After two years as food and beverage manager at the Southampton Princess -- the Island's biggest hotel -- young hotelier Jason Powell now has the job of running one of Bermuda's most delightful cottage colonies.

Jason was appointed the new general manager at Ariel Sands just two years ago.

"I was asked to join the hotel at the same time as the owners (who include the movie star Michael Douglas and his mother. The Broadway actress Diana Douglas) had decided to make some major changes and undertake some major renovations,'' he said.

In addition to overseeing the overhaul of the cottage colony, he is also responsible for all of its functions. "I have two assistants -- one runs the hotel and the other runs the food and beverage side. I handle all the marketing,'' he said.

"The first thing we did after I joined was double the size of the restaurant and change a lot of the staff. We hired a new head chef. Who has done tremendously well. It's incredibly successful. We went totally al la carte -- basically. We made it a restaurant which competes with other restaurants in Bermuda.'' There have been major renovations and construction at the hotel, which now boasts a $30,000 gymnasium, a new conference centre -- which will also be available for local functions -- and bigger, better bathrooms in all the cottages.

"We've been restructuring the way we've been marketing the property, too.'' We have a new PR firm and an overseas sales representative,'' he said.

"We're piggybacking on the tourism theme by trying to get visitors who are younger, in the 30 to 60 age group,'' he said. "We have the things they're after -- the spa, drinks service on the beach and a light food service.'' Jason said they are also targeting honeymooners and small conference business.

He said the size of the cottage colony means a small conference group may well have the complex to themselves.

"Ariel Sands offers everything a larger hotel offers on smaller scale,'' he said.

Jason said anyone who is interested in getting into the hospitality industry must be prepared to pay their dues, and work through each section of a hotel.

"Once you get up through the ranks it can be very rewarding -- and as long as you're a people person,'' he said. -- Story provided by the Hospitality Professionals Association.

Jason Powell