The GTA Construction Report – July 2009 – PAGE A11
MONTE CARLO INNS
New Barrie hotel reflects entrepreneurial initiative
and old-country construction knowledge
ternet, and we have much repeat business
STAFF WRITER
– The GTA Construction News Special Feature
from people who have stayed with us, and
recommend our hotels to friends, family and
Domenic Meffe’s success in constructing business associates,” he said.
and operating the Monte Carlo Inns chain Pedone says, with Meffe’s construction
provides proof that you can achieve great knowledge and background, the company
things with determination, drive, innovation acts as its own general contractor. It con-
and hard work – and these qualities count far ducts much repeat business with sub trades.
more than the amount of time you spend in “We need to get three quotations,” he said.
formal education. “The best quote is not necessarily the lowest
His latest $8.5 million hotel in Barrie quotation; we want to avoid hidden costs.
with rooms, suites, meeting facilities, a pool We like to work with honest people who can
and restaraunt just opened at Hwy 400 and perform with us.”
Dunlop St. Plans are under-way for a new By taking both the general contracting
hotel in Markham, with construction “hope- and project management responsibilities in-
fully to start in a couple of months,” he said. house, decisions are made quickly. “If you
Meffe arrived in Canada from Italy just have a change order or something doesn’t
days before Christmas in 1965. “Construc- work, the architect has to come up with re-
tion has been in my blood since I was a kid vised drawings, but you don’t want people
in the old country.” waiting on the job. We can make a decision
His mother sent him out to learn a trade and get moving in two days, or even one
– he ended up earning the grand sum of day.”
$6.00 for three months work. So he found After a series of short-term jobs, with he had seen the potential while making de- Savings from big-brand hotel reservation
it amazing to earn $2.00 or $5.00 per home support from the family of his wife Carmela liveries to motels on the Lakeshore. The services and brand identity costs allow
shovelling snow, or to discover at an early (he married when he was 19), he opened a first Monte Carlo Motel proved to be a suc- Monte Carlo to fund its own marketing
part-time job, that people would actually tip pizza restaurant on the Lakeshore. A few cess, achieving 100 per cent occupancy (much easier to do these days with the In-
$2.00 when he delivered something to their years earlier (at age 16), he made his first within days of opening. ternet), while retaining satisfactory margins
hotel room. real estate investment, putting in $2,500 of Today, the chain has seven locations and delivering exceptional value to trav-
Meffe didn’t last long in school – he savings with his brother to buy a house. from in the GTA. The earliest hotels have ellers.
spoke only Italian, and they public school Meffe had an ulcer by age 21. been upgraded and modernized as newer Meffe says future projects, once the new
system didn’t offer proper ESL programs By 1985, Meffe decided that while he and larger ones are built. Generally, Meffe hotel in Markham is built, could include an
then. But this didn’t deter his entrepreneur could be successful in the restaurant busi- says, it takes about 10 to 11 months for each- office building, and construction of proper-
ial instincts. ness, he would much rather operate hotels – project, and Monte Carlo works on one at a ties in western Canada or resort areas in the
time. Caribbean. However, he is being cautious.
With hotels, Meffe can combine his “We will see how this recession is going to
knowledge of construction, real estate, hos- work out.”
pitality and food service effectively, and he Would Meffe’s organization be interested
discovered a market for facilities that pro- in acting as a general contractor for other
vide individualized attention and comfort projects? “We’ve been asked,” he said.
with five-star service, at prices much lower. “There’s a lot of work involved. “We are not
“Our hotels appeal to business people who interested in building other people’s build-
want a convenient place to stay, with all the ings. We do our own, and move on to the
amenities they need,” says project manager next one.”
Danny Pedone. For more information, phone the Monte
Meffe says he doesn’t have trouble fill- Carlo Corporate Centre at (888) 564-6194
ing his hotels (several are owned by fran- or write to 7045 Edwards, Mississauga Ont.
chisees) despite the lack of the brand name L5S 1X2. The central reservations line is
and central reservation service of the major (800) 363-6400 and the company’s website
hotel chains. “People can find us on the In- is at http://www.montecarloinns.com.
Congratulations to the Monte Carlo Inns
opening in Barrie.
Proud to be working on the new
Monte Carlo Inns project.
11 Cardico Drive, Unit #3
Gormley, ON L0H 1G0
80 Ellis Drive, Unit 7, Barrie, ON L4N 8Z3
Tel: (905) 888-8686
Tel: 705-728-2361 Fax: 705-728-2733
Fax: (905) 888-5144
www.skywall.ca
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24