Occidental Hotels public relations department has officially announced the appointment of Gabriel Felip as director general of the international chain, with more than 56 hotels around the world. The move was announced by Don Gregorio de Diego, the president of the hotel group. Gabriel Felip, at the time of his appointment, headed the chain’s activities in the Dominican Republic. He replaces the late Jose Manuel Amat, who recently died of cancer in Madrid. Gabriel Felipe came to the D.R. ten years ago as general manager of the Villas Doradas hotel in Playa Dorada, Puerto Plata.
In 1989, he was placed in charge of the opening and start-up of the Hotel Occidental Flamenco with 300 rooms, the property of Occidental Hotels, also in Playa Dorada. At the time, he was directing the operations of the Hotel Occidental Flamenco, the Villas Doradas, and the Montemar in Puerto Plata. In 1991, he was in charge of the opening of the new Hotel La Esplanada in Sosua, with 210 rooms. That same year, he was appointed director general for the North Coast. Subsequently, he replaced Arturo Serra as director general for the D.R. with 11 hotels under his control: El Embajador, Flamenco I and II, Villas Doradas, Playa Dorada, La Esplanada, La Mansion, Cayacoa, Cayo Levantado, Gran Bahia, Riviera Beach and Playa Real.
In 1988 he was chosen Hotelier of the Year by the Ministry of Tourism in the D.R., and the Association of Hotels and Restaurants in two separate votes. He was also awarded the Luperon de Plata in 1988 by the community of Puerto Plata. From 1992-95 he presided over the Camara Oficial Española de Comercio e Industria de la R.D., giving new life to that chamber which promotes trade with Spain.
In 1995, he was honored by the King of Spain with the decoration “Cruz de Caballero al Mérito Civil,” which was presented to him by Spanish Ambassador, Ricardo Diez Hochleitner. He has now moved to Madrid, where the chain has its operational headquarters.