'Hague' hospitality learning hotel on Curaçao to open early 2024
ROC Mondriaan is helping Curaçao get more and better education by setting up a learning hotel for hospitality with a number of partners. "We want students from that learning hotel to take up senior positions in hotels," he says.
DATE
02 July 2023
TEXT
Annerieke Simeone
IMAGE
Brian Mul and PR
'Hague' hospitality learning hotel on Curaçao to open early 2024
ROC Mondriaan is helping Curaçao get more and better education by setting up a learning hotel for hospitality with a number of partners. "We want students from that learning hotel to take up senior positions in hotels," he says.
Aan the snow-white sands of Parasasa Beach, less than eight kilometres from Willemstad, a learning hotel for hospitality education will open in early 2024. And it is The Hague-based ROC Mondriaan that may take the lead in this. There is no name yet, but for now the ambitious educational concept has been christened 'The Caribbean Hospitality Educational Project'.
The snow-white sands of Parasasa Beach less than eight kilometres from Willemstad.
Curaçao
It has long been a wish of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, says Jacqueline van der Zwan, Mondriaan hotel school director. "When Hans Schutte became our new board chairman two years ago, the leather hotel was one of the first things he put on the agenda. One of our tasks is to strengthen and modernise education in Curaçao, together with the two mbo schools in the field of hospitality."
'At the learning hotel, they immediately put the learning into practice with real guests'
For these students, it will take some getting used to at first. "Now they still do a lot of exams on paper and practise at school, in the learning hotel they immediately put the learning into practice with real guests."
Proud
In addition to these mbo schools (Maris Stella SBO and Nilda Pinto SBO) and ROC Mondriaan, the University of Curaçao, the Curaçao Tourist Board (CTB) and the Curaçao Hospitality & Tourism Association (CHATA) are also participating. The latter two parties together with ROC Mondriaan form a foundation, which owns the learning hotel.
Manager
How proud the residents are of their island, she noticed during her first trip. Van der Zwan: "The government officials welcomed us with open arms and helped us tremendously. Crucially, the learning hotel is for students from Curaçao. It should give them better opportunities to work as entrepreneurs or managers on the island."
This learning hotel at Parasasa Beach will soon be preparing students for a position in hospitality.
Although the learning hotel has room for about 100 students a day, Dutch students will still be flown in - especially in the initial phase, expects Phil Wheeler, leader of 'The Caribbean Hospitality Educational Project'. "Even students from the Higher Hotel School in The Hague will be involved, because at the moment there are too few Curaçao students being trained at the right level, while more and more hotels are opening. Fifteen hundred rooms are already being added this year. Our second goal is therefore to get more young people from the island enthusiastic about training in the hospitality sector with good prospects of well-paid jobs.
Hospitality
I can understand why people are still wary of us. Parents tell their children: go to an administrative school, then you will have a better-paying job than serving breakfast in a hotel. In their eyes, a higher position in hospitality is still reserved for Europeans or Americans. While that is so not the intention. On the contrary, we want students from the leather hotel to occupy those higher positions. To establish a solid foundation for the next five years, we send a new teacher every three months. That could be a chef, but also a wine connoisseur, or an economics lecturer."
'Rooms get a decent facelift'
The ROC Mondriaan delegation regularly visits the largest island of the former Netherlands Antilles to build confidence and make the necessary preparations. Van der Zwan: "The rooms are getting quite a facelift. At first we thought: OK, let's take care of it. But the distance is great, so that takes time and patience."
Guendaline Stinkens (programme manager Leerhotel Curaçao), Harry de Bruijn (member of the Executive Board ROC Mondriaan), Martin Does (project coordinator Tourism), Jacqueline van der Zwan (director International Hotel and Management School), Wilma Verhoeks (education director), Phil Wheeler (project leader), Marco Fontijn (director School of Tourism and Recreation)
Meanwhile, a general manager has already been appointed: Guendaline Stinkens, previously director of De Baak, a training and development centre in Noordwijk and Driebergen, for 19 years. 'Miss Hospitality' - as Van der Zwan calls her - will also sit down with local companies. "Hotels still too often see students as a few cheap extra hands, while companies should set a good example. The level has to go up and that is only possible if the placement companies offer students the chance to develop as managers, to take on responsibilities. There will have to be a recognised apprenticeship tutor for a start."
New Mondrian Hotel
Like the New Mondrian Hotel on Koningin Marialaan in The Hague, it will not be a standard hotel. "And certainly not all-inclusive," laughs Van der Zwan. "We prefer to reach tourists who are interested in local art and local food. People who really want to discover the island. Tourism students provide information where necessary and lead guests around as tour guides." "And," Wheeler says proudly, "we managed to get TUI to sponsor the tour buses. And KLM is supporting the project by offering a special rate."
42 rooms
The hotel will soon have 42 rooms, including seven suites. "Right now, we are trying to get the suites adopted by seven major hotel chains," Wheeler says. Van der Zwan: "This way, the student is introduced to seven hotel concepts. Each room has the same look-and-feel as the parent company. So different beds, different televisions." Grinning: "Even the soaps are different." And the cost? Van der Zwan looks at Wheeler for a moment. "Those are not quite fixed yet, but at least we don't need to make a profit on it."
ROC Mondriaan
The learning hotel at Parasasa Beach will soon also become the mothership for ROC students doing internships elsewhere on the island and in the region. Van der Zwan: "They can come to us for their questions, or have a drink during happy hour and catch up." When do the two consider the project successful? Van der Zwan: "ROC Mondriaan should be the catalyst for this project. It would be nice if we become redundant in ten years or so."
text Annerieke Simeone image Brian Mul and PR
Aan the snow-white sands of Parasasa Beach, less than eight kilometres from Willemstad, a learning hotel for hospitality education will open in early 2024. And it is The Hague-based ROC Mondriaan that may take the lead in this. There is no name yet, but for now the ambitious educational concept has been christened 'The Caribbean Hospitality Educational Project'.
The snow-white sands of Parasasa Beach less than eight kilometres from Willemstad.
Curaçao
It has long been a wish of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, says Jacqueline van der Zwan, Mondriaan hotel school director. "When Hans Schutte became our new board chairman two years ago, the leather hotel was one of the first things he put on the agenda. One of our tasks is to strengthen and modernise education in Curaçao, together with the two mbo schools in the field of hospitality."
'At the learning hotel, they immediately put the learning into practice with real guests'
For these students, it will take some getting used to at first. "Now they still do a lot of exams on paper and practise at school, in the learning hotel they immediately put the learning into practice with real guests."
Proud
In addition to these mbo schools (Maris Stella SBO and Nilda Pinto SBO) and ROC Mondriaan, the University of Curaçao, the Curaçao Tourist Board (CTB) and the Curaçao Hospitality & Tourism Association (CHATA) are also participating. The latter two parties together with ROC Mondriaan form a foundation, which owns the learning hotel.
Manager
How proud the residents are of their island, she noticed during her first trip. Van der Zwan: "The government officials welcomed us with open arms and helped us tremendously. Crucially, the learning hotel is for students from Curaçao. It should give them better opportunities to work as entrepreneurs or managers on the island."
This learning hotel at Parasasa Beach will soon be preparing students for a position in hospitality.
Although the learning hotel has room for about 100 students a day, Dutch students will still be flown in - especially in the initial phase, expects Phil Wheeler, leader of 'The Caribbean Hospitality Educational Project'. "Even students from the Higher Hotel School in The Hague will be involved, because at the moment there are too few Curaçao students being trained at the right level, while more and more hotels are opening. Fifteen hundred rooms are already being added this year. Our second goal is therefore to get more young people from the island enthusiastic about training in the hospitality sector with good prospects of well-paid jobs.
Hospitality
I can understand why people are still wary of us. Parents tell their children: go to an administrative school, then you will have a better-paying job than serving breakfast in a hotel. In their eyes, a higher position in hospitality is still reserved for Europeans or Americans. While that is so not the intention. On the contrary, we want students from the leather hotel to occupy those higher positions. To establish a solid foundation for the next five years, we send a new teacher every three months. That could be a chef, but also a wine connoisseur, or an economics lecturer."
'Rooms get a decent facelift'
The ROC Mondriaan delegation regularly visits the largest island of the former Netherlands Antilles to build confidence and make the necessary preparations. Van der Zwan: "The rooms are getting quite a facelift. At first we thought: OK, let's take care of it. But the distance is great, so that takes time and patience."
Guendaline Stinkens (programme manager Leerhotel Curaçao), Harry de Bruijn (member of the Executive Board ROC Mondriaan), Martin Does (project coordinator Tourism), Jacqueline van der Zwan (director International Hotel and Management School), Wilma Verhoeks (education director), Phil Wheeler (project leader), Marco Fontijn (director School of Tourism and Recreation)
Meanwhile, a general manager has already been appointed: Guendaline Stinkens, previously director of De Baak, a training and development centre in Noordwijk and Driebergen, for 19 years. 'Miss Hospitality' - as Van der Zwan calls her - will also sit down with local companies. "Hotels still too often see students as a few cheap extra hands, while companies should set a good example. The level has to go up and that is only possible if the placement companies offer students the chance to develop as managers, to take on responsibilities. There will have to be a recognised apprenticeship tutor for a start."
New Mondrian Hotel
Like the New Mondrian Hotel on Koningin Marialaan in The Hague, it will not be a standard hotel. "And certainly not all-inclusive," laughs Van der Zwan. "We prefer to reach tourists who are interested in local art and local food. People who really want to discover the island. Tourism students provide information where necessary and lead guests around as tour guides." "And," Wheeler says proudly, "we managed to get TUI to sponsor the tour buses. And KLM is supporting the project by offering a special rate."
42 rooms
The hotel will soon have 42 rooms, including seven suites. "Right now, we are trying to get the suites adopted by seven major hotel chains," Wheeler says. Van der Zwan: "This way, the student is introduced to seven hotel concepts. Each room has the same look-and-feel as the parent company. So different beds, different televisions." Grinning: "Even the soaps are different." And the cost? Van der Zwan looks at Wheeler for a moment. "Those are not quite fixed yet, but at least we don't need to make a profit on it."
ROC Mondriaan
The learning hotel at Parasasa Beach will soon also become the mothership for ROC students doing internships elsewhere on the island and in the region. Van der Zwan: "They can come to us for their questions, or have a drink during happy hour and catch up." When do the two consider the project successful? Van der Zwan: "ROC Mondriaan should be the catalyst for this project. It would be nice if we become redundant in ten years or so."
