Fijian Hospitality Group Raffe Hotels and Resorts is excited to announce the appointment of Rodney Samuels to the position of General Manager at its award-winning Fijian family focused resort, Plantation Island Resort.
Rodney commences his new role today, after relocating from New Zealand to be based on the island and is charged with overseeing the day-to-day operation of the property and guiding it into its next successful era.
Rodney is no stranger to Fiji, having worked extensively in the destination for more than 14 years.
He was part of the (then Sheraton) Vomo Island Resort pre-opening team in 1994 and returned to work in the industry again between 2004 and 2022 to take on a range of management and operational positions at Tropica Island Resort on Malolo Island, Doubletree Resort by Hilton in Fiji and Sonaisali Resort and Hilton Fiji Beach Resort.
In addition, he leveraged his regional expertise to launch his own hospitality consulting business in 2020, providing advice to Fijian investors and operators on a broad range of issues from operations and management diagnosis, through to capital planning, project management and all aspects of human resources including training.
Rodney says, “I consider Fiji to be my second home, and am thrilled for the opportunity to return to this world-class destination. Joining the exceptional team at Plantation Island Resort is an absolute career highlight for me, and I am truly committed to working alongside such an inspiring group of people each day to elevate our guest experience to the next level for our guests.”
He takes over from well-respected former General Manager, Alex Wilson, who has been a treasured part of the Raffe family since 2018. Alex has departed the resort to return to his home in Australia after a triumphant six-year tenure at Plantation Island Resort that saw him tackle the Covid19 era and successfully reignite operations post pandemic.
Importantly, Alex was also responsible for helping bring to life the resort’s new conservation partnership with NGO Corals for Conservation (C4C), the BULA Reef. His legacy lives on in the 16 x 45 metre underwater word structure, which is the largest rescue reef of its kind in history written in over a thousand heat-adapted “super corals” and formally endorsed by UNESCO as part of its Ocean Decade of Action.
Raffe Group’s Chief Executive Officer Lee Pearce said, “On behalf of the team I’d like to express our sincere gratitude for the massive impact of outgoing general manager Alex Wilson, his legacy will carry the resort forward long after he departs. We have been extremely fortunate to have had Alex with us for a solid seven years, and he very much embodied the hospitality, generosity of spirit and integrity with which we treat guests, partners and staff.
“Now, we are delighted to welcome Rodney, another experienced hotel and resort professional, to the Raffe Group to put his personal stamp on the role.”
“We are confident that Rodney will thrive given his genuine understanding and passion for Fijian culture and local experiences. This, combined with his business acumen and support of his local team members, will certainly work to maintain our exceptional standards of service and value while striving for continuous improvement.”
Plantation Island Resort offers a great value Fijian experience in a five-star destination. Nestled on the 553 acre island of Malolo Lailai, part of the Mamanuca Group of Islands, the resort is spacious and set amongst 23 acres of tropical gardens, coconut palms and white sandy beaches that front the island’s sheltered blue lagoon. Appealing to families, friends and fun-loving couples, the resort offers several generous accommodation options to suit most budgets. A choice of one and two-bedroom bures and spacious hotel rooms are available, scattered throughout the resort in a variety of garden, poolside and beachfront settings. Plantation also boasts a wide range of guest facilities including four freshwater pools, three children’s playgrounds, three restaurants and bars, a snack bar, retail arcade, golf course and medical centre. Most of the activities are complimentary including the ‘Coconut Kids Club’ and Lairo Teens Program, offering guests of all ages a wide range of daily activities. A range of water sports, snorkelling, diving and cultural activities are available onsite to take advantage of its incredible lagoon side locale as well as the complimentary inflatable waterpark and a first for Fiji – the Jungle water park to slide and jump in the sea. Visit https://www.plantationisland.com/ for more information.
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