What are your earliest memories of Montego Bay?

It was in 1983 and I had come with some friends to visit my Uncle. We stayed at Carlysle on the Bay, and it was an awesome experience. I was still in high school at the time and I had about two weeks and extended it by an extra week. After that I went back home to Clarendon and told my parents that I knew what I wanted to do. Up until that time I had no clue, but I decided after my experience in Montego Bay that I was going to be a hotelier.

What do you miss when you are not in Montego Bay?

The relaxed atmosphere. The beauty of the hills and the beaches being so close to each other and of course, friends and family.

What’s your most memorable meal in Montego Bay?

It was a very romantic dinner at The HouseBoat Grill with my lovely wife Tanisa Samuels.

What cologne are you currently splashing?

Polo by Ralph Lauren.

What are your favourite home comforts?

Well, I love my bed. I love lots of extra pillows. I love a wide flat-screen TV on the wall with great sports channels. My daughters and my sons just sitting around and relaxing with me.

What would you do if you were mayor of Montego Bay for a day?

What I would really love to do is a serious clean-up campaign of the litter, I think that’s very important. I’d also like to do something for the inner-city youths. They seem to be growing more rapidly in Montego Bay.

What would you do for the inner-city youth?

I think we need to create jobs. We need to create hope. We need to do more for education. I think it all comes down to education, giving them a chance to do something for themselves. It seems that more kids nowadays are losing that opportunity to get a good education. I do a number of interviews in the hotel industry and it’s amazing how many people come to me who never finished high school.

What is your preferred beverage?

Appleton V/X on the rocks.

Name the last book you read.

I’m actually reading one now. It’s called Babylon Pon Bike by Brian Samuels, my father-in-law. It’s about his memories of Jamaica back in the 70s.

What’s your favourite TV show?

Two and a Half Men, the Charlie Sheen episodes.

What was your last bit of retail therapy?

A beautiful gold watch for my wife.

What’s the best thing about being in the hospitality industry?

Every day is a new day; nothing is the same. It’s the same property but with the changing of the guests that come in each week, it’s always different. We have 700 rooms, 1,021 staffers and an average of 1,300 guests per day. So it’s like a little city in the city.

Who do you admire most in the hospitality industry?

Bill Marriott, chairman and CEO of Marriott International, Alex Zozaya, CEO of AM Resorts, and Gordon Butch Stewart, chairman of Sandals Resort International.

What’s your advice to a first-time visitor to Montego Bay?

Enjoy yourself. Get out of the hotels. It’s a beautiful country with more than just white sand beaches. Stop by the local jerk spots; get to know what Jamaica is really all about. The people are warm and friendly.

Share some places in your black book.

Providenciales in Turks and Caicos; the Eight Mile Rock strip in The Bahamas; The Dorchester in London, England, and Bachelor Gulch at the Ritz-Carlton in Vail Colorado, US.

Share your favourite spots on the island.

The Havana Bar at Secrets Resort and Spa in Montego Bay. I don’t say that just because I work here. You have an amazing view with the backdrop of the mountains and the ocean in a beautiful lounge/piano bar, and some of the finest rums you find in the world, including Appleton. It is absolutely stunning in the day and even more so at nights. I go there as often as possible.

What’s your philosophy?

Live life to its fullest.