THE HISTORY OF THE CHAMPS

Lise van de Kamp had a goal 20 years ago. She put on paper that she wanted to live in paradise, live in a relaxed manner in a tropical island.
She did not realize that this paradise would be Dominica, the Nature Isle of the Caribbean.

This all started while living in Holland where life was great but the weather was so cold, which Lise did not like. At first Lise and her partner Hans had the idea of having a bed and breakfast in Portugal. They checked out the business options there, but were not convinced that this was where they really could earn a living. Their minds were unsettled for a few more years as they were not (financially) ready yet to go and live in the Caribbean.

Lise inspecting the building under construction - and getting distracted by the view...

They came to the Caribbean in 2007 where they both loved Soufriere and initially looked purchasing land there.
They realized that there was not a lot of business there so there was a change of plans and next they saw a property near Coulibistrie. The area there was very lonely, no nearby beach and no form of entertainment there. This was not the type of property they were looking for.

Next in-line they checked out a house at Picard, and they knew that was it. The view of Portsmouth and Cabrits and the Caribbean Ocean was a ‘killer.’ They bought the property, not taking into consideration the presence of any other hotels or the Ross University being nearby. They bought it because of the view and Lise only wanted a simple B & B. They spent six months living in Picard near to their building under reconstruction.

When coming to Dominica the intention was to have a bed and breakfast to be run by Lise and just a single staff from 9 am to 5pm. But the plan changed.
Invest Dominica offered support and concessions but then it had to be a hotel with at least five rooms. Seeing all the students and faculty of Ross University it was clear that their family and friends could be a good clientele for Comfortel De Champ (as it was called originally), while the students and residents wanted more places that would serve food and drinks. Lise being a person who has a natural character of spending time with people, serving them and going the extra mile, decided that a restaurant and bar should be incorporated into the business.

Having a very structured and successful private and business partner, Hans Schilders, this quickly became a reality. “Hans knows just how to get things done and pulls me in,” says Lise. Lise loves new experiences and feels very comfortable meeting diverse individuals on a daily basis. She says that it makes her life “rich.” For the comfort of their guests they decided on building a tapas and cocktail bar on the side of the new hotel, giving it the look of a Caribbean wooden structure with the interior of a cozy Dutch bar.

Parents of students and visitors of  Ross coming to the island would fill the rooms at The Champs and be patrons to the bar. The extra rooms were built and concessions for building materials and interiors were asked for from the Government by the sole proprietors Lise and Hans.
The original house has been converted into a small luxurious hotel. A home away from home with comfortable rooms, a breath taking view, wireless internet, personalized services and tours and a wide variety of food from different nationalities to meet their clients’ needs.

The advantages of this business to the proprietors are that:
·        They enjoy having people around to liaise with.
·        They are allowed to make their own decisions.
·        The business is one that will allow them to live comfortable when they are off age.
It’s five years already and there has an excellent growth rate and a bright future to excel even more. The Picard area has a 90% impact on The Champs Hotel with Ross University being the #1. Lise states that if given the chance she would have started this business earlier and would have gathered more knowledge and insight on running the restaurant as part of the business.

The Champs has done a lot of marketing during their few years of existence. They made use of a website, flyers, newspaper advertisements and internet marketing like Facebook and Adwords just to name a few. Customers select The Champs over its competitors because of the top-notch personal service. Owners and staff give maximum attention to their guests. There is a well-trained and very organized staff of eleven and The Champs is proud to deliver what they promise.

Lise transports herself and staff members to trainings whenever and where ever those are given across the island. Lise being the person who organizes the day-today running of the hotel and restaurant feels that investing in the local employees is the best way to make the business grow and become stable. At times the hotel takes a lot from her and so she also needs some time for herself and her friends. The better the staff is trained, the easier it for her to time to enjoy living in paradise.

Six years in Dominica, one year preparing and five years running the show successfully, have given Lise and Hans a lot of chances to give back to the community. From the first month that they came to the island, they are active Rotarians and also with The Champs as a company they try to be committed to their social responsibility. Not just by making a few donations but by being involved in fundraisers and educational projects. Lise feels that Dominica needs all the help it can get and is happy to be able to play her part.

20 years ago Lise had put a goal on paper. 7 years ago she started her business and she is very pleased with the results she has achieved so far. Ready to attack the challenges of the next 7 years and 100% motivated to continue to give the highest level of personal service to her guests.