Hotelier of the year Theresa Harney-Zuill has hailed her staff as the reason for her success, adding that the Royal Palms is ready for a bustling 2017.

Mrs Harney-Zuill said she was honoured to be given the award earlier this month by the Bermuda Hotels Association and the Hotel Employers of Bermuda. “I was just absolutely stunned,” she said. “It was very shocking. To think of all the hard work and sacrifices we have put in over the years, it was very rewarding.”

Speaking yesterday, Mrs Harney-Zuill told The Royal Gazette she was introduced to the hospitality industry by her father, who had worked as a chef and a maître d’.

“He was always on the front line,” she said. “I decided after I graduated Mount Saint Agnes that I would go off to Bermuda College. I did the front office two-year course and started my career at Elbow Beach at the front desk. I worked my way through the ranks and loved every minute of it. I really have.”

She first came to Royal Palms around ten years ago and, while she said business has had its ups and downs, the staff at the Pembroke hotel have allowed it to thrive.

“Things did change in 2008 in the economy, and we had to work harder to get guests to choose to stay with us,” she explained. “We were lucky before that we were well known and people automatically stayed at the Royal Palms, but it became more difficult in 2008. We had to go out and do sales calls, which we hadn’t had to do in the past, to put ourselves at the forefront of the businesses in Hamilton so they know that Royal Palms is a good choice.

“We had to set ourselves apart with what we have to offer, and that really is our staff. That’s what I truly believe. We have two great restaurants that certainly add to our success, and we have great repeat guests. They enjoy the camaraderie, the fact that we are a little more intimate. You are not just another number walking through the door. We remember you, we remember your name and use it while you are here. These are important things for us.

“We do have to treat our guests well. They are what keeps us employed, what keeps us going.”

Asked what has kept her in the hospitality industry, she said: “No two days are alike. I could never imagine just sitting behind a desk and doing the same thing day in and day out.

“Coming to work in a hotel, the guest may be the same, but it is a different day for them and a different day for us. There are different challenges every day. Every day is a learning curve. You learn something new every day.”

Mrs Harney-Zuill said the future of the hotel is very promising, saying that advance bookings for the coming year are looking good.

“We are ahead of pace from last year, so that is promising,” she said. “We are excited about that. The future is very promising. We have had a very positive 2016 and with the America’s Cup coming next year, I’m certain that things will be even more positive. The word is out there that the Royal Palms is a hotel they should choose.”

She also said that the island has the potential to succeed in the international tourism industry, noting the island’s renowned beauty and friendly people, saying Bermuda’s challenge is in how it should market itself.

“The challenge is really deciding who we are and what we sell ourselves as,” she said. “We really have to come together and decide what is Bermuda and how are we going to promote ourselves to the rest of the world.

“That is a challenge, but we have such a great product. We just need to know how to sell ourselves.”