HOTEL OPENING - LESLIE CHERFILS, GENERAL MANAGER OF MAISON ALBAR - LE VICTORIA HOTEL IN NICE: “THE BEST PREPARATION IS TO 'DISSECT’ THE GUEST EXPERIENCE AND, ABOVE ALL, TO PUT YOURSELF IN THE GUEST'S SHOES” (France)
Appointed last May as the head of the new luxury hotel in the Azurean capital, the Nice native aims to position Le Victoria as a must-visit destination for both travellers and locals. |
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HOTEL OPENING - LESLIE CHERFILS, GENERAL MANAGER OF MAISON ALBAR - LE VICTORIA HOTEL IN NICE: “THE BEST PREPARATION IS TO 'DISSECT’ THE GUEST EXPERIENCE AND, ABOVE ALL, TO PUT YOURSELF IN THE GUEST'S SHOES” (France)
Appointed last May as the head of the new luxury hotel in the Azurean capital, the Nice native aims to position Le Victoria as a must-visit destination for both travellers and locals. |
Category: Europe - France - Industry economy
- Interviews and portraits
- Hotel opening - Interviews
Interview made by Vanessa Guerrier-Buisine on 2024-09-09
 Leslie Cherfils, General Manager of the Maison Albar - Le Victoria hotel in Nice
Photo credit © Maison Albar - Le Victoria
Less than a month before this event, Leslie Cherfils, the hotel’s General Manager, took some time to discuss this new challenge with us. This opening marks a true return to her roots for the Nice native, whose last mission in the azurean capital dates back to 2002 at the Méridien Nice, just a few steps from her future jewel. Having come directly from the InterContinental Marseille - Hôtel Dieu, Leslie Cherfils brought with her more than 20 years of loyalty to the IHG group, where she notably served as Regional Director of Sales and Marketing for the luxury division in Europe. Now, she brings her vision of luxury and expertise in the field to serve her hometown.
In this interview, Leslie Cherfils reveals the motivations that led her to join the Centaurus group, the hotel’s owner, and discusses the initial steps she has taken to transform Maison Albar - Le Victoria into a benchmark for hospitality on the Côte d'Azur. As the excitement builds in the run-up to the opening, she shares the values that will guide the property, and her ambition to redefine the luxury experience in the “Baie des Anges”.
Journal des Palaces: You've worked for the IHG group for the last twenty-two years. Why did you agree to join Maison Albar?
Leslie Cherfils: First, I've spent 22 wonderful years within IHG and my departure has been carefully considered. My motivation was twofold: firstly, I really wanted to be part of a key project for my beloved city of Nice; secondly, I was eager to continue developing within a smaller, family-run and traditional group.
The adventure of opening Maison Albar - Le Victoria combined both aspects, so I didn't hesitate. As a native of Nice, I've known this hotel since I was very young, and I've always felt that with such a great location, such a great façade and a completely renovated product, it had the potential to become one of the big names not only in Nice but also on the French Riviera. The Centaurus group has given itself the means, and I'm very proud to be part of this adventure, which concludes seven years of intense work.
What were the first actions and/or decisions you implemented when you took up your new post in Nice? What objectives have you set for the Maison Albar - Le Victoria hotel, which opens at the end of this summer?
The priority has been to recruit and, first and foremost, build a ‘crack’ management team. Within a few weeks, I was lucky enough to be able to surround myself with the hotel's future department heads, all of whom come from very different backgrounds: people from Nice of course, people from other destinations who were attracted by the project and by the group, employees from major groups who, like me, made a different career choice, and finally, others who believe in Nice's potential as a major player in terms of luxury, leisure and business tourism.
The objective is clear: Maison Albar - Le Victoria in Nice must be a hotel that embodies the values that are dear to the group: family spirit, respect, authenticity… but it must also be one of the big names in the hotel industry in the city and in our beautiful region, renowned for its quality of service and the very high standard of its facilities, with simplicity. Guests choose Maison Albar - Le Victoria because they want a distinctive experience in a setting on the shores of the Mediterranean.
What are the final stages before the hotel opens? What is the official opening date?
It's a marathon, and there are lots of them, but the priority remains attracting the talent who will bring our ambition to life on the ground. We're putting a lot of faith in people and in supporting our teams. A few years ago, we only mentioned the customer journey; today, we are developing the employee journey. We have established a dedicated Maison Albar department, and training sessions have begun for all our staff.
The hotel is due to open in October.
What are the strengths of this hotel, and how will it stand out from the luxury hotels already on offer in Nice? What are the keys to success for a good occupancy rate right from the opening?
The Victoria hotel project is quite simply unique in the city: a 360° rooftop with a bar and a restaurant with a menu designed by Glenn Viel, a 650m² spa offering never-before-seen signature treatments and exceptional brands, elegant, modern decor that's very much in tune with the destination and, last but not least, 132 rooms and suites with exceptional views not only of the sea but also of the city, so you can really immerse yourself in Nice.
Maison Albar - Le Victoria is also a place where luxury rhymes with relaxation and joie de vivre. Our ambition is to actively participate in the city's upscale development, but also to become the place of choice for the people of Nice for their personal and professional events.
The keys to success will lie in our ability to make this vision and ambition a reality.
How has the team prepared to offer an exceptional service right from the opening? What's the recipe for a successful opening in terms of guest satisfaction?
The team is preparing calmly. We're aware that there are expectations, but we don't want to rush things. It's a huge amount of work in all areas, even for the most basic things: choosing a supplier, adjusting lighting or a lift, finding new products (taste, smell, etc.) and so on.
You think you've left nothing to chance and then, in the course of a conversation, you realize that you've forgotten something important. The best preparation is to ‘dissect’ the guest experience and, above all, to put yourself in the guest's shoes. Transmission (not training) is also part of the management team's values to ensure success. In short, there's no magic formula, just strong convictions… And when our ‘guests’ come back, we'll know we've succeeded.
The opening is a time of great enthusiasm, but also of great pressure for the teams. What have you put in place to ensure that the teams deal positively with this pressure?
An opening is a unique adventure in a professional career, and I don't want to talk about pressure. First, there are moments of pure happiness when a project finally comes to life and everything you've imagined becomes reality.
An opening is a birth, with all the emotion and pleasure that can bring. There will also be disappointments that we'll have to build on, and the best way of dealing with them will be, and always will be, to listen carefully to our guests and our staff. We are in the hospitality business, where the desire to please must take precedence over common sense and resilience. This is what we will apply with our teams to deliver the guest promise.
Have you recruited your entire team? What positions are still vacant for the opening?
We still have vacancies to fill in all operational areas: reception, catering, technical, etc., and I'd like to invite all those who read this and are inspired by this unique project to join us. Once again, our profession is not complicated, it just takes desire and determination. Welcome to future applicants.
 The rooftop of the Victoria will offer one of the best views in Nice
Photo credit © Maison Albar - Le Victoria
 Projection of the façade of the Maison Albar - Le Victoria
Photo credit © Maison Albar - Le Victoria
 One of the rooms at Maison Albar - Le Victoria, which opens in October
Photo credit © David Grimbert / Maison Albar - Le Victoria
 The Victoria will have its own spa
Photo credit © Maison Albar - Le Victoria
 On the rooftop, the Taulissa restaurant will offer a menu designed by Glenn Viel
Photo credit © Maison Albar - Le Victoria
 The Taulissa bar is also suspended from the top floor of the Victoria
Photo credit © Maison Albar - Le Victoria
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