Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1502330
30 | Architecture & Design CREATING SPACES IN HOSPITALITY WHAT WAS VIVENDO'S FIRST EXPERIENCE WORKING IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY? It all started in 2014, when we were entrusted with refurbishing the AX Seashells Resort at Suncrest in Qawra, a 4-star hotel. The customer knew us as Vivendo, and furthermore knew that we had not worked in hospitality before, but they trusted us blindly to deliver results on par with the rest of our work. AX Seashells has over 450 rooms – the substantial number of rooms helped us to keep to our strong points – delivering and installing a large amount of furniture – while also letting us gain experience in the industry. We started and finished the project execution in one hundred days, before the hotel opened in April 2015. WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THE FIRST PROJECT IN HOSPITALITY? As our first hospitality experience, it really drove home that the key factors for success was nurturing a trustful relationship with the customer, an excellent internal team to drive the project as well as a specialised technical team and giving ourselves enough time to coordinate and plan each step before execution. Most importantly, focusing on doing one thing well, rather than a million things just 'okay', will always lead to success. S t a r t i n g t h e i r h o s p i t a l i t y d i v i s i o n w a s o n e o f t h e m o s t r e w a r d i n g e x p e r i e n c e s f o r t h e b u s i n e s s a t V i v e n d o G r o u p . W e s i t d o w n w i t h C h r i s G a u c i , H e a d o f B 2 B , t o r e v i s i t t h e p a s t t h a t h a s m a d e V i v e n d o H o s p i t a l i t y w h a t i t i s t o d a y The Embassy Valletta Hotel, Valletta – Designed by MXA - Martin Xuereb & Associates