G'Day From Downunder

Get the kettle on and let's have a strong cup of tea to bide us over the next few weeks.

I recently returned to Ireland, to attend Paddy McCarthy's big day in which he was being honoured as Corkman of the year.

I would need twelve months to detail all the wonderful things we packed into that few days of celebrations and as they say in the classics "it couldn't have happened to a nicer person." Congratulations again.

While in Ireland I spoke to some people in the movie industry who are talking about doing a film of my last book 'A Time of Secrets'. We are at the first step of the ladder and so we continue to talk.

I also spent a bit of time in Galway with my fellow columnist Charley Brady and over many hours of talks and a fair share of the silly juice I discovered in spite of his hardline articles he is a very caring and considerate humanitarian.

Yes I know plenty of your out there will be saying I must have been totally drunk out of my mind or met the wrong person; well I can assure you Charley's bark is much more than his bite. Believe it or not he can be quite the charmer.

In May 2008 I met up with Charlie Sheil who was then General Manager of the very classy Clarion Hotel in Cork that he helped build into the award wining hotel that it is today! I was instantly impressed by Charley as soon as we shook hands he was commanding full of self confidence, assertive; he had all the signs of success in his mannerism. Charlie has a resume of achievements that most people would die for.

From the day Charlie finished school he was blessed with the attitude that nothing less than perfection would do. Substandard and failure are not words in Charlie's dictionary.

Just recently Charlie joined the brand new Gibson Hotel at the Point Village less than a stone's throw away from the most popular concert arena in the country, the '02 Stadium' in Dublin.

Charlie brings a wealth of experience of top class management with him. He has no peers in the hospitality industry, he is the benchmark! Some two years ago I wrote the following about Charlie

Sheil, a Dublin native, has worked his way through a succession of jobs in the industry since leaving the boarding school he attended in Kildare. "I started a four-year at the Shannon College of Hotel Management after leaving school. The first year was just an introduction to the basics, but in the second year I got a taste of what this industry is about. I, along with 40 students travelled to Montreux, Switzerland, a place made famous by its jazz festival. I spent some time working there and met a lot of famous people, like Sting and BB King over the course of the year."

These encounters were to eventually become commonplace, but first there was the matter of completing his course and undertaking some serious work experience. Having returned to Ireland for the third year of the course ("more intense, focused on law etc."), Charlie was required to spend his fourth year in work placement. "I was hoping to get my placement in the States, but that didn't work out. I went to the UK instead where I worked for the Swallow Hotel Group and ended up staying there for the next five years. I started as trainee manager and worked my way up from London to Newcastle and Sunderland. It was a good time for me and the company, which was very progressive. It gave me a valuable learning experience."

Charlie returned to Ireland in 1998 where he took up a position in Cavan as a Deputy General Manager, but, as things would transpire, he was soon to be setting sail for lands further afield. "I was holidaying in New York and it just so happened that someone I had worked with in the UK was now employed over there. So a meeting with management from the Waldorf Astoria Hotel was arranged and I ended up getting a job there. I had always wanted to work Stateside so naturally I jumped at the opportunity, particularly as the Waldorf is such a highly regarded hotel in the city. It took some six months to get the paperwork in order, but I eventually got there."

The Waldorf, a mammoth hotel with over 1400 rooms located in the heart of Manhattan, was a significant step up for Charlie, who was suddenly thrust into the glitz and glamour of high-society. "I was placed in charge of running the top functions at the hotel, some of which played host to the biggest names in New York and America. One that stands out in my memory involved George Bush and Al Gore, their last function before they went to the polls. I did get to meet them and they both seemed nice, but Bill Clinton was definitely the most interesting person I met."

Charlie next moved on to become the General Manager of the companies Bull & Bear Restaurant and Bar, before being promoted to the role of Beverage Director, where he was responsible for over 50 employees and maintaining a turnover figure of $19 million. "My role as Beverage Director was very exciting. I was responsible for the purchasing of wine for the hotel and the creation of new cocktails. I ended up attending many great auctions in search of high-price wines. That role was all about understanding the customer's needs."

All was going well for Charlie - and then September 11 arrived right on his door step, "a day," he says, "I'll never ever forget.

"That morning and the weeks that followed were like something out of a movie script. On the morning of the attacks everyone was walking up the streets. We had opened the bar an hour earlier that morning and were expecting a quiet start to the day. But we were swamped.

"People were calling in to make calls to loved-ones, checking to see if they still had homes to go to, or just calling in to talk to someone about what had just happened. I don't think it really hit me until two weeks later. But that morning I learned what we do in this industry is not just feed people. That morning I saw that it was about taking care of people."

The industry was hit hard in the wake of 9/11, and although Charlie considered his options, he ultimately decided to stay: "I remember we had to let go of 250 people in 24 hours and things were looking bad. But in 2002, as a show of solidarity the World Economic Forum was moved to New York. Every world leader was present. I looked after Desmond Tutu and Bono, so that was certainly memorable. Those are the moments when you know why you do what you do."

A move to the Millennium Broadway Hotel followed soon after as Charlie looked to progress up the career ladder and although he says the decision to leave the Waldorf was a tough one, he said the desire to take up a more senior position before heading back to Ireland ultimately helped him to make his mind up.

In November 2004 Charlie decided to move back, when an opportunity came up with the Clarion in Cork.

Charlie moved on from The Clarion where he was enormously successful and won the title of Hotel Manager of the Year, awarded to him by the Irish Hospitality Institute. But it was really just a stepping stone to even greater success.

The Gibson has all the class of modern day hotels and more. It is ultra modern, amazingly bright as its huge glass façade welcomes in the rainbows on those special Irish days. The 252 bedrooms are very spacious as we international travellers usually carry lots of luggage and we don't want small cramped rooms where we have to jump over suitcases. The ensuites are also spacious and have heated floors for when you step out of the shower (now that's a new one).

To all of you who read my articles regularly you will know I am very, very fussy about hotel beds. I promise you will have a sound sleep in The Gibson's beds, have no fear! They are as near to perfect as you can get. I am speaking from a wealth of experience as a well travelled person.

During my stay I visited the refreshment department regularly (that's a new name for the bar). Unlike most establishments in Ireland these days it was wonderful to be served by staff who spoke with Irish accents. (That was something I really missed on my previous visits home) and particularly ones with a sense of humour.

You never know who you might bump into at The Gibson. My luck was in when I asked the chap next to me at the bar if the soccer program he was reading was for the Ireland v. Argentina game that was being played the following night at the new Aviva Stadium. He explained to me that it was the program from the Ireland v. Estonia Under-21 game the day before.

I told him my son Jonathan had been collecting programs for years (a bad habit he picked up from his old man). He said I could have it for my son as soon as he finished his report on the game. I then asked him what his report was on. Then came the golden words, "I am a scout for Manchester United and I'm Alex Ferguson's brother; Martin is my name".

My reply was, "well hello Martin you are more welcome than St. Peter and all his saints. Aren't we going to have an interesting night?" And so we did, into the early hours and then followed up with a three hour conversation at breakfast the next morning.

Charlie says: "People have been dropping by to check us out and the response has been very positive. There's a bit of a buzz about the place."

The brand new 252-bedroom €100 million hotel opened its doors amid one of the worst economic crises the country has ever experienced. But they say it's all about location, location, location - and as such, the GM with the most exudes confidence in his labour of love. Commanding centre stage at the Point Village, the contemporary hotel with a musical twist is only a few steps from the front door of the most popular concert venue in the country. The Luas zips practically to its foyer and it's a stone's throw from the Grand Canal Theatre.

The following, given to me by Charlie, was penned by Rebecca Reynolds. I can't say that I know who she is and forgive me Rebecca for borrowing your words but I totally agree with them and couldn't do better myself.

Meanwhile, Convention Centre Dublin - the new world-class international conference and event centre - is set for its grand opening any day now.

Not even an abundance of hotels in the area - Jurys, Maldron and Clarion hotels are all nearby - can quell the enthusiasm of the new kid on the block.

"We're offering a very new and different product," says the go-getting Gibson manager, who previously helped build the award-winning Clarion Hotel in Cork up from the ground.

"Right from the moment you arrive you will start to see the difference," he adds of the hotel's unusual entrance complete with glass-fronted atrium, vertical wall garden and escalators that glide up to the third-floor check-in.

"Compared to 2005 when we opened the Clarion in Cork to an automatic market, it's definitely more challenging. But I'm confident we can succeed."

"This is such an up-and-coming area that there's been huge interest in what we're doing. Our job now is to keep the momentum going and get the Gibson name out there."

"The first week we opened we had the whole Cirque du Soleil crew staying which was fantastic.

"We've also gotten quite a few hits from concert-goers looking for rooms on the 02 website." But whether you're a music lover, art junkie, food fanatic or workaholic, the hotel - which has its official ribbon-cutting ceremony in September - has cast its net far and wide. As well as the obvious music market, it's targeting both national and international business, corporate and leisure custom. "In this day and age, you can't just focus in on one market anymore," explains Sheil of the hotel's all-welcoming philosophy. "We're pitching to everyone from Iron Maiden concert goers to Convention Centre guests - we want the business person as well as the music enthusiast."

From the photographs by Patty Boyd - ex-wife of George Harrison and Eric Clapton - to the sky-scraping Hemidemisemiquaver Bar, there's just a whiff of bohemian about the place. And its maze of international eateries, cocktail bars, indoor oriental gardens, heated terraces, chill-out bedrooms and high-tech gym is already luring what's sure to become a core market for the property - artists, concert and theatre goers alike. Tellingly hanging in one corner of the bar is a photo of music icon Bruce Springsteen.

And with a stint at the Waldorf Astoria New York on his [resume], well-connected boss Sheil could be just the man to attract stars like The (other) Boss to the Gibson Hotel's plush penthouse suite.

"We're busy pitching ourselves to the international music industry in places like New York, Los Angeles and London," he reveals.

With every bed made and glass polished, the final task was to select the Gibson team. And it seems every cloud does have a silver lining, after all - Ireland's recession ironically made available some of the best possible candidates for the 100 staff appointments. "We had two recruitment open days back in April and the response was phenomenal," recalls Charlie. "Going back to 2005, people would have turned their nose up at a job in the hospitality industry. "But we saw a huge amount of high-skilled, intelligent and personable people who were out of work in other disciplines apply for jobs. We've taken on people who've worked in banking, building, architecture and medicine as well as very guest focused hotel people. "To me, the phrase 'Attitude is everything', really is everything," he adds. "You can teach people technical skills, but they've got to have the right attitude. We conduct on-the-floor training with our team every single day to ensure the best possible service for guests."

Back to the gloomy headlines that say fierce competition in the hospitality industry has forced room rates back to 1999 levels, though. Doesn't Sheil lose any sleep over it? "It's a more cut throat industry than ever before," he concedes, "and it certainly does concern me. It's gone from one extreme to the other. "Five years ago, the product was overpriced but now you've got hotels that aren't even covering their costs. Long term, it's not sustainable and is damaging the industry." Offering an opening deal of €99 that will eventually ebb back up between €130 and €180, the Gibson manager believes they've struck the right balance between budget and exorbitant. "We've been very conscious of our prices," he says. "We didn't want to get a reputation for being too exclusive. We want to be known as an excellent, affordable hotel where you can have a bite to eat and drink before the concert and stay afterwards."

With retail units including a flagship Dunnes Stores and a multi-screen cinema all coming to the Point Village in the near future, the success of the Gibson Hotel seems assured.

But in the current climate, there's no room for complacency concludes Sheil.

"Our mission is to become the most respected four-star hotel in Dublin," he says. "And if I haven't achieved that in 18 months, then I haven't done my job.

"It's going to be a more slow and painful process than people thought, but if I didn't think the industry could recover, I wouldn't be here." "You can never stand back and say: 'We've done it'.'"

"It's all about continuously striving for excellence, having self belief and ensuring that all your team are highly focused on guest service."

As for me, well, full of the best things a hotel can offer, I staggered back to Australia to recover and perchance to pick up my pen to include you in my adventures.

Now until we are together again, be good to those who love you and Slainte from Downunder!

You can catch me at mike@globefins.com.au