THE JAKES BRAND CELEBRATES THREE UNFORGETTABLE DECADES
JASON HENZELL, CHAIRMAN OF JAKES HOTEL VILLAS AND SPA
It has been 30 years of building and cementing an indelible legacy.
Now, as the Jakes brand celebrates three unforgettable decades, there is a heartwarming feeling of pride that hovers over Jason Henzell like a drone.
Chairman of Jakes Hotel Villas and Spa in Treasure Beach, St Elizabeth, Henzell sits in a chair of prestige and has been able to watch the business blossom from the front row.
“The mood is one of pride,” Henzell told the Jamaica Observer in a reflective tone.
“Our longest employee has been with us for 28 years. You can imagine, 28 years ago we had four rooms, and now we have 75 rooms, three restaurants, a spa, airstrip, Lovers Leap, the sports park. The list of accomplishments is far and wide. Pride and family are the main things,” he continued, noting that it has been a team effort to get thus far.
Before 30, there was 27, 28 and 29 – milestones that were celebrated against the backdrop of the Coronavirus pandemic from 2020 to 2022. Those years have been hectic for businesses across all sectors. Henzell said indubitably, one takeaway for him, was empathy.
“COVID made us realise that you have to see things from the other person’s perspective.
We were having it rough, but we know that there were many other people who were having much rougher than we were. The ability to make tough decisions is something else that I learned as we decided to sell three pieces of land during COVID,” he recalled.
“I did a lot of research on the Spanish Flu. So when I saw that it lasted two years, I said to myself, this [COVID-19] could last two years too, and decided to sell some land to kind of create a little buffer zone. I have no regrets. I can look back and say I don’t regret selling those three pieces of land.”
With 28 years in the business under his belt, starting Jack Sprat Restaurant and Bar, and bringing aviation to Treasure Beach for the opening of the aerodrome have been two of the most exciting elements for Henzell.
“Another huge thing was when we secured the 17 acres of land for the sports park area and when we got the approval to lease Lovers Leap from the Government,” he told the Observer.
“We were just fortunate. The truth is that luck was on our side. I keep telling the family that we have to pay attention to how fortunate we have been and not ever take it for granted. Treasure beach has done more for me than I’ve done for it.”
To see many people from all stratum of society commending the business and holding it in high regard, Henzell said, “I think it’s very, very humbling. I believe that if you’re going to do something, just do it from your heart. I have a philosophy in life; life is about expectation. When you’re doing something, do it for the right reasons and don’t second guess yourself.”
Community tourism is a stark denominator when one thinks about the contributions of Jakes Hotel Villas and Spa. And to keep that alive, Henzell underscored two questions that ought to be asked whenever decisions have to be made.
“Is it good for the community and is it good for the visitors?” he said. “Most things that are good for the community also happen to be good for the visitors. If you can improve the level of teaching in your school, it means that the parents of those children are happier, and you’re turning out brighter students. We kind of came up with that methodology and it’s incredibly simple. If you stick to it, you won’t go wrong.”
A turning point in the business, Henzell added, is when Digicel came to Jamaica.
“We used to have to go to Black River to make a phone call. I remember profoundly. I think that that specific moment in time also changed my business and changed how we were able to communicate to the world. So that was a big thing that happened in our journey as well,” he reminisced.
But what about his Order of Distinction in 2019? Well, the esteemed honour was like a Category 5 hurricane in a paper factory - it left the businessman winded.
“I remember driving in England and my phone rang and they told me I was going to get the Order of Distinction. I literally had to park the car and just take it in, because I was not in a million years thinking that such a distinction would have been bestowed on me,” he told the Observer.
“And it was such an overwhelming thing, that I pulled the car off the road and just walked for like half an hour to get my thoughts together,” he said, laughing.
“It meant that much to me, because when you’re in a rural area, you’re not necessarily thinking that people are looking your way. So when you realise they are looking your way, it means that much more. That was a phenomenal, very pivotal moment for me,” he stated further.
Thirty years marked by great success for Jakes Hotel Villas and Spa , but undoubtedly, Henzell said he feels as though it is just getting warmed to go to the next level of growth. Among a larger number of plans, he looks to a development of 15 cottages – some of which will be for sale.
“We’ve brought in a lot of vendors for Treasure Beach, whether local or foreign. So I look at it as if we are like almost like a promotional agency for Treasure Beach,” he said.