From the Maldives to Bali to the Cayman Islands, Marc LeBlanc and Laura Robinson have lived and labored in locations that most individuals dream of visiting.
They work within the hospitality trade — a journey that LeBlanc, who’s Canadian, started at 16 years previous when he accepted a job as a dishwasher at a resort. He labored his approach as much as bellman, then to the reservations desk, earlier than pursuing a level in resort administration.
Robinson, who’s British, studied marine biology and labored as a diving teacher earlier than transitioning to resort management.
The couple met whereas working within the Cayman Islands and have since lived and labored on a number of islands in Asia, together with the small jap Indonesian island of Sumba.
Now they reside in Shinta Mani Wild, a luxurious resort tucked away in Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountains, the place LeBlanc serves because the resort’s basic supervisor, and Robinson oversees operations and sustainability.
Robinson and LeBlanc, making ready to zipline greater than 1,000 toes throughout the Cambodia jungle into Shinta Mani Wild, the most well-liked approach to enter the resort.
Supply: Laura Robinson
The couple ceaselessly communicate with resort company, a lot of whom “are tremendous curious to find out about our story,” stated LeBlanc.
For starters, working in locations just like the Maldives — which is understood for its “one island, one resort” idea — is totally different from visiting it, he informed CNBC Journey.
“You are locked on that island, surrounded by water,” LeBlanc stated. “You are not likely going anyplace … you are sort of caught there for lengthy intervals of time.”
For workers, resort life facilities on a workers village, the place staff sleep, eat and do laundry — a state of affairs LeBlanc likened to a summer season camp.
“It turns into slightly group of its personal,” Robinson stated. “You continue to have the identical challenges that having a big group of individuals dwelling collectively can current. There are variations in personalities and opinions.”
Managing these variations is essential, she stated, particularly in locations just like the Maldives, which has a multicultural workforce. That has been simpler at Shinta Mani Wild, as a result of “besides a number of of us, everyone seems to be Cambodian,” she stated.
Many individuals assume that working in hospitality is about making certain company are having time. However “you have received 100 (staff) that you have to ensure are completely happy” too, she stated.
Robinson stated she and LeBlanc have fun workers birthdays and different occasions on the resort. “Marc generally will get his decks out and DJs for them, which they adore,” she stated.
Whereas island life spells solar and enjoyable for many vacationers, saltwater creates upkeep points for these working behind the scenes, Robinson stated.
Robinson, pictured within the Cayman Islands, says her previous work as a diving teacher ready her to deal with actions and experiences on the lodges that she and LeBlanc handle.
Supply: Laura Robinson
Within the Cambodian forest, the environmental challenges are totally different. “Right here you have received the humidity and the forest making an attempt to reclaim itself,” she stated.
Shinta Mani Wild has 15 visitor tents, however the resort sits on land that “is the dimensions of Central Park,” and it requires a “very excessive degree of consideration to element, by way of product and repair, but in addition the conservation work that we do,” LeBlanc stated.
He stated workers patrol the property, together with a big farm on the land, whereas additionally sustaining the paths that run via it.
“It is new for us,” he stated. “We’re studying.”
Removed from household
Life in a number of the world’s most coveted journey locations has its perks, however LeBlanc and Robinson additionally deal with dwelling removed from their households.
After they lived within the Maldives, their dad and mom visited them yearly, and so they returned dwelling each different 12 months to see siblings, stated Robinson.
Now the couple journey dwelling yearly, she stated. “My brother and sister began having youngsters … and our dad and mom are getting older.”
The couple wouldn’t have kids, so education — a giant consideration for a lot of expatriates — is not a difficulty. They lately adopted two canines from the Cardamom Mountains forest, they stated.
Working collectively for almost 20 years
LeBlanc and Robinson mentioned one other problem: dwelling and dealing in distant places as a pair.
“Initially you do not know how it may go,” stated LeBlanc. However “we work fairly effectively collectively.”
Hiring {couples} to handle lodges is sensible for distant locations, stated LeBlanc. “We have now one another,” he stated.
Supply: Laura Robinson
“We’re nonetheless doing it,” Robinson stated with amusing, including that separate places of work are key.
As the final supervisor of Shinta Mani, LeBlanc oversees issues associated to human assets, finance, safety and engineering on the resort, whereas Robinson handles extra “entrance of home” issues, she stated.
“(Laura is) extremely organized, extremely environment friendly, and I am extra on the artistic aspect,” LeBlanc stated.
Robinson stated LeBlanc comes up with daring concepts and is expert at executing them. The couple spend time, even on private holidays, brainstorming concepts — typically discovering inspiration from their travels, she stated.
“There is not any scarcity of locations in search of managing {couples},” LeBlanc stated. “There are recruitment companies specializing in hiring {couples}, not just for lodges, but in addition for personal islands, for ultra-high web value people. The job alternatives are on the market.”
In distant locations, having a companion can ease loneliness too, stated LeBlanc.
“It is sensible, we now have one another,” he stated.
