Family friendly al fresco dining in Bonettis Restaurant

Money spent wisely, where it mattered – in the kitchens, in manipulating the spaces, restructuring buildings, driving downward, outward, remodelling. Furniture reused, the high standard of maintenance and housekeeping meaning that some of the furniture is older than some of the mums and dads sitting in it. Refurbishments that still looks good fifteen years after they were done proving that good housekeeping is not just something that guests want to see (and rarely do) but something that can impact on the bottom line.

Apples are a recurring theme

Not for here that fashion statement that needs redoing after 3 or 4 years because it looks out of date; no, here we have simple classical design well cared for that holds its stylishness, never trendy, but still functional and acceptable many years on. Sometimes an odd juxtaposition tells the story – a 1930’s handrail sailing over the junction of a 1980’s carpet, still respectable, where it joins to a late 90’s funky design. All only to be seen on a stair landing, unnoticed by most people, but telling a part of the story of change.

The last remodelling went down another floor, uncovering an ancient well or stream; the designer momentarily disconcerted at the sight of a small digger disappearing through the floor of what was the bar as it dug its way into the earth beneath. Now gleaming glass walls with sophisticated interlocking wind, sun and rain sensors to control windows, blinds and air-conditioning automatically, look to the sea. Walls that open to the Gardens to allow al fresco dining. Walkways (the Boulevard) that give access to every part of the hotel for a wheelchair user – and as a result are a delight for those with pushchairs who can get to every part of the multi-storey building without a problem.

Yet this remodelling was no more adventurous than the last that built Jersey’s first water park onto the hotel; nor than the one before that, that saw the building snaking its way down the hillside as extra bedrooms were added. The vision passed on from great grandfather to grandfather to father (barely escaping transportation in 1944) and from father to son. Continuity as the vision was nurtured through the generations – something similar was lost when Mammon won the battle for Forte and the short-termism of shareholder profit broke another familial vision.