Do you remember when I wrote in last October about the new golf course to be built right next to Praia D’el Rey? The new golf course, West Cliffs Golf Links is almost ready. Only 99 days left until the opening of the West Cliffs Golf Links.
The Cynthia Dye ASGCA designed par-72 seaside links have been created over 200 hectares of natural landscape, rolling sand dunes and coastal vegetation. This is the 1st Dye-designed golf course in Portugal and the 4th in Europe. She is the niece of Pete Dye.
Cynthia Dye said about West Cliffs: “The most distinguishing architectural feature on the course is the collection of bunkers with irregular perimeters blending into and dictated by the native vegetation. It will be a very dramatic experience for the players.”
West Cliffs will measure a testing 7,003 yards (this is 21 meters longer what they told me in September 2016) in length but, with its modern design and a choice of several sets of tees, it will guarantee accessibility to golfers of all abilities.
Around the golf course, we can find 265 residential lots which range from:
- 84 luxury apartments,
- 203 townhouses,
- 182 detached houses.
There will be 2 5-star hotels:
- Hotel da Falésia: 130 accommodation units, 260 beds;
- Hotel do Pinhal: 60 housing units and 120 beds.
In addition to this, people can also choose to stay in Praia D’El Rey Marriott Golf & Beach Resort.
West Cliffs will be managed by Praia D’El Rey – one of Europe’s leading resorts – which marks its 20th anniversary this summer.
West Cliffs Golf Links in review
Although it might be early to expect and demand from the developers of West Cliffs, but I will list here the pros and cons of the resort.
Pros:
- Adventure Kids Club – 1 excuse less, why not to select this resort
- Babysitting – just like the previous service. The only question here is how they will keep the kids quiet to avoid complaints from those who want to have a silent golf vacation.
- Spa & Health Club
- Supermarket
Cons:
- Lack of mobile mindset or mobile first attitude: today, one of our first questions when we enter a restaurant, a clubhouse is what is the Wi-Fi password of the place. They have to be prepared for this need. The future will not simply want Wi-Fi access, they want high-speed Wi-Fi. At the same time, it can be a smart way to collect email addresses from guests that they can use for future communication and acquisition campaigns.
- Did they forget that there are more and more people who are looking for an experiential tourism (combines adventure and exercise)? The closeness of the Atlantic Ocean provides many opportunities (e.g. surfing, sailing etc.)
- What are their offers for Millennials?
- The steakhouse concept is OK, but is one restaurant enough to amaze guests? Let’s not underestimate the importance of foodie culture.
I did not want to add to the list of cons, but it would be smart to communicate the usage of Marriott Hotel‘s Marriott Mobile App mobile app as a digital concierge service could help guests feel more comfortable during their stay, but also before and after. This enables users to check-in & out, request services, and utilize your Marriott Rewards loyalty card.
Another missed opportunity is the usage of wearables. The objective for hotels and golf clubs should think about how can they make their customers’ lives simple and seamless. This is where wearable technology comes into the picture.
For instance, the waiters could use smartwatches to manage orders and notifications without being encumbered with a tablet or mobile phone. The housekeeping staff could receive via their smartwatch guest requests, track orders etc.
Wearables are not only useful for the staff of a hotel or golf club but can be helpful for guests as well. Just think about the various payment solutions (e.g. FitPay, Wallaby).
It would be also desirable to provide personalised services and offers. It is a great feeling to receive such an offer or service that fits my expectations and needs in 100%. This raises the question, will they headcount for data analyst(s)?
Last, but not least the new West Cliffs Golf Links should strive to become an experience focused resort and develop such a company culture as well. I think an organization with customer-oriented, agile & collaborative culture can handle much effectively the demands of our days’ customers.