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Join hosts Anastarcia Palacious and Renaldo Dorsett as they sit down with the people who shape Baha Mar: the chefs, the artists, the visionaries, and the guests to uncover the moments, the culture, and the quiet details that turn a destination into something unforgettable.
Because the real story of Baha Mar isn't in the brochure. It's in the people who live it!
[00:00:00] Graeme: So you have to understand that in our industry, every associate is [00:00:05] critical to the success of the property. I can tell you at the very bottom level, um, you [00:00:10] wanna make sure that they're, that you have happy employees. It's a simple formula. Happy employees [00:00:15] equals happy guests
[00:00:37] Anastarcia: Welcome to the first episode of Beyond [00:00:40] the Stay, live from Baja Mar, a podcast that takes listeners behind the [00:00:45] scenes of one of the Caribbean’s most dynamic resort destinations. Throughout the [00:00:50] season, we’ll explore the people, partnerships, and ideas that make Baha Mar [00:00:55] more than a resort. We’ll hear stories of growth, culture, and innovation, [00:01:00] and the experiences that make this destination so special. I’m one of your [00:01:05] hosts, Anastarcia Palacious.
[00:01:06] Renaldo: And I’m Renaldo Dorsett, and to begin our series, we have to [00:01:10] start with the man behind the vision, the man that’s pretty much responsible for so many of the great [00:01:15] ideas that have come to life, Baha Mar president, Graeme Davis. Graeme, thank you for joining us.
[00:01:19] Graeme: Thank [00:01:20] you, Renaldo. Thank you, Star. It’s a pleasure to be here on this really momentous occasion, [00:01:25] kicking off our podcast here at the new studio.
[00:01:27] Anastarcia: Yeah, it’s a beautiful space, and [00:01:30] Renaldo and I are just absolutely in love with it, and the vision that you’ve had to bring something like this, it’s the first [00:01:35] of its kind, right?
[00:01:35] Graeme: It truly is the first of its kind in a resort experience to have a podcast [00:01:40] studio doing live broadcasting here from Baja Mar, with our cafe as [00:01:45] well. So, this combination of creating experience, live [00:01:50] broadcasting from a resort, here in the most breathtaking place on earth, the Bahamas, [00:01:55] what more could you ask for?
[00:01:56] Renaldo: And every time we come to Baha Mar, we continue to be wowed, no matter [00:02:00] how many times we’ve been here. But for someone that may be hearing about Baha Mar for the first time, what [00:02:05] would you say to them to attract them to this wonderful resort?
[00:02:08] Graeme: Well, first of all, let’s [00:02:10] talk about the location. I think the Bahamas, as they always say, it’s better in the Bahamas—
[00:02:14] Anastarcia: [00:02:15] Indeed it is [laugh] .
[00:02:15] Graeme: —and it’s a magical country, truly. [00:02:20] The location wise, being 30 minutes from South Florida by plane, [00:02:25] easy access around the United States. You have almost 50 direct flights a day coming in from [00:02:30] North America. We have a direct flight daily coming in from Europe, so ease of access to get here. And then, of course, [00:02:35] you’re landing in what I believe is one of the most breathtaking places on earth.
[00:02:39] You have an [00:02:40] archipelago of exquisite keys, exquisite islands, [00:02:45] amazing culture, beautiful people. We’re just so fortunate [00:02:50] to be in just this incredible, breathtaking [00:02:55] space. Having Baha Mar situated on one of the prime beaches [00:03:00] in New Providence, which is the main capital of the Bahamas, Nassau, [00:03:05] and the investment here being made by the developer and [00:03:10] ourselves here as an ownership group, we’re approaching almost $5 billion [00:03:15] here in Baha Mar, and it continues to evolve and improve. But really, the [00:03:20] heart and soul of Baha Mar are the people, our associates, our over 5000 [00:03:25] associates that really are inspired and motivated every day to create a great experience for our [00:03:30] guests and for each other.
[00:03:31] Anastarcia: Amazing, amazing. I mean, you know, as Renaldo said, this property is just [00:03:35] absolutely phenomenal. And you said the location is outstanding, but we’re in a podcast [00:03:40] studio at a hotel, so that could tell you, Renaldo, that this is not your average hotel space. [00:03:45] Graeme, when you think about the journey from, you know, the first set of hotels being constructed [00:03:50] to the first pools being put in the ground, and then the continuous [00:03:55] progression to now a podcast studio, before this, the Baja Bay Water Park, the creation of the [00:04:00] Jazz Club, is there a single thing that you are most proud of when you think about [00:04:05] the journey?
[00:04:05] Graeme: I’m most proud about the people because no matter what [00:04:10] investment is made in the bricks and mortar of Baja Mar, it’s the heart [00:04:15] and soul of the property, which are the people that truly make the experience [00:04:20] exceptional, and that’s what we strive for each and every day. And so, for my [00:04:25] job, from day one, is to create the culture of Baha Mar, of inspiring and motivating our [00:04:30] associates and making sure that they’re giving their very best to each other, and of course to our guests. [00:04:35] Of course, the physical nature of Baha Mar with the investments that we’ve made, it’s [00:04:40] always an evolution of making sure that we create exceptional and unique experiences at Baha [00:04:45] Mar. We start with a foundation of three amazing international luxury [00:04:50] brands, starting at Grand Hyatt, which is our family-oriented and our [00:04:55] corporate and group-oriented property, and then you’re off to our lifestyle property of SLS [00:05:00] here at Baha Mar, and then our crowning jewel, our ultra luxury Rosewood here at Baha Mar. So, [00:05:05] three distinct choices of luxury with the village of Baha Mar to be able [00:05:10] to be enjoyed by every guest, no matter which property you’re staying at.
[00:05:14] Some are just a little bit [00:05:15] more special, a little bit more intimate, and pampering in style and [00:05:20] lifestyle as well. You could be certainly at Rosewood, lounging very [00:05:25] peacefully and tranquilly with your butler taking great care of you at Rosewood, [00:05:30] whether it be in your private cabana or at your six bedroom villa or even one of your [00:05:35] suites or regular guest rooms at Rosewood, or you could be, you know, up on the Sky [00:05:40] Bar, the rooftop of SLS, or the day club, the privilege pool at the backside of [00:05:45] SLS, as well, really letting your hair down and having an exciting time with a guest [00:05:50] DJ or a band at SLS, or even just styling it [00:05:55] up at Monkey Bar.
[00:05:55] Anastarcia: Yeah.
[00:05:56] Graeme: A lot of great options there. And then, of course, you know our Jazz Bar, [00:06:00] Jon Batiste, first of its kind in the world, a great collaboration with Jon Batiste, you [00:06:05] know, one of the most renowned, I think, most brilliant musicians of our time, really. [00:06:10] And so, with the Hyatt experiences and SLS and Rosewood, it’s really a [00:06:15] combination of just multiple unique and differentiating [00:06:20] experiences. And there’s something for everyone at Baha Mar, at every age, at every price point. You [00:06:25] have something as casual as a Starbucks or a slice of pizza at Pizza Lab, all the way up to, [00:06:30] you know, a $350 Wagyu A5 steak at [00:06:35] Carna, you know, by Dario Cecchini, who’s voted the world’s best butcher. You know, amazing [00:06:40] experiences.
[00:06:40] No matter what your price point is, and no matter what your [00:06:45] experiences is wanting, you know, we have it here at Baha Mar. And [00:06:50] again, so easy to get to. From the airport to here, ten minutes to the [00:06:55] hotel from the airport. When you’re heading back to the US, you’re going through [00:07:00] pre-clearance, US Customs and Immigration here in Nassau, so when you’re on that plane, you’re in the US, [00:07:05] and you’re landing in your destination, or you’re connecting flights. It’s so easy to get back home as well. When I’ve worked around the Caribbean [00:07:10] for 30-plus years, there’s really nothing else like it here, I think, in the Caribbean, and [00:07:15] certainly within the Western Hemisphere. You know, something like this really just [00:07:20] does not exist beyond Baha Mar.
[00:07:22] Renaldo: You mentioned your work around the Caribbean. A lot of places [00:07:25] sell sun, sand, and sea. What makes Baha Mar, what makes this brand stand out among [00:07:30] all the other luxury brands out there? What sets it apart?
[00:07:32] Graeme: Truly that you have to create those unique and [00:07:35] differentiating experiences. Beyond—we have, as you said, we have the sun, sea, and sand, that’s there, [00:07:40] but when it comes to really, I think, exceptional dining experiences, [00:07:45] you know, when it comes to having great collaborative chefs like Daniel Boulud, [00:07:50] Marcus Samuelsson at Marcus’ Fish and Chop House; Daniel Boulud, Cafe Boulud; Dario [00:07:55] Cecchini. We have an incredible chef lineup at our Shuang [00:08:00] Ba, which many of our guests say it’s their favorite. It’s a very intimate [00:08:05] 88-seat Chinese restaurant with authentic Cantonese [00:08:10] cuisine, as well as Peking duck, which we’re famous for here.
[00:08:13] And these unique [00:08:15] experiences on dining certainly have to be world class. Our clientele are coming [00:08:20] from some of the most sophisticated cuisine-driven cities around the [00:08:25] world, and we have to make sure we match that as well. There’s also, hey, you can get a conch salad [00:08:30] here at Baha Mar as well.
[00:08:31] Anastarcia: Indeed you can.
[00:08:31] Graeme: Some of the best. So, you get the local cuisine that’s available, but [00:08:35] as well as whatever your palate, you know, is savoring for that day. You’ve got the opportunities to [00:08:40] explore throughout the Bahamas culinary experiences. And then, of course, beyond that, you know, it’s, [00:08:45] of course, the amazing pools, Baja Bay, you know, are—
[00:08:49] Anastarcia: Pretty [00:08:50] epic.
[00:08:50] Graeme: I created it and gave the thought that says we have to create a luxury [00:08:55] water park to complement the luxury experiences at Baha Mar, and that is, how do you do that? How do you [00:09:00] create a luxury water park? Well, we’re not your typical Wet and Wild, we truly are low density, [00:09:05] no lines on the rides, beautiful cabanas available for you, beautiful views over the [00:09:10] ocean in our beach club at Baha Bay, great cuisine. It’s not your [00:09:15] typical pizza and chicken tenders. It’s very relaxed, always chaise lounges [00:09:20] available, a lot of lush landscaping, and truly just a [00:09:25] very, very luxurious experience at Baja Bay, right here. And it’s [00:09:30] included in your resort fee, so there’s no additional charges to go into Baja [00:09:35] Bay. Great experience.
[00:09:37] It’s great, as I see guests from any one of the three [00:09:40] resorts flow into Baja Bay, come back out, enjoy the pools that we have [00:09:45] across the campus. You might be jumping off the Dean’s Blue Hole, which is just a [00:09:50] fun spot to be at, or you might be looking at our sanctuary at the stingray [00:09:55] sharks and turtles, and learn about conservation efforts that we do. You [00:10:00] may also come across our CFO, our Chief Flamingo Officer—
[00:10:03] Anastarcia: Ah! [laugh] .
[00:10:04] Graeme: Here at Baha [00:10:05] Mar. And there you’ll have an interaction with our baby [00:10:10] ambassadors that have grown up to be full adults, flamingos. We raised them [00:10:15] from eggs. We actually flew them on a private jet from the Bermuda Zoo because they [00:10:20] had too many eggs, and offered these for us to be able to raise. We [00:10:25] have an exceptional aviary team that take care of [00:10:30] these birds, raised them, hatched them, trained them. Very sociable animals. [00:10:35] And they are so pampered.
[00:10:36] Anastarcia: Yeah.
[00:10:36] Graeme: They have their little flamingo condo, where [00:10:40] they’re all just so well pampered, engaging with our guests, doing flamingo yoga. [00:10:45] Again, you’ve heard of goat yoga?
[00:10:47] Anastarcia: Uh-huh.
[00:10:47] Graeme: Well, we have flamingo yoga here at Baha [00:10:50] Mar. And then, of course, there’s the daily interaction, the parade of [00:10:55] flamingos around the property guests can engage with. If you’re getting married, and you want the flamingos to [00:11:00] come to your wedding, we can arrange that as well.
[00:11:01] Anastarcia: Nice.
[00:11:02] Renaldo: Nice. Extra wedding guest.
[00:11:02] Graeme: We do some meet and greets. You might come [00:11:05] across Frankie, our mascot, which is a big flamingo, who also will [00:11:10] engage and tuck in our younger guests. So, if you’re interested in a flamingo [00:11:15] tuck, we can actually come up to your suite, your room, and read a bedtime story about [00:11:20] flamingos, and have Frankie the flamingo tuck in your child.
[00:11:23] Anastarcia: Oh, wow. [00:11:25] Talk about experiences.
[00:11:25] Graeme: And I think what’s really important gets down to what we believe [00:11:30] very strongly, and that’s giving back to the community through our foundation, which is based on [00:11:35] three pillars of culture, conservation, and community. And with the conservation efforts—the [00:11:40] flamingos—we’re raising funds. So, every activation funds go towards [00:11:45] the preservation of the national bird of the Bahamas, which is the flamingo. Almost hunted [00:11:50] to extinction up until the 50s when they were finally protected, almost [00:11:55] wiped out in the Bahamas, now thriving with hundreds of thousands of flamingos down in [00:12:00] Great Inagua, and also in Andros. And we constantly are [00:12:05] working with Bahamas National Trust, and certainly the government of the Bahamas, on using funds [00:12:10] that we raise through our activations to help support that sustainability [00:12:15] effort with the flamingos.
[00:12:16] Anastarcia: That’s phenomenal, Graeme. I mean, first of all, I didn’t know about the tucked in thing. I almost [00:12:20] want to check in to be tucked in.
[00:12:21] Renaldo: I didn’t know it was possible to have a flamingo tuck you in.
[00:12:24] Anastarcia: [laugh] .
[00:12:24] Renaldo: We’re [00:12:25] learning so much today.
[00:12:25] Anastarcia: We’re learning a lot today.
[00:12:27] Renaldo: And you know what? If the flamingos can do that, they can do just about [00:12:30] anything. And now I’m interested to see what the other animals are [crosstalk] .
[00:12:32] Anastarcia: [laugh] . Indeed, indeed. [00:12:35] So, you know, Graeme, I think to establish something like this requires so much, [00:12:40] you know, just the vision to be able to say, let’s create a luxury water park. The vision to say, let’s [00:12:45] partner with Kendall Jenner. When you think about your leadership philosophy, having run and [00:12:50] worked in hotels all around the world, what do you think makes a great leader, [00:12:55] and how do you lead your team every day?
[00:12:58] Graeme: Well, I can tell [00:13:00] you that no great leader is without a great team, and that’s putting the team [00:13:05] first. It’s really making sure that you’re inspiring and motivating all of the team that [00:13:10] works below myself. For me, I feel like I’m the least important. I feel that, particularly [00:13:15] in a hotel environment, that the associate that is there that is [00:13:20] washing the sheets in the laundry department or cleaning the dishes, without them we don’t [00:13:25] have rooms to clean, we don’t have restaurants to open. So, you have to understand that in our [00:13:30] industry every associate is critical to the success of the [00:13:35] property.
[00:13:35] I can tell you at the very bottom level, you want to make sure that you [00:13:40] have happy employees. It’s a simple formula: happy employees equals happy guests. To the very [00:13:45] beginning, you know, coming here to Baha Mar, we firmly believe in [00:13:50] reinvesting—as does our owner—firmly believe in taking care of the associates and taking care of their employees [00:13:55] and giving full medical insurance to every employee. I mean, [00:14:00] basic—I think, is so important that taking care of their physical health. So, free medical insurance, [00:14:05] building a half-million dollar clinic with doctors for our [00:14:10] associates from 8am to 11pm—
[00:14:12] Anastarcia: On property?
[00:14:12] Graeme: On property. With a pharmacy, get your [00:14:15] checkups. We have 12 EMTs, we have an ambulance on property. If anything [00:14:20] goes wrong, we’re there for our associates to make sure. And they’re also there for our guests as well. With our [00:14:25] partnership with Doctors Hospital, it’s again, just one of those basics. So [00:14:30] that’s, you know, again setting some standards there of [00:14:35] great benefits.
[00:14:36] We have the largest restaurant at Baha Mar, which is called [00:14:40] Cafe Blue. It’s our employee dining room. It’s 7000 meals a day we serve there, all [00:14:45] complimentary. Our investment there is over $10 million annually on making sure our [00:14:50] associates are well looked after, that they have a great meal, as good as what I’s want to eat. We [00:14:55] have sushi, we have Subway sandwiches made-to-order rotisserie chicken, full buffet, [00:15:00] soft serve ice cream, you know, making sure that all of our [00:15:05] associates are well looked after throughout the day. And again, I think that’s so important.[00:15:10]
[00:15:10] So, it’s the meals, it’s the medical benefits. We actually, I [00:15:15] believe, so important today, more than any time, is mental health, good mental [00:15:20] health. We brought in full-time industrial psychologists to give [00:15:25] therapy complimentary to our associates. And also beyond the [00:15:30] mental health opportunities, we’ve created a great little lounge area where we have [00:15:35] private offices where our employees can sign up for therapy. Again, mental health, so important.
[00:15:39] And then [00:15:40] financial health, making sure as associates continue to develop themselves financially [00:15:45] and creating some great job opportunities, as you’re a server in Carna, you’re [00:15:50] doing quite well—
[00:15:51] Anastarcia: Mm-hm [laugh] .
[00:15:51] Graeme: Serving those $500 steaks.
[00:15:53] Renaldo: I would imagine.
[00:15:54] Graeme: As a server, you’re [00:15:55] doing all right. So, you know, all of a sudden, you know, our associates are [00:16:00] really improving their own financial worth. And what to do with that? So, making sure [00:16:05] that they’re saving for their future, making sure they’re investing well. So, we have a complimentary [00:16:10] financial advisor for our associates that’s available every day to be able to [00:16:15] sit down and talk about budgeting.
[00:16:17] You know, these are things that maybe we didn’t learn as a child growing [00:16:20] up, and so those type of services that we offer. And of course you know we have [00:16:25] an HR concierge department where our associates can go up and get support. We [00:16:30] built a full store, 7/11 basically, for our associates as well, where they [00:16:35] can purchase things of sundry items, eggs, milk, basics [00:16:40] that they forgot to get at home. They’ve worked a full day; instead of having to go to the grocery [00:16:45] store, you stop into our little [Bluetique] that we call it, and pick up a carton of eggs, a [00:16:50] gallon of milk at cost. You know, we’re not making any profit on this. We just want to make sure that our [00:16:55] associates have the opportunity to create a little bit of convenience for them that [00:17:00] they can feel great about when they get home, they’ve had a great day at work.
[00:17:03] And of course, [00:17:05] 25,000 uniforms we have here at Baha Mar, and we clean all of those uniforms [00:17:10] every day for our associates. It’s a big operation. [00:17:15] We truly are thinking about all those details. For our culinarians. I think we’re one [00:17:20] of the first hotels, probably in the world, to have its own knife sharpening department—
[00:17:24] Anastarcia: [00:17:25] Really?
[00:17:25] Graeme: —where we—actually, I want to make sure that our culinarians have very [00:17:30] sharp knives to be able to ensure that they can get their job done well, and [00:17:35] work safely. And so, instead of having a dull knife, we’ll complimentary sharpen your [00:17:40] knife for you.
[00:17:40] Anastarcia: That is so cool.
[00:17:41] Graeme: You know, just little touches that we think about for our [00:17:45] associates each and every day. And we’ll continue to evolve and think about—oh, one great [00:17:50] benefit we’re just rolling out here at the end of June, early July, will be [00:17:55] 16 weeks maternity and paternity payment for [00:18:00] every associate, male and female. You can have 16 weeks paid, [00:18:05] and that’s incredible.
[00:18:06] Anastarcia: That is pretty progressive.
[00:18:06] Graeme: That’s nowhere in the Bahamas, and quite frankly, I don’t think anywhere in the [00:18:10] United States is giving that type of benefit, and we’re rolling it out for our [00:18:15] associates.
[00:18:15] Anastarcia: Congratulations.
[00:18:16] Graeme: It is so important to take care of that newborn child, that if you start off [00:18:20] in the right way, taking care of your child, whether you’re the mother or the father, [00:18:25] both, that’s so important to start right and give them that time for that bonding, for that care, [00:18:30] and then come on back to work feeling refreshed and ready to go after you’ve taken care of your child. So, that’s an [00:18:35] important benefit.
[00:18:35] Anastarcia: That’s pretty epic.
[00:18:36] Graeme: Significant for us.
[00:18:37] Renaldo: You know, Graeme, talking to so many of your [00:18:40] associates, hearing members of your team, you know, give interviews, the word culture is used so much [00:18:45] when talking about Baha Mar and everything around property, around the brand. How [00:18:50] important is it for you to have that strong culture here? And is there a direct effect in [00:18:55] building that culture and the way your guest services are implemented?
[00:18:58] Graeme: Oh, without a doubt. It is a [00:19:00] direct correlation to—as I said at the beginning—how happy our associates are [00:19:05] is how happy our guests will be. And it is the foundation. It is building that culture of [00:19:10] inspiring and motivating each and every one of our associates. [00:19:15] And coming across the Caribbean, it’s a challenging work environment.[00:19:20]
[00:19:20] Our guests are the most demanding guests in the world, let’s face it. Coming out of New York, [00:19:25] you’re hyped up, you’ve been working in the city, or you’re just in that frame of [00:19:30] mind of pushing through at your work, wherever you are—New York, [00:19:35] particularly—and across the globe, in any international city, you’re busy, you want things done. [00:19:40] You expect that, and when you come here, sometimes it’s tough to switch off and get down to that lower gear [00:19:45] and relax.
[00:19:46] Renaldo: Island time.
[00:19:46] Graeme: Island time. I don’t want our associates to be on island [00:19:50] time. Our associates have to be ready to react and actually [00:19:55] be proactive in being intuitive and understanding what our [00:20:00] guests’ needs are ahead of time, and anticipating their needs, and making sure that they’re pampered and [00:20:05] well looked after. It has to be exceptional. We’re not—I’m not going to be shy. [00:20:10] Baha Mar is not an inexpensive vacation to come to. We hear that from our guests, [00:20:15] but it’s important to know that with that, you’re going to get an exceptional experience, and our [00:20:20] associates—and look, we’re going to make mistakes, we’re going to—but how we react to [00:20:25] that and make up for it, that’s so important as well.
[00:20:27] So, that culture is embedded [00:20:30] from day one with every associate. And again, you can’t just turn that on and off. [00:20:35] You’ve got to build that from the very beginning, and of course, hiring with the right [00:20:40] attitudes to begin with. You’ve got to feel like you belong in the hospitality business to begin with. We’ll [00:20:45] train the skills, but you’ve got to come in with the right attitude to begin with to work in the [00:20:50] hospitality environment.
[00:20:50] And particularly here at Baha Mar, it’s so important to really feel [00:20:55] great about coming to work each and every day. I think that’s important. And again, [00:21:00] you know, what we do here at Baha Mar, I think, is quite special, [00:21:05] unlike any other resort experience you’ll find.
[00:21:09] Anastarcia: So, I absolutely [00:21:10] love Baha Mar, one, because of the great cultural energy in terms of your employees, but also because of the [00:21:15] cultural energy in terms of the Bahamas.
[00:21:16] Graeme: Yes. Let’s talk about that, too, because—
[00:21:18] Anastarcia: Let’s talk about that [unintelligible] .
[00:21:18] Graeme: The cultural experiences [00:21:20] beyond the associates are so important here. But it has to be more than a [00:21:25] roll of the dice or a drink on the beach, right? Great food, you know, exceptional food, [00:21:30] that’s the baseline, right? The sun, sea, and sand, that’s the baseline, [00:21:35] right? Excellent room quality, you know, all of those things, that’s the base.
[00:21:39] Where’s [00:21:40] that added value? Where are those experiences, and that is in the cultural experiences [00:21:45] here at Baha Mar, and the unique and differentiating experiences. But let’s talk about the culture. There’s [00:21:50] no other hotel in the world—honestly—and we’re going public to say this. [00:21:55] Reach out to me if you’ve got an art department with a staff of 14.
[00:21:59] Anastarcia: There you [00:22:00] go.
[00:22:00] Graeme: Right? We have an art department with a staff of 14 that truly [00:22:05] are focused on creating a cultural experience from an art perspective [00:22:10] here at Baha Mar with that art department. So, we have two art galleries, one is called the Current, [00:22:15] which has been established by John Cox. He’s our [00:22:20] vice president of art and culture here at Baha Mar, a very well-known [00:22:25] artist himself in his own right, one of the best artists here in the Bahamas. You’ve [00:22:30] got an art teacher as well, and a great mentor to many artists [00:22:35] in the community in the country. He’s really the foundation for the [00:22:40] art cultural experiences here at Baha Mar.
[00:22:41] So, we have an art gallery designed by the Rockwell Group [00:22:45] in New York City that has a full-time gallery. We have an art [00:22:50] immersion program, which is the Artist in Residence Program, which allows our guests to [00:22:55] come into our studios and create some art. And it’s not your Color Me Mine at the [00:23:00] shopping mall, where you paint some mugs. No, this is printmaking, [00:23:05] watercolors, acrylic pouring, this is real art working with artists here at Baha [00:23:10] Mar. So, you’re interacting with Bahamian artists and artists traveling around the world.
[00:23:14] But [00:23:15] beyond that, for our guests, again, it is the artist in residence programs, it’s the [00:23:20] immersion programs, it’s visiting our galleries, it’s some of our artists that are coming in and doing [00:23:25] new initiatives and opening up some new art [00:23:30] that they’ve just created as well. And then we have the ECCHO Space, which is almost [00:23:35] 14,000 square feet. It’s another gallery, and a very special gallery because it’s the [00:23:40] only gallery and space outside of the National Gallery of the Bahamas where the [00:23:45] NAGB has loaned art to us for display, for our guests, [00:23:50] to interact and see some famous Bahamian artists display their art as well. [00:23:55] And so, it’s a great collaboration with the NAGB. It’s also an opportunity to [00:24:00] see some artists.
[00:24:00] And the space being 14,000 square feet, it’s a great place to entertain. We [00:24:05] do events from ten, a dinner for ten, or we can do a reception for up to 250 people [00:24:10] in the ECCHO space. And it’s just a beautiful between—the Current and [00:24:15] the ECCHO, and of course, what I believe is, I think, one of the most [00:24:20] important cultural aspects in our world, and that’s our FUZE Festival that we do every [00:24:25] October. This year, it’ll be October 23, kicking off on Friday night, [00:24:30] and it is really what I believe—my vision is to create the Art Basel of the [00:24:35] Caribbean, so bringing the entire Caribbean artist community [00:24:40] together in one location here in the Bahamas and at Baha Mar. And [00:24:45] last year was our, I believe it was our fourth year is creating [00:24:50] the opportunity for these Caribbean artists to come and join [00:24:55] together and for people from around the world to come in and see this incredible art.
[00:24:59] So, [00:25:00] 120 artists last year, 21 countries around the Caribbean, and we [00:25:05] had great talks, lectures, along with our culinarian with the Bahamas Culinary Arts [00:25:10] Festival on the same weekend. You get the best of everything, you get the most amazing food [00:25:15] from our celebrity chefs that come in, and then you get the 21 countries and 120 [00:25:20] artists celebrated, and it’s an incredible opportunity. And it’s growing [00:25:25] to be, I think, one of the most important art fairs in this region. And [00:25:30] particularly after we have our FUZE Festival, our team goes to the SCOPE [00:25:35] Festival, which is part of the Art Basel in Miami. And so, there’s a great collaboration [00:25:40] with SCOPE and with FUZE, and this is going to continue to grow.
[00:25:43] And that’s a [00:25:45] commitment by ourselves and our ownership group on making sure that we’re celebrating the culture here at Baha [00:25:50] Mar. It’s an important aspect. And you’ll see, we have the world’s largest display of Bahamian art [00:25:55] anywhere in the world across the Baha Mar campus.
[00:25:57] Anastarcia: Listen, I have to—I know you have another question, but I need to [00:26:00] take this moment to invite you to come down for this festival. It will absolutely [00:26:05] blow your mind. If you’ve not been before, you want to be here for this. You know, Graeme, I’ve had the opportunity of attending [00:26:10] the festival from the first year, and there are some guests that come back every single year. Like last year, they had a [00:26:15] tree that had to move off of property because they were expanding, but rather than just [00:26:20] get rid of a tree, they let a local artist, Antonius Roberts, turn the tree into art, and then they [00:26:25] replanted the art outside of its original space. I mean, like, it’s—oh my gosh, your mind will be blown every time.
[00:26:29] Graeme: It was [00:26:30] a beautiful mahogany tree, and we could not just, you know, get that [00:26:35] to—we would have loved to have replanted it, but unfortunately, it couldn’t be. And so, Antonius Roberts, just one [00:26:40] of the most celebrated and iconic artists of our time, and we’re so fortunate [00:26:45] that he was able to create this magnificent sculpture out of this mahogany tree. [00:26:50] And we’re still, we’re going to have that really somewhere primarily featured here at Baha Mar. It’s going to [00:26:55] come back before we get to the FUZE Festival, you’ll see it up around Baha [00:27:00] Mar. But Antonius and his work is celebrated throughout Baha Mar. He’s a great friend and certainly well [00:27:05] celebrated, as many of our Bahamians are.
[00:27:07] Anastarcia: Yeah, yeah. I love it. Okay, go ahead, Renaldo. I just—
[00:27:09] Renaldo: [00:27:10] You’re good, you’re good. We talked so much about culture, we’ve talked about the cuisine, we’ve talked about [00:27:15] music, you know, wellness, one of my favorites, the sports tourism initiatives that you guys have, there are [00:27:20] so many of them under the Baha Mar brand. How intentional was the evolution to [00:27:25] always keep adding another element to stay one step ahead of the curve?
[00:27:27] Graeme: Well, again, I think it’s so [00:27:30] important to create these unique and differentiating experiences. So, we’ve been able [00:27:35] to really think out-of-the-box on how we can create [00:27:40] sports-related experiences and events here at Baha Mar. And we were able to, [00:27:45] I believe—look, Atlantis has done a great job with their Battle 4 [00:27:50] Atlantis basketball event that they do annually, but the interesting thing about the [00:27:55] basketball teams is they’re not able to come back to the same location every year, so it gives [00:28:00] an opportunity for those, they can go back to the same country to a different property, [00:28:05] and so we’re able to rotate teams through between Atlantis and ourselves. And so, we created the Baha [00:28:10] Mar Hoops Festival, which is a great basketball tournament, around Thanksgiving. [00:28:15] We added women’s first time ever. Right away, we added NCAA [00:28:20] women’s teams, which were just off the charts exciting. Some great teams there as [00:28:25] well.
[00:28:25] So, we’ve taken the basketball in the fall, we’re now doing that in the [00:28:30] summer, getting summer teams coming in, NCAA. We’re now adding a [00:28:35] volleyball. We have NCAA volleyball coming up, women’s volleyball in September, [00:28:40] which is going to be exciting. We’ve got some incredible golf tournaments. We’ve been able to [00:28:45] collaborate with Mark Wahlberg with his foundation, so we have the annual Mark Wahlberg [00:28:50] Foundation tournament here that’s coming up in November with Derek Jeter. I think [00:28:55] we’re on our fourth or fifth year with Derek Jeter and his foundation, Turn 2. [00:29:00] We’re excited to be partnering with him, and we have a great celebrity invitational with Derek Jeter in [00:29:05] December, so that’s again another great tournament.
[00:29:08] And we’re always [00:29:10] looking for new events from a sports side. We do a great [00:29:15] tennis event in December as well, the Baha Mar Cup, which raises some—as I [00:29:20] always talk about our foundation as well, being an important aspect, and one of the [00:29:25] pillars, as I mentioned before, which was conservation, another pillar is community, and with the Baha [00:29:30] Mar Cup, we have John McEnroe come down, of course. We’re [00:29:35] probably one of the only tennis centers in the world that have John [00:29:40] McEnroe’s name on it, and he just loves Baha Mar. He and his family, [00:29:45] we’re now, I think, in our third year coming up with John McEnroe and his [00:29:50] style of tennis in the positive way—
[00:29:52] All: [laugh] .
[00:29:52] Graeme: —celebrated and focused [00:29:55] at our tennis center with Derron, our great director of tennis and [00:30:00] racquets. But with that, we’ve created this Bahama Cup, which is a great way to interact with celebrity tennis [00:30:05] players, with celebrities in general, Raise—I think, we raised over [00:30:10] $300,000 last December. And, of course, Mark Knowles has been an incredible partner with us, one of [00:30:15] the most celebrated tennis players from the Bahamas. We work with the Mark Knowles Foundation, [00:30:20] as well, with his charity, and together we combine a great effort to raise [00:30:25] serious money to go right back into the community. And I can see some future [00:30:30] Mark Knowles stars coming out of the Bahamas, as we want to get into every primary [00:30:35] school in the Bahamas, and certainly helping the community.
[00:30:37] Anastarcia: That’s pretty exciting. I saw the news recently [00:30:40] with some kids looking very excited with their racquets that they’ve gotten from Baha Mar. And so, I look forward [00:30:45] to seeing that play out over the years. You said community is a strong pillar. You did [00:30:50] mention this program to us, as well as your cultural ones, like the artists in residence. When you think about the [00:30:55] ways that Baha Mar impacts community, what are some things that we may not know that you all are also doing [00:31:00] behind the scenes to make sure that you’re felt, not just here with how you treat your associates, but with [00:31:05] the Bahamian community at large.
[00:31:06] Graeme: Well, I think it’s so important to always be focused on [00:31:10] being a good corporate citizen. On top of having over 5000 [00:31:15] employees and associates, we call them here, at Baha Mar, there’s another 10,000 [00:31:20] indirect [unintelligible] that are working from whatever Baha Mar is creating, whether [00:31:25] it be taxi drivers, airport, whether it be providers of food. [00:31:30] There’s tremendous amount of ancillary work that goes on to support Baha Mar. So, [00:31:35] you’re almost around 15,000 jobs relying directly off of Baha [00:31:40] Mar. But beyond that, you know, being good corporate citizens, we’re always focused on [00:31:45] giving back to the community, and we just came off, this past weekend, our Baha [00:31:50] Mar Foundation Golf Invitational.
[00:31:52] We raised over [00:31:55] $300,000 this past weekend, we have some amazing sponsors, which we’d love to give a big shout out. We have [00:32:00] a Baja Blue Fund that is basically a grant that we [00:32:05] offer free to our associates that are in need. We had an employee, I read in the paper, their house [00:32:10] burned down. Immediately through our Baja Blue Fund, we gave them a check for [00:32:15] $10,000 that day to go out and get them some clothes, some [00:32:20] belongings, get themselves back on their feet.
[00:32:22] Anastarcia: That’s a pretty big deal, Graeme.
[00:32:24] Graeme: You know, it’s just [00:32:25] one, you know, one of many thoughtful initiatives to take [00:32:30] care of your associates. And I hope that, you know, other companies and [00:32:35] corporations can be inspired the same way and really focus on the associates. It is [00:32:40] costly. It’s not cheap to do all these things, but the return is [00:32:45] ten-fold or more on that return. It is absolutely a [00:32:50] worthwhile investment in taking care of your associates.
[00:32:52] Renaldo: Community is so important. And the golf [00:32:55] event that you guys just had, an incredible event. I got challenged out there, so by next year [00:33:00] I’m not just going to be covering it, I have to compete. So, I’m starting—I’m starting at putt-putt.
[00:33:04] Graeme: [00:33:05] Excellent.
[00:33:05] Renaldo: I’m going to work my way up. Next year—
[00:33:06] Graeme: Yeah, you went to our Mini Blue.
[00:33:07] Renaldo: Yeah.
[00:33:08] Graeme: Our little championship course.
[00:33:09] Renaldo: [00:33:10] So, that’s where I’m going to start next year. I’m working my way up.
[00:33:13] Graeme: That’s a great idea.
[00:33:13] Renaldo: I’ll be in the competition.
[00:33:13] Graeme: I’ll tell you what we should do. We should do a [00:33:15] tournament at Mini Blue.
[00:33:16] Anastarcia: Yes.
[00:33:16] Renaldo: You know what? I’m all for that. I can do that.
[00:33:18] Anastarcia: [laugh] .
[00:33:19] Graeme: I would [00:33:20] participate in that one.
[00:33:20] Renaldo: Let’s get it going.
[00:33:21] Graeme: You know, Mini Blue is just fabulous. That’s a great little spot [00:33:25] where we have the bocce, the croquet, the basketball court, professional basketball court. It’s a great little area [00:33:30] out there by our racquet center. We just added padel courts, which is one of the fastest [00:33:35] growing racquet games, and also pickle. We’re up to six professional pickleball [00:33:40] courts.
[00:33:40] Anastarcia: I had the opportunity to play on your padel court with Derron, who you mentioned, and it was one of the best [00:33:45] experiences I’ve ever had.
[00:33:46] Graeme: It’s a lot of fun.
[00:33:46] Anastarcia: I’ve always played tennis, and so this is my first introduction to padel, and I said, “I [00:33:50] get it.” I get why people love this so much. So, yeah, amazing experience.
[00:33:53] Graeme: That’s terrific. That’s [00:33:55] terrific. Yeah. I tell you, and we’re always thinking about what’s next. And we’ve got some [00:34:00] exciting plans for 2027. We’re just, you know, breaking ground on [00:34:05] a $740 million investment on the west side of Baja Bay, on [00:34:10] the other side, so no disruption at all to the property. It’s on the other side of the water park.[00:34:15]
[00:34:15] And it will grow out of the ground, 330 feet in the air. We’ll have [00:34:20] 345 guest rooms and suites. It will be ultra luxury. It will be just right [00:34:25] below Rosewood on price point. We’ll have 345 [00:34:30] guest rooms and suites, and then we’ll have 77 residences and beautiful villas [00:34:35] running along the far west side down to the beach, from three bedroom to five bedroom villas, and [00:34:40] two two-story penthouses that’ll be 10,000 square feet each, that’ll be two stories.
[00:34:44] So, [00:34:45] you’ll be probably the tallest condominium and residence in the Bahamas, up there at over [00:34:50] 300 feet up in the sky, overlooking the breathtaking views [00:34:55] of Cable Beach and Baha Mar. So, that’s going to open in 2029. The [00:35:00] brand will announce this fall, but it’s, again, an international luxury brand which we’re excited to [00:35:05] be collaborating with. And every detail is going to be just [00:35:10] super special. We have Bergman interior design firm, we have Foster and [00:35:15] Partners, which is, this is their first design out in the Caribbean.
[00:35:19] [00:35:20] Foster and Partners designed the Gherkin in London, Transamerica Building in San Francisco, the [00:35:25] Apple headquarters. They’re just world-class architects, and they’re [00:35:30] coming to the Bahamas, and have been working with us to design this breathtaking building that [00:35:35] will go up where the old Melia Hotel was, you know, one of the original hotels [00:35:40] built in the early 80s. It’s going to really reshape, again, the Cable Beach [00:35:45] skyline, and we’re excited about that addition as well. And you’ll be steps away from Baha Mar. You’ll [00:35:50] be a walk out your back door into Baja Bay, and a few more steps into the Baha Mar [00:35:55] experience.
[00:35:56] Renaldo: You mentioned this continued expansion, and the luxury brand [00:36:00] continues to grow, but how important is it for you to continue to display that [00:36:05] authenticity of the Bahamas for your guests whenever they come here? I know attention to detail is so important to you, but you [00:36:10] want that guest to always feel as if they’re getting a piece of the Bahamas. How do you continue to develop that?
[00:36:14] Graeme: Well, [00:36:15] I think that’s so important. And that’s interacting with our associates. That’s the Bahamian [00:36:20] experience. It’s our people. Sure, the sun, sea, and sand is there, right? And there are [00:36:25] opportunities to go out and venture out. Take one of our boats. On [00:36:30] property, we have a few boats that we work with our local vendors to be able to go [00:36:35] down island, swim with the pigs down in the Exumas or swim with the pigs at Rose Island. [00:36:40] You know, the pigs can be as close or as far away as you want, depending on the experience you want. [00:36:45] That’s one of those unique opportunities in the Bahamas.
[00:36:48] But beyond that, the beautiful [00:36:50] coral reefs, the amazing sand, the great food that’s out there, and [00:36:55] whether it be at the fish fry or it be down, you know, in one of the out [00:37:00] islands, it’s just a day’s trip away. And that’s a beautiful aspect as well. Getting into the [00:37:05] cultural scenes of downtown, I think, are super important. There’s some great [00:37:10] history here in the Bahamas. We’re going to do our part—I’m the chairman of Nassau Paradise Island Promotion [00:37:15] Board—work, we help refurbish the Queen’s staircase. We’re going to continue [00:37:20] working on giving back and supporting renovation projects [00:37:25] across downtown and across New Providence.
[00:37:27] I think working with Bahamas National [00:37:30] Trust, working with AAMC, working with our partners at other hotels, [00:37:35] and hopefully the cruise lines will step up and partner with us as well, on, you [00:37:40] know, fixing the lighthouse on Paradise Island, you know? Let’s get that lighthouse put [00:37:45] back and make it a shining entrance as you come in. We’re going to work on that ourselves and [00:37:50] make sure that we give back and allow our guests to get out there and get those cultural experiences. [00:37:55] But deep down, it’s the people that make the difference for that Bahamian experience. [00:38:00] You know, you’ve got sun, sea, and sand in a lot of islands, but you know it truly is a [00:38:05] Bahamian experience are the people.
[00:38:07] Anastarcia: I love that people always come to the fore for [00:38:10] you, Graeme. You’ve repeated it throughout this conversation, speaking about your associates, speaking about community, [00:38:15] giving kids racquets. People obviously matter to you. And for us here at the podcast, we obviously [00:38:20] want our young people to be encouraged and engaged and look forward to the future. You’re a leader, [00:38:25] you’ve done this for over 30 years, you’ve done it all around the world, and you’ve always done it [00:38:30] exceptionally. So, what advice would you give to any young person listening to this podcast who wants to [00:38:35] make a way for themselves, whether in tourism or just as a leader in general.
[00:38:37] Graeme: Well, that’s such a great question, [00:38:40] and I think it’s important to start at a very young age. And you know, [00:38:45] I just met with Glenys Hanna Martin, our Minister of Tourism, and she’s so excited about the future [00:38:50] of tourism and what she can do, and the Ministry of Tourism can do, and we’re just [00:38:55] excited to be collaborating with her and her team. And that’s getting into the educational [00:39:00] levels. Working with Chester Cooper now, who is Minister of Education, knows how important tourism is coming [00:39:05] from that area, is getting down into the schools and talking about this industry. [00:39:10] It is the number one industry in the Bahamas. It’s not going away. It’s only growing. There’s [00:39:15] no days off, you know, in our industry, so you’re going to work hard. You will get days off, of [00:39:20] course, but there are no days off for our industry.
[00:39:22] And so, working hard [00:39:25] and having common sense and communication skills. Being able to [00:39:30] communicate, articulate to a guest or to each other. I’m [00:39:35] concerned about the future technology of us sitting kids on [00:39:40] phones and not being able to maybe communicate [00:39:45] well or have that dialog and be able to create conversations and be able to [00:39:50] articulate. People are using ChatGPT and stuff to write emails now and [00:39:55] it’s just it’s going to be a lost art on how to communicate. I’m concerned because we’re a [00:40:00] hospitality business. It’s about socializing, it’s about, you know, creating relationships.
[00:40:04] [00:40:05] And so, I think, as a young primary school student, or in high [00:40:10] school, this industry is available to you. [00:40:15] You—look, a college education will give you that next entry-level step in. It’ll put [00:40:20] you above everyone else, but it won’t—not having that education won’t close [00:40:25] the door on you. In fact, those opportunities exist for anyone without a college [00:40:30] education. You can get into our industry, you can start, but if you show the hard work, the [00:40:35] dedication, really your focus on creating those experiences for each other, [00:40:40] and your attitude, positive, outgoing, being able to [00:40:45] articulate, good common sense, you’re going to do well in our industry. It’s not rocket [00:40:50] science. We’re not at NASA. We’re not chemical engineers. [00:40:55] We’re creating experiences.
[00:40:58] And look, I learned [00:41:00] to get into this industry when I was 12 years old. I started flipping through my mother’s gourmet [00:41:05] cooking magazines, and I started to look at recipes. I said, “This is pretty cool.” Like, you know, and she’s my mom [00:41:10] said, “Yeah, you can create some—you can cook. Go in the kitchen, cook some stuff.”
[00:41:14] So I started, [00:41:15] you know, creating some recipes out of the magazines, and I was pretty good at it at 12. So I [00:41:20] started, you know, put on some dinner events and things for friends of my parents and family, [00:41:25] and that instant gratification you get when you put on a dinner [00:41:30] and everybody’s finished the dinner, they said, “Wow, Graeme, you did a pretty good job at cooking this [00:41:35] thing.” And that doesn’t happen in retail, that doesn’t happen at the Department of [00:41:40] Motor Vehicles.
[00:41:40] Anastarcia: [laugh] .
[00:41:41] Renaldo: Absolutely not.
[00:41:42] Graeme: Right? And so, that’s what’s exciting about our new—that’s what [00:41:45] inspires me, and has inspired me from day one to be in this industry now 40 years, [00:41:50] is creating experiences not only for guests but for [00:41:55] my associates as well, that I can see them grow and reach their full potential. [00:42:00] That somebody started at a lower level, and I was able to help them reach their potential and [00:42:05] grow in the industry as well. That’s what excites me.
[00:42:07] Renaldo: One of my favorite things about Baha Mar [00:42:10] is its ability to adapt. And trends are always going to change, and you mentioned, you know, there are [00:42:15] things in the pipeline that the brand is going to continue to expand, but how important is it for you [00:42:20] to do your best to keep up with these trends to always be ready to evolve?
[00:42:24] Graeme: [00:42:25] Oh, absolutely so important to always be thinking about what the trends [00:42:30] are, particularly out there in the travel industry. I’m looking at [00:42:35] more on food trends, seeing where that’s evolving. You know, [00:42:40] Korean is been hot out over there in the US. I think Asian food, [00:42:45] certainly, you know, healthy aspects as well. You know, there’s always unique and [00:42:50] differentiating culinary experiences that we can do an offer out there, which we are.
[00:42:54] [00:42:55] We’re creating, again, this by Christmas time, we’ll open up our new juice and smoothie bar. [00:43:00] We’ve created Bahama Bagel, the first bagel, I think, store here in the [00:43:05] Bahamas, which is using Brooklyn water, [00:43:10] which is the best water in the world to make bagels. It’s the right mineral elements. So, went out [00:43:15] there, researched, found that Brooklyn water is the best for making the best bagels, which we [00:43:20] serve at—right now—Café Madeleine. But we’re actually building and opening up a Bahama Bagel [00:43:25] outlet here at Baha Mar, which will be open by the end of the year.
[00:43:28] But there are alway—still available. We [00:43:30] make thousands of bagels every day, and we have a machine that makes Brooklyn water. It recreates [00:43:35] the perfect elements of that to be able to create the right water to give you the [00:43:40] best bagel on that chewiness and texture. And you know, just little [00:43:45] things like that we’re creating along the way. And I believe our culinary team are really [00:43:50] out there creating and thinking about the new experiences that they can, as well. [00:43:55] It’s always important to be thinking about the trends that are out there.
[00:43:59] Anastarcia: Yeah. I [00:44:00] think Baha Mar does an exceptional job at that, Graeme, and this has been such a wonderful interview to learn [00:44:05] so much. Your attention to detail, the fact that these people look for Brooklyn water—
[00:44:09] Renaldo: Yes [laugh] .
[00:44:09] Anastarcia: —to make [00:44:10] the best bagels. No I’m ser—that tells you that every aspect of this hotel has that sort [00:44:15] of ingenuity, integrity, innovation behind it. How do we make this the [00:44:20] best? And you feel it, even in the podcast studio. Sitting next to the best host ever.
[00:44:23] Renaldo: Especially in the podcast studio.
[00:44:24] Anastarcia: [00:44:25] I mean, that’s what I’m saying.
[00:44:25] Graeme: Right?
[00:44:26] Anastarcia: We love to come and book a podcast, which you can also do when you visit Bahama. Okay, so [00:44:30] Graeme, I guess the final question for us is really important. When we think about [00:44:35] beyond this day, we kind of know what that means for us, and the honor that we have in taking guests [00:44:40] so far beyond, but for you, when a guest hears Baha Mar for the first [00:44:45] time, or when they remember Baha Mar again because they’ve been, what do you want Beyond the Stay of [00:44:50] mean to them? What do these words mean for you, and the ethos you have for this amazing [00:44:55] property you’ve seen evolve?
[00:44:55] Graeme: I really want every guest to leave here feeling that they have been, I [00:45:00] wouldn’t say rejuvenated, but they feel that they’ve really walked [00:45:05] away with an experience that will be a memory for a lifetime, you know? That they [00:45:10] truly felt that what they came here to achieve, it was accomplished, whatever that [00:45:15] was, whether it be that moment where they could reconnect with their family, [00:45:20] multi-generational family, could be the children, could be significant other, finding a significant [00:45:25] other here—
[00:45:27] All: [laugh] .
[00:45:28] Graeme: It could be [00:45:30] that corporate getaway where you were able to get together and network, [00:45:35] and really bond and create a better work environment when you get back home. I think [00:45:40] there are so many reasons to come to Baha Mar, to see a new country for the first [00:45:45] time, the Bahamas, to engage with the community and see some cultural aspects [00:45:50] that you didn’t have at home. There are so many reasons to come to [00:45:55] Baha Mar. And I think it’s so important that when our guests leave, they [00:46:00] feel that we went beyond their expectations, that we were exceptional, [00:46:05] and that they really feel—the best compliment we could ever have is they want to come back. [00:46:10] That’s the best compliment we could ever ask for, that they want to come back to Baha Mar.[00:46:15]
[00:46:15] And we have to be more than, as I said earlier, a roll of the dice or drink on the beach. [00:46:20] We really have to create those connections and those [00:46:25] enriching experiences here at Baha Mar, as well. You know, we’ve made the investment [00:46:30] in every aspect and will continue to ensure that every detail is focused on, [00:46:35] to the level of making sure everybody does feel motivated and [00:46:40] inspired.
[00:46:40] Renaldo: Graeme, thank you so much for joining us on our first episode here of Beyond the [00:46:45] Stay. And to our viewers and to our listeners, hopefully you learned just as much as we did because [00:46:50] there are so many experiences to hear about, you get to hear about the people behind the vision, and you [00:46:55] get to see that played out right here in this podcast studio. But always remember—and we teach you [00:47:00] this as this season goes along—the experiences here at Baja Mar do not end when you check [00:47:05] out. They’re with you well beyond the stay.
[00:47:07] Anastarcia: Indeed, they are. So, we will see you next time. [00:47:10] I’ve been Anastarcia Valacia.
[00:47:11] Renaldo: I’m Renaldo Dorsett.
[00:47:12] Anastarcia: That’s him. And we’ll be back with more [00:47:15] Beyond the [00:47:20] [00:47:25] [00:47:30] [00:47:35] Stay.