Finding happiness is a goal that most of us aspire to in life – but for Annette de Villiers, operations manager at Mont Rochelle, it’s also a vocation. For the past five years, Annette has taken charge of guest experiences at the hotel, nestled in the heart of South Africa’s Western Cape winelands.
It’s a role that has given her direct insight into the art of surprise and delight, whether that’s curating something spectacular like a surprise proposal overlooking the vineyards, or crafting smaller moments of joy on a daily basis.
“We really take time to get to know our guests at Mont Rochelle, which means we can add in little dashes of colour throughout their stay, to make everything more special,” says Annette. “We only have 22 rooms in total, so when guests check in, we take time to talk to them and get an understanding of their lives, or what they’re looking for in a great holiday. If they mention they’re celebrating a birthday, for example, we might surprise them with a personalised card and bottle of bubbly in their room. Or we could even organise an upgrade where space allows.”
“We’re in the food and wine hub of South Africa here in Franschhoek, so booking is key – we can help to arrange reservations at some of the great restaurants nearby,” Annette continues. “Equally we have our own stunning flagship restaurant, MIKO, and we can organise anything from a private dinner in our beautiful herb garden, to a winery tour or something a bit different, like horse riding or a gin tasting session for two. Franschhoek is a small town and we have lots of great local contacts to help make the magic happen.”
With a career in hospitality spanning hotels from London and beyond, Annette has developed a fine eye for detail – and a lot of what her and her team do at Mont Rochelle revolves around the little touches.
“When we’re talking about a well-prepared room, there are a number of details that we look for,” says Annette. “For example, is the air con at the correct temperature and the underfloor heating working? Are the flowers fresh? What about toiletries? We use Africology, a fantastic local and luxury chemical-free label, for our bathroom products, so everything is made from natural plants and is suitable for sensitive skin.”
Key to this process is understanding – and exceeding – customer expectations. “Someone might mention that they’re gluten intolerant for the purpose of breakfasts and dinners at the hotel,” says Annette. “They’re not expecting anything else, but then we’ll ask our wonderful chefs to bake some fresh gluten-free cookies to be left as a surprise treat in their room. When it comes to cakes and similar treats, we have an incredibly talented pastry chef, Michaela, who’s baking is just out-of-this-world. She recently created some handmade macaroons for our guests, to deliver as part of room drops, and it’s these kind of extras that make staying at Mont Rochelle such a magical experience.”
When guests check in at Mont Rochelle, they are offered drinks and taken on a walk around the property, for a first-hand view of facilities such as the restaurants, spa, and tennis court overlooking the vineyards. “The check-in process is very personal because it provides the opportunity for guests to get to know our team and for us to get to know them, too,” Annette explains.
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