Business View Caribbean | May 2016

94 May 2016 - Business View Caribbean Business View Caribbean - May 2016 95 three new rooms this year, during the hotel’s seven- or eight-week, summer downtime, he’s in no hurry to expand Hermitage Bay too quickly. “You have to allow it to evolve and be particularly wary of not damaging what we already have,” he explains. “I listen to guest feedback and they like it to be small and intimate, so that’s something that I’m very keen to preserve. We probably need to go to a second restaurant at some stage; we probably need to expand our fitness facili- ties and expand our spa, but no big changes. We don’t want to rush anything; we don’t want to make any changes because it’s working very well as it is.” Thesen, the accidental hotelier, says he is thinking of writing a book about his experiences as the owner of Hermitage Bay, hoping to isolate and explain the ways in which this ten-year old enterprise became so suc- cessful. “Because I think what we’ve done there has been extremely powerful,” he posits. “And I’d like to explore whether it’s transferable, which I believe it is.” And perhaps, after that book is written, and his work is through, Thesen, himself, will decide to relax in the Caribbean comfort of his own Hermitage Bay. PREFERRED VENDOR Island Provision Ltd. – Established in 1981, Island Provision Limited provides fresh, frozen and canned vegetables, fruits, meats, fish, poultry, drinks, and dry goods to the hospitality and retail industries in Antigua. It is one of Island Provision Ltd. Group of Companies that also includes Best Cellars Wines and Spirits, and Gourmet Basket Supermarket. - www.island-provision. com