Bahrain’s back in business

THE opening of the first tower of the Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre is a dream come true for the hospitality industry executive appointed to turn the company’s vision into reality, writes Anasuya Kesavan.

Stephan Kaminski, who has been overseeing the development of the property, knows the ropes from the bottom to the top. He began his career with the Kempinski Group 30 years ago as a bell boy!

He climbed the career ladder taking in every role possible including apprentice cook. Management training followed and his hard work and enterprise paid off when he earned an MBA in France. In 2006 he had the pleasure of serving as the general manager of the very same hotel he started his career at.

Mr Kaminski said: “I love everything related to the hotel business including good food and wine. I think it is one of the most interesting jobs you can possibly envisage. You can travel around the world and meet so many people. There is not a single boring minute!

“You have to work hard and you have to spend a lot of time learning the business, but if you love your job you can achieve everything.”

He is known in the company to be a perfectionist with an open and positive attitude. Optimistic of the future and convinced that his hotel has the best to offer every type of visitor to Bahrain, he added: “We have the possibility to offer one hotel in two towers, one with an Arabic touch and a modern influence and another which is European, cool and trendy.
 
“We offer more than a meeting room and a beach. We are reachable and easy. We have parking lots for more than 4,000 cars. And, the hotel has an exclusive parking zone for more than 400 cars.
 
“Kempinski hotel, the Wahooo! Water Park and Bahrain City Centre – we are a big family – and together we are offering so much more entertainment to people coming to Bahrain.

“If you come here you can go to the water park, enjoy a bowling session ... and, for a wife who likes shopping ... the best thing you can do is give her your credit card!

“You get entertained in all areas, from the variety of rooms on offer to the food we serve – you can have everything from a kebab to a plate of pasta.”

The big challenge he says at the moment is to convey positive messages out to the international market.

He said: “People are continuing to visit Bahrain but we have to get the message out that it is a secure and safe place and then even more people will come back or visit for the first time.

“I think the cancellation of Formula One this year was a big disaster. Big events should return. We are feeling safe here ... but unfortunately the message out there globally is not the same. We have had to adjust our business plan and we have had to look carefully into the future.

“We believe that customers are expecting us to deliver something special and many have been eagerly waiting for us to open. We know the challenges that we face and we are feeling positive.”

On completion the hotel will feature five more restaurants and bars – Boudoir, Baharat, Bizarre, Nasmat and Majlis Lounge, 14 meeting rooms and executive lounges, a 24-hour business point and leisure facilities which include an open air pool, children’s pool and spa with 11 treatment rooms, gym and hammam, known as a spreader of warmth and the word given to a sensual bathing retreat that evolved over thousands of years.

The hotel chain, renowned for promoting art and culture, also plans to work with regional artists and host exhibitions to add to the island’s growing visitor experience. A major fashion show is in the pipeline in the next few months too.