and Bahrain, the hotelier has learned how to satisfy each customer. He is pleased to say that he gets to “know each customer who stays in the hotel within 48 hours…” This has become almost a duty for him. He even does his best to match his hobbies with his work schedule during the week; “I try to have activities which will be profitable for the business like playing golf or tennis or even trekking with customers during the week… Then weekends are reserved for my family!” Oh! We are relieved… He still has time for his family.

In fact, he also has time for social activities; he has just been made honorary citizen of Flic-en-Flac. “When I arrive in a country, I behave as if I am there for ever. This attitude forces me to adapt very quickly and always see the good side. It would indeed be extremely difficult to say which country I have enjoyed the most since the beginning of my career.”

Although he would like to see better roads, fewer stray dogs and no pollution on roads and beaches, the legendary smile of the Mauritian people helps him believe he has made the right choice. He doesn’t know where he might be tomorrow but he is sure that he will continue doing what motivated him to start a career in the hotel industry, “discover people, get involved in other cultures and experience new places…”