JUST one month into his new role, Lij Keith, the recently appointed general manager of Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel, is already making plans to expand the hotel’s demographics and service offerings.

In an exclusive interview with the Jamaica Observer, Keith revealed his vision to enhance the Kingston nightlife and guest experience.

“We are not trying to change the demography that exists, but we want to add to the existing demography. The activities and events that we are planning are to attract a younger, vibrant, younger professional audience that has the taste for a certain level of event,” he revealed.

The hotel, renowned for its live bands on Wednesday evenings, brunches, and Friday nights at the Regency Bar, is set to revamp its evening offerings.

Currently, the same DJ performs every Friday and Saturday, but starting in May, the hotel will introduce a new DJ every Friday night at the Regency. Keith also revealed some of the big names in the entertainment industry who will be gracing the decks as part of the new Regency Fridays series.

“DJ Sparks is confirmed for May 10, and we’re finalising other acts,” he shared. “The idea is to keep Friday nights fresh with a different energy each week, as each DJ will bring their own unique vibe and following.”

During a tour of the Regency Bar, Keith pointed out minor changes to the entertainment line-up and showed off the terrace outside the bar, which is currently undergoing renovations to accommodate a new Thursday night event. ‘Thursday Night Live’ will feature a different cocktail theme each week, paired with live entertainment showcasing local talent from the north coast, including cellists, violinists, and saxophonists. The event is expected to launch in the coming weeks.

There will also be a new gastronomic experience as Terra Nova introduces a new quarterly culinary tour. The inaugural event will take place on June 16, Father’s Day, with subsequent events happening every full moon. According to Keith, the idea is to shine a spotlight on fathers, who are often overlooked.

“We often highlight our mothers, but not enough is done for fathers, which is why we’re launching the culinary tour on Father’s Day,” he explained to the Business Observer.

The event promises to be a magical experience, with a main stage set up on the hotel’s front lawn, complete with professional audio and lighting. Dinner will be served across the lawn, with white-glove service and international chefs highlighting a different theme each night. The first staging will feature Jamaican cuisine and thereafter promises to deliver cuisine from France, Spain, Italy, Asia, or the Mediterranean under the stars. The culinary tour will prioritise food above all else, but entertainment will still play a significant role.

“This culinary tour will strongly focus on food, not so much entertainment; however, for the culinary tour, entertainment will be second to none,” Keith boasted.

Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel has not forgotten its corporate roots and is reintroducing its popular ‘Corporate Mingle’ event at Pavilion, one of its two main meeting areas.

“The mingle used to happen back in the day, but it was stopped. The new concept for the mingle is a bit different in that we’re working with key companies, and some will have the ability to have an exclusive mingle,” Keith explained to the Business Observer while giving a tour of the pavilion area.

Companies will have two options to participate in the corporate mingle event: either be the sole company in attendance, inviting their clients to mingle, or share the space with a maximum of four other companies, joining their client bases together. The formalities will take place inside the pavilion, where companies will have the freedom to market, advertise, and set up as they see fit. The first mingle, scheduled for May 31, will be an exclusive event for ATL Audi.

Enhancements were also given to team members, as Keith highlighted that the priority is to focus on its internal human resources before aiming to satisfy patrons. He has been working on cultivating a positive culture among the staff, recognising that team members need to feel more involved and motivated. To address this, several programmes have been introduced to make staff feel more valued and incentivised. One such initiative is the birthday club, where all team members born in the same month celebrate together. Another initiative is the staff luncheon, where management and staff switch roles for the day.

“Once a month, all the managers of the hotel come together to present a very exclusive buffet for the staff, and we serve the staff — only managers,” he explained.

A slight refreshing is also being slated to be done on some of its rooms, with work already underway. A total of 46 rooms will be refreshed, with five rooms currently being worked on. Each room renovation is expected to cost between US$3,000 and US$5,000. Additionally, the gym, lobby, and other public spaces will also undergo renovations.

“In the next few months, Terra Nova will have a fresher, newer, and cleaner energy to it,” Keith revealed.