Family-run hotels are considered somewhat of a rarity in today’s accommodation landscape, but not at Quest Apartment Hotels, where many properties are led by couples and families.
At Quest Cronulla Beach, the Page family brings more than 100 years of combined hotel industry experience to the table.
Third-generation hotelier, Robert Page, took ownership of the hotel in November 2023, having recognised the power of the Quest brand and the business support offered by the corporate office team.
He runs the hotel with the support of his father Richard Page, a seasoned hotelier with 60+ years of experience in hotel management and ownership – 15 of which he spent on the board of directors at Best Western Hotels in Australasia as a Director, Vice President, and President – and his mother Evelyn, who has more than 15 years’ experience as a hotel manager.
Here, Robert shares a glimpse into the family-run business and the reasons he aligned with Quest.
Robert, tell us about your family’s interest in hotels and growing up in the industry?
Some of my earliest memories as a child are travelling with my family for hotel conferences around Australia as my father was previously President of Best Western Australasia.
My father has owned hotels for over 60 years and my grandfather owned hotels even a few years before that.
As owners and operators of multiple renowned hotels across the country down through the years, my family and I are driven by our unwavering commitment to excellence and our passion to succeed in the accommodation industry.
When did you decide a career in hotels was on the cards for you?
I have always had a vested interest in hotel operations having grown up around hotels, but it was not until 2017 that I became directly involved with our family’s hotel businesses, leaving behind a career in real estate in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs.
Tell us about some of the learnings from your extensive career in hotels.
Revenue management is somewhat of an art form and also requires daily analysis. Your staff can also be your most important asset. Tracking your numbers/profitability/percentages is vitally important to running any profitable hotel.
When did you start working with Quest and why?
We took over Quest Cronulla Beach in November 2023 and have not looked back since, having exited another hotel brand. We had been actively seeking to join Quest since 2021 after noticing the growth of the network and the high performing Quest hotels available for sale around the country.
Tell us about the transition to hotel ownership.
Since purchasing Quest Cronulla Beach last year, we are already looking to expand within the Quest network due to our belief in the Quest brand, the proven business success of the network and the industry-leading support we are provided by Quest head office.
Tell us about the team you’ve built at this hotel.
We retained all existing staff under the previous ownership as they were highly trained and outstanding in their roles due to the ongoing efforts of Quest corporate office and monthly support provided.
As a family, we oversee day-to-day operations at the hotel and, at this point in time, I have both my mother Evelyn and father Bill working alongside me in the Quest Cronulla Beach Apartment Hotel. I have recently married, and maybe one day my wife Simone will join forces with us at Quest also, as each family member continues to bring their unique strengths to the table.
What are your hopes for Quest Cronulla Beach?
We are in the process of a total refurbishment of fixtures, fittings and equipment (FFE) of all guest rooms and building a function centre. Our hope is to continue be the leading hotel in the Sutherland Shire for years to come.