In September, we hosted a series of events in the town of Tunuyan, where we invited people from the Uco Valley and beyond to come learn more about The Vines Resort & Spa, enjoy choripan from our Executive Chef Francis Mallmann, and apply for a variety of open positions. We had a great time getting to know members of our local community, and were impressed by all of the great talent that turned out to join our adventure!
After an extensive interview process, we are pleased to report that we’ve selected some outstanding individuals to join our growing team at The Vines Resort & Spa, and by grand opening we will be bringing on more than 60 new team members!
With a comprehensive training program now underway for new members of the Vines family, we wanted to properly introduce you to a couple of the friendly faces who have been working hard in recent months to build our service team and design incredible experiences for our future guests. Read on to learn more about Lucas & Juan David.
Lucas Paracha, Director of Operations
As Director of Operations, Lucas Paracha plays a critical role in leading The Vines Resort & Spa team to deliver world-class service and experiences for our Villa owners and guests from around the world. With 15 years of diverse experience in the luxury hospitality industry, Lucas most recently served as Director of Sales and Marketing for The Park Hyatt Mendoza. A Mendoza native, he lives in Maipu with his wife and two children. He has a great sense of humor and a relaxed, go-with-the-flow approach that we all appreciate.
In your experience, what is the single most important thing a luxury resort must deliver?
A strong team is the secret ingredient. Any 5 star resort can be in a great location (though ours is simply the best), offering spectacular amenities, but none of this means much without a passionate team providing remarkable service.
At The Vines, our ‘Gauchos’ will drive this. They are a combination of a personal tour guide, concierge, and entertaining storyteller and more. They appreciate food, wine, travel and good living, but more importantly they enjoy being with people. Energetic and always at the ready, they love sharing the magic of Argentina, are passionate about service and care about the little details. They are a critical piece of the puzzle in our service experience.
What has been one of your most memorable work experiences so far?
I work hard to approach every situation with the best attitude possible, and that helps make even the most challenging days the best they can be. In my past job, I was put in a difficult situation where a guest’s room was flooded due to a shower leak, but there was nowhere else that we could accommodate them. I spent time with the people to discuss their concerns and to be sure they felt heard. Even though I was unable to fix their issue, they told me they appreciated my attitude. I was able to transform this interaction with an unhappy customer into an opportunity to make a new friend. Now they invite me to their homes in Napa and Venice Beach when I am in the states!
If you were a wine, which characteristics would you have?
I always like finding wines that are crowd-pleasers... wines that everyone can enjoy together at a party, that are interesting yet approachable enough to be consumed for any occasion, but that also stand out and create lasting impressions. If I were a wine, these are the kind of characteristics I would like to have.
Juan David Baires Ortega, Guest Services
Juan David joined the Resort team during Harvest 2013, and will play a key role in helping to build out our service offerings and training our guest services team as a ‘Gaucho’. Originally from El Salvador, Juan has gained valuable experiences in client service with luxury hotel brands including Shangri La, Park Hyatt and Sheraton in incredible locations like Paris, Thailand, Dubai and Argentina.
His gregarious personality, positive attitude and curiosity have enabled him to find great success throughout the world. As he puts it, ‘I was lucky enough to have the chance to seek out all of these places. I am a person that loves being surrounded by people from different cultures’. And as much as he loves big, glamorous cities, he also loves spending quiet time with friends in nature, drinking a maté.
Professionally, he is one of those people who just “gets” the intricacies and nuances of world-class service, and has already won the unofficial title of “best smile” at The Vines.
What has been one of your most memorable work experiences so far?
I was working as a butler and had the opportunity to get to know an older guest, someone who projected joy and wisdom without saying a word. He normally wore eyeglasses, but one morning I noticed he did not have them on. After finding them with a broken hinge in the trash, I found a place where I could get them fixed quickly. He later came to find me later with tears in his eyes. He was so touched by this simple gesture.
This experience reinforced to me that the smallest details and services really do matter the most.
What is your favorite type of vacation destination, and where do you dream of going next?
My favorite vacation destination besides my homeland is almost anywhere in Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand. The Thai culture, customs, food and natural environment are really amazing, and the people are what really make it a truly special place. If I had to choose a new place to explore, work or live, it would be a wine region in South Africa. I am a person that loves getting acquainted with new cultures and being involved in multi-cultural professional teams!
If you were a wine, which characteristics would you have?
Consistent and dependable, with a humble entrance that persists, but not in an annoying way! A wine that you can count on for every occasion and that will never disappoint.
For more information about our many current job opportunities at The Vines, please visit www.vinesofmendoza.com/jobs or email your resume and cover letter to jobs@vinesofmendoza.com.