Good food,
John Jefferis believes, is part of the Coco Reef Resorts experience. Alfresco dining, even more so. So much so that Jefferis himself took responsibility for the design and selection of every interior detail of the hotel, including the dining area. Guests loved the alfresco breakfast setting, but with it also came small birds that would, along with the guests, partake of the seemingly inviting, sumptuous feast.
But Jefferis, ever the innovator, had an idea.
Those who know him know that innovation is in his blood. For decades, he has been at the forefront of innovation in every area of hospitality management, and he also had a penchant for marketing. Thus,
John Jefferis knew that marketing and innovating worked best hand-in-hand. So, instead of hiring pest exterminators employing nets to catch the errant birds or moving the dining area inside, he hired three birds instead: Coco, Lakshmi, and Starling.
Coco, a five-year-old Harris hawk from England; Lakshmi, a 10-year-old owl from India; and Starling, a nine-year-old black hawk from Tobago were set to work. These three birds, under the watchful eye of Kelton Thomas, who is a noted ornithologist and a professional falconer, kept all the other birds at bay. They were allowed to pose for photographs as well. The guests loved them.
John Jefferis is the highly lauded owner of Coco Reef Resorts in
Tobago and
Bermuda, both of which have won awards over the years. Jefferis himself was awarded “Premier Hotelier of the Caribbean” in 2006.
For more information on Jeff Jefferis and Coco Reef Resorts, visit the Coco Reef official homepage.
