144 December 2016 www.bahrainthismonth.com General manager of the Crowne Plaza Bahrain, Gilles Nicolas is a driven and ambitious man. The dynamic hotelier has incorporated notable changes to the property since he took over in late 2014. “I got an opportunity to head a place that has a very strong reputation for being one of the earliest business hotels, as a general manager, so I accepted and moved to Bahrain,” he says. Hailing originally from France, Gilles moved to Canada 18 years ago to pursue his career. “I then ventured on to the Holiday Inn, London Regents Park, before flying to the Middle East and taking the helm as director of operations at Holiday Inn Dubai Al Barsha. In my previous role at the InterContinental Doha, I was involved in helping the team to increase their overall performance.” During his first tenure in the Middle East, besides the culture shock, Gilles had to adapt to the way people work in the region. “The way of working is fairly similar but you need to learn how to deal with people from all walks of life,” he adds. “You need to make peace with the fact that not everyone will agree with your ideals and perspectives.” Commenting on 2016 in retrospect, he says: “It was quite a challenging year in terms of business and it looks like 2017 will tread on the same path. “However, we are taking advantage of this time to refurbish one wing of the hotel and its rooms, so when the cycle has turned in 2018, we will be ready for it.” The festive season is especially cherished by Gilles as this is when he takes some time off work to spend it with his family. “Most hoteliers have a habit of spending too much time at work. For those of us who have kids, Christmas is a very special time, and I take time to celebrate it with my family. It’s a cherished family time and it makes us all so happy,” he says. He elaborates on the exciting lineup of events Crowne Plaza has in store for guests this time around. “It will commence with the lighting of the Christmas Tree on December 8,” he says. “Sing along to carols from a choir as elves amuse the kids with their antics and special treats. A special Christmas brunch will take place on December 25 with a myriad of fun activities at La Mosaique, Harvesters and Cappuccino for BD35 per person from 12.30pm onwards.” You can have a unique dining experience for Christmas Eve dinner at Waves restaurant on December 24 for BD38 per person with unlimited beverages. Gilles then shares details about the most notable celebration, which is the New Year’s Eve revelry. “We have a coherent back-in-time theme at all our popular venues,” he explains. “The crowning glory will be the roaring ‘20s party at the Bahrain Conference Centre, a night of vintage glamour to welcome 2017 with a bang and many surprises, for BD70 per head. “A similar event will be held at Harvesters Pub and Terrace for BD12 and at Spices Indian restaurant for BD14.” Waves and La Mosaique will each host dinner with a plethora of cuisines to savour. “Those who want a mini getaway can book our room package for a special price of BD190, which is inclusive of breakfast and tickets to the gala dinner,” he concludes. Call 17 531-122. Leader of the Pack CROWNE PLAZA BAHRAIN Puja Tiwari chats to this five-star property’s general manager about the multitude of events in store for the festive season while getting a sneak peek into his hospitality background. diningfestivefare Gilles Nicolas
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