Case Study:
The Oitavos
Columbia Hospitality International was hired to execute the vision of the Champalimaud family in creating a 142 room world class luxury hotel located on the coast of Portugal.
The Challenge
Columbia was tasked with creating a guest oriented service culture that would exceed the expectations of even the most seasoned hotelier in a region of the world unaccustomed to this level of guest service. The main challenge was to infuse 5-star luxury guest service standards into all departments of the hotel, while still providing a "Portuguese" experience. In addition to navigating cultural barriers, our company needed to integrate The Oitavos into the broader, well established framework of the Quinta da Marinha estate, which provides over 10 different hospitality services from world class golf to exotic equestrian excursions.
The Process
By closely partnering directly with the owners, Columbia Hospitality International acquired a deep understanding of the vision for the property. We translated that vision into action by designing and implementing unique and specific operating concepts that would bring 5-star standards to each and every aspect of the hotel, while at the same time infusing those concepts with the managing philosophy of the owners and therefore fully integrating the suite of services into the estate. Our unique Columbia Hospitality International Task Force, comprised of industry experts from around the world, were able to provide their operational expertise to managers on site with hands on training and mentoring to drive long term results.
The Results
Columbia Hospitality International flawlessly executed the desired vision and exceeded the owner's expectations by delivering an exceptional guest experience and thus a positive return on investment for all stakeholders, which proved increasingly challenging given the time of opening and the economic downturn of the global economy. The Oitavos has since won numerous awards for its progressive nature inspired spa, locally sourced variety of products, and an advanced point of sale system to assist the staff in the quest for a flawless guest service experience.
Cascais, Portugal
tel +351 21 460 0020
