Set along the largest stretch of one of the world’s best beaches, The Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa pairs serene surroundings with an approachable luxury ethos. It was built in 1994 and has been a key part of the Cayman Islands’ travel and tourism industry ever since.
Since then, the resort has been subject to a $50 million renovation that debuted in 2018, and a $3 million series of F&B outlet enhancements in 2021. “We carry out local focus groups with restaurant customers,” says Jim Mauer, Managing Director of the resort. “We listen to what they like and dislike. Some restaurants, if you touch them, they lose their character and then demand declines. We want to retain our customer base while having new offerings to appeal to a growing audience.” But one thing that has never needed updating is the view.
“We have floor-to-ceiling windows in the lobby, so you see this serene ocean view as soon as you walk in,” Mauer points out. “When we send people a photo of the ocean, they say ‘No send me a real view, not a photoshopped one.’”
That view is visible from 220 of the resort’s 343 guest rooms. Above all the amenities and luxury The Westin Grand Cayman has to offer, Mauer draws our attention to the island itself. Home to almost 70,000 people, Grand Cayman is situated an hour from the United States and with daily flights coming in from London, you’re simultaneously well-connected while feeling a million miles away.
“The island is so very welcoming, this is why the term Caymankind was coined,” Mauer says.
The island is well renowned for its friendly culture. “Grand Cayman is known as one of the safest islands in the Caribbean, and often referred to as the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean, these combined with a gorgeous beach like no other, make it a very desirable destination,” Mauer tells us.
Strangers in a Strange Land
However welcoming and even familiar the island may seem, it is still the job of Mauer and his team to make sure guests feel at home. Ninety percent of the resort’s guests are from the US, 10% are from the UK and further afar, but they are all there to have a good time. “Regardless of where people are from when they travel, when they get here, they are strangers in a strange land,” Mauer emphasises. “They need guidance, they need direction. Fortunately, our whole team knows the island well. We are ambassadors for Grand Cayman and the island itself. But we must do anything we can do to understand each guest and provide an approachable, friendly atmosphere.”
No two guests are alike, and it is essential that the resort not only serve its guests but also gets to know them. “Each guest has a different understanding of what they’re here for,” Mauer explains. “We are providing a personalised and curated stay that works exactly for that customer.”
To Mauer, this is about more than providing great service. This is about a duty of care.
“There is a habit among hotel staff in general where, if someone asks for directions the staff will say ‘oh down there and on the right’, but this is impersonal” Mauer says. “These guests are in our care. They are paying for that, and we take that responsibility very seriously.”
The bedrock of that responsibility is communication, at every stage of the guest’s journey.
“It is about talking to the guests at check-in, but also talking to them pre-arrival, finding out whether they are on a business or a leisure trip. We have to process them quickly, understand what they need, then follow that up with calls to ask how they are doing,” Mauer says. “Our staff peel back the onion to understand what our guests are all about. The average stay is between five and seven days, so we use that time to really get to know people. It is about personalising the stay rather than just offering one set of offerings for everyone.”
Empowered at All Levels
To do this effectively, Mauer is clear that every member of staff needs the freedom to do their job the best that they can.
“All of our managers and associates are empowered at all levels,” Mauer says. “Any manager can make any decision I could make.”
For Mauer, this is about more than just “motivating” people. As he tells us, “Motivating isn’t leading.” To succeed, Mauer believes that people need to be invested in the business, capable of making the same decisions Mauer would make for the good of the business and its customers, rather than waiting for top-down instructions.
Mauer says, “My management team is second to none, they are all empowered and invested in our goal to be the best resort on Grand Cayman Island and the world.”
Every business claims it values its people, but in 2020 the Covid pandemic really put those claims to the test. Grand Cayman’s borders were closed for a year and a half, allowing nobody in or out and cutting flights down to one a month. The island’s entire tourism industry shut down overnight, not opening again for 18 months, and even then, only with heavy restrictions.
It was a tough situation for Westin Grand Cayman’s 297 staff members and 65 managers, even after the resort and spa had enjoyed banner years across 2018 and 2019.
Westin Grand Cayman did just that, keeping on all of its staff and paying them for 40 hours a week. Staff were allowed to return to their home countries, still on full pay, for the entire year and a half. It was a big gamble, but it paid off.
“It meant that when we reopened our culture was still healthy because we didn’t abandon our people,” Mauer emphasises. “It meant we could ramp up much more quickly. Our managers are experienced in really teaching this service excellence, so I made sure to keep every single one of them, and all of them are here today. It was expensive, but we have seen a tremendous recovery in a short six months, and it has proven to be a good decision.”
The Art and Science of Service
When Mauer starts talking about the value he places in his people, it pays to really listen. “The hotel business isn’t for everyone, but I started as a room service waiter in 1984 and have been in hotels ever since,” he tells us. “When it gets in your blood it becomes what you love to do. So, it is critical we have the right people who know what the hotel has to offer, and what the island has to offer. We want service to be genuine and approachable. We are not interested in providing that kind of stuffy luxury. We have all had service from people who helped us but did not want to and it is extremely frustrating”.
These values are an integral part of Westin Grand Cayman’s culture, and Mauer has sought out a team of people who can walk the talk and then pass that ability on to others.
“We teach the art and the science of service,” Mauer explains. “The art is in getting across a really genuine love for helping guests, but if you just have the art, you can have somebody who is great with one person as someone else walks right by ignored. You need a foundation of policy and procedure, and you balance them. With just the science, it is all very mechanical, with just the art, it is not consistent for all customers.”
When finding people who can be part of that culture, Mauer is sure to always start close to home.
“When we hire, we want to hire Caymanian staff first. We search locally before we consider expatriate workers,” Mauer says.
This local-first philosophy is also reflected in the resort’s supply chain. Mauer insists on using local products first. That means sourcing from local farmers, buying locally curated produce and using a local wine distributor.
“Anything we can do locally first, right up to room service amenities, are all made on the island,” Mauer says.
Mauer argues that while this is about supporting local communities and businesses, it is also an issue of sheer practicality.
“We have 343 rooms, and I can have 2000 people here at any one time. We have food shipments coming in from the UK twice a week from Waitrose, and also the US. But the supply chain on the island will cost you two extra months and an extra 30% in cost to get it through the port,” Mauer tells us.
But it is also part of a philosophy of sustainability that touches every aspect of the business.
“We want to be great corporate citizens,” Mauer says. “From a holistic perspective, we are in the process of eliminating all single-use plastic. From an ocean standpoint, we want to make sure we are respectful and honour this beautiful beach.”
Crucial to that approach is a hand-in-hand relationship with the island community. Mauer is adamant that he does not want guests to come to the resort, stay in the hotel all week and then leave.
“The island doesn’t have any all-inclusive hotels,” Mauer says. “We are known as the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean and our island’s restaurants are truly excellent, there is no reason for guests to only eat here. We encourage them to go out and about, go downtown, dine and see the shops.”
Mauer is confident in what The Westin Grand Cayman has to offer, but it is the island as a whole that he wants to show off to guests.
