Interview with Simon McGrath, GM Voyages Ayers Rock Resort Sails in the Desert Hotel

The Mole: G’day Simon

After a wonderful day in the sun in the stunning setting of the Voyages Ayers Rock Resort Sails in the Desert Hotel, thank you for taking the time to meet with The Mole for chat.

As a five star property, this hotel is clearly unique in its setting and I am sure has its own very special challenges, but before we discuss those challenges, lets chat about you and in particular, how long you have been here and where did you come from?

SM: I have been at the Voyages Ayers Rock Resort Sails in the Desert Hotel for 14 months but before that I was at another Voyages property, Voyages Coconut Beach and Voyages Ferntree Lodge which make up Voyages Cape Tribulation properties and before that I was with Mirvac in WA and have also worked at Hamilton.             

The Mole: What are the main contrasts you have experienced coming here to Sails compared to Cape Tribulation?

SM: Both types of properties are diverse in their own rights and the main expression of that diversity is the number of staff here at this property compared to Cape Tribulation and also in particular, the length of stay.

Guests travel to Cape Tribulation by car generally as Cairns is the nearest scheduled service airport, so they stay longer.

Here it is possible, I suppose to see the main sights in a couple of days, therefore technically you could stay just one or two nights, but in reality it should be longer.  I think that here you need to stay a minimum of three days to get real experience.

The Mole: Had you been here before you became GM?              

SM: I had been here once to the company conference and of course once for an interview, so my first day as GM was my first immersion in the challenges and opportunities that I was going to have deal with.

I had to quickly gain an understanding the multi-facets of the business of zone one, which is really what I am GM of, which incorporates more than one business centre including the hotel itself, the conference centre, airline catering and also the commissary kitchen which includes a bakery, patisserie, and the salad and sandwich making for other hotels.

Of course, we must not forget the world famous Sounds of Silence, which while our Kuniya Restaurant is our fine dining jewel in the crown, Sounds of Silence is the dining experience jewel of the visit crown.

Many of guests come here from all over the world specifically to experience the Sounds of Silence and rate it as an experience a close second to visiting Uluru and Kata Kjuta.        

It does create challenges for us, but we are immensely proud of Sounds of Silence.

We sometimes have to cancel, which nobody likes, least of all us, but we can’t control the rain, wind or even on occasions lightening and it has to be remembered that it is dinner in an outdoor desert setting, which you cannot recreate in a restaurant setting!!

Sounds of Silence is a $5m a year business, but it is a potentially high risk business in terms of making sure our clients are safe and of course happy.   It is also prone to equipment breakages and we have to truck everything out and make sure every evening is a superb experience.        

The Mole: As GM of hotel in the middle of a desert, what else struck you when you started work here?              

SM: The most difficult thing I think is attaining the continuity and quality of product that that is expected and aligned with the tariff, achieving that value for money equation and then maintaining it. 

So many issues underpin that in terms of staff retention or even getting them in the first place and I try very hard to get to know my staff well. 

There are 230 staff members of them though, but I try my best. 

We have a buddy dinner in the first 24hrs a new staff member starts here and a range of formal and informal interactions over the first few days.

We also undertake a number of ongoing activities with our staff to assist them in training and their career and we also provide social activities that are healthy and fun, not necessarily based at the pub!

The Mole: So what are the some of the operational challenges you face today as the GM of Sails in the Desert?

SM:  It is all pretty well established and processes well entrenched, but sometimes there are glitches in supplies and things have to be flown in, but in generally it all runs like a very well oiled machine.

I suppose the biggest challenge or issue is that we cannot be immediately creative and in particular in terms of food as we have processes and purchasing remotely in place.

Therefore, developing a new product or even undertaking a menu change can for us take four to six weeks. 

Because we are remote to our suppliers, we have to determine a brief, move on it, get samples, do tasting, refine it, do second tastings and then adjust the supply chain to make it work.

In terms of staff, surprisingly staff turnover here is no higher than an east coast resort as I believe that when they come here they make a commitment to be here.  If they stay longer than three months then they are likely to stay for much longer.

We like to employs Aussies as it is part of the experience, but we have had kitchen skill shortages and recently had to recruit from around the globe on a 2 yr visa basis.

The great thing is that we encourage movement between Voyages Resorts and after six month staff can apply to move to another Voyages Resort.

The Mole:  So, where do your guests come from?

SM: It is amazing, they come from all over the world – USA, UK and Japan and form all over mainland Europe.

The Mole: What type of Manager are you?

SM: I aspire to roles like this because I am absolutely and continuously fascinated by the operation.  I can concentrate on the operation, because marketing and sales is dealt with by Sydney, although we have to deliver what they promise in all respects and that is all port of marketing.

I personally definitely enjoy the F&B side of the business and really enjoy looking at food trends.  I would love say one day that I started a food trend.   I remember trying to convince a GM that we should open an entrees only restaurant, which I think is great trend waiting to happen. 

We have done that to some extent with our evening menu at our poolside restaurant Rockpool, because we offer an extension of the tapas style of dinging, while integrating Asian food into the menu.

It could go even go further though offering grazing on small portions which means you can be more adventurous with flavours and portions.

We all get caught up in the main course meat, chicken and fish scene when small portions of a wide range of things is a great experience.

I love cooking – it is my hobby and if I still have the energy when I retire, whenever that might be, I would like to see myself in the kitchen.

The Mole: What does the future hold for you?

SM:I am very comfortable here at Sails and I enjoy working in Voyages very much.

I like the more remote properties.  I don’t see myself as a city GM and hopefully will grow with the organisation.  I would really like to develop a new property for the group from the ground up.

The Mole: What makes Sails really different? 

SM: Hamilton is the other mega resort in Australia and their icon is the GBR while ours is Uluru and Kata Tjuta.

The difference is that being water based resort that they have much more seasonal variation but they do have the benefit of length of stay.

Certainly one of our competitors as a destination is Kakadu and the Top End and in particular as an international destination seeing something they will only see once and often they will choose between here and Kakadu.

Australia has so many wonderful destinations that are in competition and also NZ is right behind us!

The Mole: How has Sails matured over the years?

SM:  The hotel was built in the 80’s but a great deal of money as been spent here over the years improving and maintaining the hotel interior and also the exterior and as the landscape and weather take their toll on locations such as this.

Sails has gone from being a pink edifice in the desert to becoming integrated in the desert landscape where it now fits in and belongs. 

The rooms are very important but they are generally used by clients for a small period of time during their stay as they are out on tours and programmes or enjoying the resort facilities.

The public facilities are vital in a property of this nature and Sails one of the few hotels that can support three stand alone restaurants. 

Over the next 18 months, while we are putting in new furniture by the pool and refurbishing the bar area, the really big focus will be improving the rooms.

The Mole: The hotel seems very busy, is occupancy and yield good?

SM: Occupancy is very good, in the region of 70%, our room rate is strong – in the high $200’s and revenue very good. If we are compared with 5* city hotels in cities where rooms are often cheaper, it should always be remembered that these hotels do not generate their own power, have their own water supplies, are not located in a highly environmentally sensitive area, they do nor have to   provide housing and food for all their staff and they do not spend $1 million every year on  freighting in raw materials and other supplies.

We live in a very emotive industry where people get easily upset, but I try to remember to always look at the bigger picture and if you do so it will always bring you back to remembering that the customer is king.

The Mole: Do you have a phrase or motto that you live or manage by?

SM: I love the Asian expression that the fish rots from the head – if the business is not performing then the buck stop with me.

It happens sometimes but you do your very best to avoid it!

The Mole: Thank you Simon for taking the time out of what I know has been another very busy day at Voyages Ayers Rock Resort Sails in the Desert Hotel to speak with the Mole and I have to go as the pool is beckoning!!!

 

Report by The Mole