BUILDING a legacy

Legacy Group

Legacy Hotels and Resorts own and manage 24 properties, all four or five star bush lodges, leisure resorts, casino and corporate resorts in key tourism and business locations. They are expanding into the emerging European and Middle Eastern markets. The company employees over 2200 staff worldwide and despite this impressive footprint, Paddy

Brearley speaks about his company as a team of individuals, a tightknit operation where every one of his 2200 staff is as much a key part as everything else.

As a testament to the luxury and standard of the resorts and hotels, whether designed for leisure or corporate feel they are interchangeable, providing effective luxury and professionalism to suit the traveller, tourist or businessman.

“You can spot a Legacy hotel as it is not just about the bricks and mortar, our spacious hotel rooms or fine restaurants,” Paddy says, “Visiting our world is about discovering something new and amazing, a place where you can experience those special moments that will be cherished for years to come.”

Their hotels and resorts have been carefully designed and built to complement the special features of each destination and while each Legacy hotel is unique, they all share a charm, elegance and commitment to service excellence to which the discerning traveller has become accustomed.

“Legacy Resorts have a reputation for warmth and friendliness and as four and five star resorts every one of our employees are focussed on providing the best experience possible for each of our guests,” Paddy explains, “Service is the only differentiator between us and our competition that really counts. Magic Moments is a perfect example of this.”

Magic Moments is a course that has been developed internally by the staff. Instead of being management-lead it owes its cultivation to their understanding of what it takes for Legacy to remain at the top.

“Magic Moments is very simply what happens when a staff member makes a difference,” Paddy says, “Our resorts may be beautiful but it’s the impression got from the staff that really makes a long lasting impression.”

So what does this take? “The little things,” Paddy elaborates, “Cleanliness is very

important, you have to get into the corners where people usually wouldn’t look to go that extra step. Other things like chocolates on the pillows for example. All resorts leave chocolates on the pillows, we just make sure we leave the best ones. When our guests go on our tours we have the best

National telephone:

0861 TOWELSOffi ces in: Cape Town | DurbanGarden Route | Johannesburg

Email: info@towelandlinen.co.za

www.towelandlinen.co.za

We serve the Hospitality Industry for all your

bedroom, bathroom and restaurant requirements.

We stock the following luxury Towel ranges,

Our Royal Diamond 550gr Our Royal Endurance

Anti-Snag Towel as well as our New Eco- Soft

(Eco- Friendly) Anti-Snag towel range.

VISIT OUR SHOP IN CAPE TOWN @6 HONEYWELL ROAD (SPOTTY DOG),RETREAT INDUSTRIA, CAPE TOWN

National telephone:

0861 TOWELSOffi ces in: Cape Town | DurbanGarden Route | Johannesburg

Email: info@towelandlinen.co.za

www.towelandlinen.co.za

We serve the Hospitality Industry for all your

bedroom, bathroom and restaurant requirements.

We stock the following luxury Towel ranges,

Our Royal Diamond 550gr Our Royal Endurance

Anti-Snag Towel as well as our New Eco- Soft

(Eco- Friendly) Anti-Snag towel range.

VISIT OUR SHOP IN CAPE TOWN @6 HONEYWELL ROAD (SPOTTY DOG),RETREAT INDUSTRIA, CAPE TOWN

What do you look for in the perfect holiday?

Perhaps you like sandy beaches and beautiful ocean-lit sunsets, or maybe you prefer wild savannahs of green-yellow grass, or perhaps mountains so tall that clouds have to go around because they cannot go over. We all have destinations that we want to visit, we all have an ideal holiday in mind but for every one of our personal dream vacations there is an underlying similarity, a handful of key elements that we always want. We chat with Paddy Brearley, Managing Director of Legacy Hotels about what it takes to make an ideal destination for their guests.

Endeavour Magazine • September 2012 •

drinks and snacks. Our aim is not to make people comfortable but genuinely impressed.”

There is also a strong focus on people to people interactions.

“Nothing is perfect all the time and things sometimes go wrong,” Paddy says, “We’re all human after all and experience has taught us that it isn’t that things go wrong or that mistakes are made that make people like you or me unhappy but rather how things are handled. We want someone to smile and assure us that everything will be sorted and then get it fixed as promptly as possible so that we can continue to relax and enjoy ourselves.”

There is a definite culture and attitude that employees immerse themselves into at Legacy which is directly related to the management and directorship. After all, for such philosophies to take hold at such a deeply ingrained level it must start from the very top and filter its way down to the grass roots level.

With a strong eye for the future Legacy is not resting on its laurels or becoming complacent in its position and is looking at the next best locations to set up shop. Expansion into Africa is already occurring as Africa is proving, once again, to be one of the greatest global destinations.

“There are predictions that Nigeria is going to be the biggest African economy within the next decade,” Paddy reveals, “So naturally we want to be there when that happens and, as we’ve learnt, it can take up to two to three years to set things up in Nigeria so we’re going to be starting very soon.”

The basic model of urban expansion states that wherever resources like oil, gold, coal and diamonds are businesses will follow. In ancient times it was wherever the water was and in modern times it’s oil; by strategically placing themselves in the best locations ahead of the rush Legacy Hotels are going to benefit from the increased surge of tourists, travellers and businessmen.

Legacy Group

The strategic focus for the future is not exclusive to their locations and staff training, it is also found in their focus on green business and environmental responsibility, as Legacy are well known for their protection of the natural heritage of their continent. More importantly, America and Europe are looking for resorts in Africa that are responsible on a greening/environmental aspect. Countries and companies that make strides in conservation are attracting bigger and better investors and in planning for the future this has a range of long term benefits including job creation, expansion and economic stability.

“We work closely with the Heritage Programme in South Africa to ensure that we are as green as possible,” Paddy explains, “We want to make sure that what we leave behind is as beautiful as what we have today.”

It is inspiring to see a company so focussed on creating something that will outlast any one part. A true Legacy.

Marsh’s global industry practices and risk specialities ensure our clients receive the

best solutions tailored to their particular

needs, helping them manage risk for growth.

We are proud to be associated with Legacy Hotels

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LegacyAd_Sept2012

04 September 2012 03:39:13 PM

Legacy Group

Legacy Groupwww.legacyhotels.co.za +27 11 806 6800

Written by Donnie Rust

www.littlegatepublishing.com