Peninsula's tourist accommodation trebles

The Peninsula's accommodation register more than trebled when the Outrigger Ettalong Beach Resort opened for business on June 14.

The resort consists of 236 strata titled apartments all managed by a body corporate on behalf of the individual apartment owners.

Three quarters of these apartments have been placed in a letting pool which is managed by the international resort management company, Outrigger.

Outrigger also has properties in New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii, Tahiti and Guam as well as other parts of Australia and the resorts undertake a great deal of cross promotion as part of their marketing program

According to resort general manager, Mr Nicolas Bottiglieri, the resort had 85 per cent occupancy on Saturday, August 14.

The resort also has 16 residential apartments situated on the eighth floor and above.

Another unusual aspect of the resort is that it has no dining room or food and beverage facilities.

All food and beverage room service is provided by the adjoining Ettalong Beach War Memorial Club.

Guests dine at the club or in nearby restaurants.

The resort has a total of 55 front-of-house staff and room attendants, all of whom came from the Central Coast, except for the general manager and the reservations manager.

Staff were selected through a job fair held in the Club in May where over 900 Central Coast residents attended over a two-day period.

"It was amazing", Mr Bottiglieri said, "to see so many eager, young faces keen to work here".

"We weren't necessarily looking for experience because we can teach them what they need to know.

"We were looking for personality and we're very pleased with the outcome", he said.

All staff are now being trained at the McIntosh College where they are undertaking a Level III Hospitality Certificate.

Mr Bottiglieri lives on the premises while his wife still practices as a psychotherapist in Melbourne, "resulting in a bit of long-term commuting", he said.

All services supplied to the resort have been allocated to Central Coast businesses with the exception of the laundry service because one could not be found locally that met the resort's requirements.

Cec Bucello, August 16